If there is one frosting recipe that every baker should have in their repertoire, it’s a quick and easy vanilla buttercream. As much as I love Swiss meringue buttercream for its silky smooth texture and rich flavor, I also appreciate the simplicity of an American-style buttercream. It requires few ingredients and very little time. In fact, I use it so often that I have the recipe memorized – this comes in very handy if I run short and need to whip up another quarter- or half-batch.
Most buttercreams start out with the same basic concept – combining butter with powdered sugar and beating until they are “light and fluffy”. Even with extensive whipping, I generally find these frostings to be heavy and cloying. The reason I prefer this particular whipped vanilla buttercream recipe and method is the addition of a bit of cream. When the mixture is whipped, it fluffs up and transforms from the heavy buttercream into a cloud of frosting. It’s a beautiful thing.
Later this week for cupcake Friday you’ll see the finished version of these particular cupcakes. You’re gonna love ’em!
*The pastry tip pictured above is an Ateco #829.
