Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (add more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.
- Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute.
- If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners' sugar to make it stiffer.
How About Chocolate Frosting Instead?
Check out my favorite chocolate frosting
Check out my favorite chocolate frosting
Tastes just like melted vanilla ice cream is a HUGE selling point, I love vanilla! Looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteYum! I'm the same as you... if I'm eating vanilla ice cream, you can be darn sure it's vanilla bean! Cant wait for the pumpkin cupcakes (or pies?). :)
ReplyDeleteYou do seem to love to taunt lately- what up with that?!?! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of butter did you end up using? I've found that with really good buttercream the vanilla and butter both make a huge difference.
I LOVE the idea of pumpkin cuppies-yeah! cants.wait.2.Xcited.2.c.
I think I want to smear that on everything and anything!
ReplyDeleteLyb - It was!!
ReplyDeleteLaura - Putting the finishing touches on the post and it will be here soon.
TW - Interesting question about the butter. I typically use the Whole Foods house brand of organic butter. I know slow foods is having a butter tasting coming up. I'm looking forward to trying out some new butters. As for the teasing, the good news is that you get to hear from me more often instead of just once a week when I have a new cupcake.
Brylynn - Hah! Hot dog with vanilla bean frosting! Chicken dinner with vanilla bean frosting. Why not. :)
I totally need some of that paste.. I just wish I knew where to find it here!!!
ReplyDeletesounds amazing! i have a gift card to williams sonoma (and it's not enough to buy a nice pan or anything) so tomorrow i'm going to see if i can find vanilla bean paste.
ReplyDeletehow many cupcakes can one frost with this recipe?
Does vanilla bean paste have a similar, like, potency as vanilla extract? Or is it another taste class all its own? Because...I don't know that I could find it down here in the mountains. lol. I've been wanting to make a strong vanilla frosting for a while, though...this could be it for me!
ReplyDeleteRyley - If you can't find it near you, you can always buy it online. I end up buying lots of supplies online. I've got the link in the post.
ReplyDeleteJezebel - That's a hard question because I don't know how much frosting you like on your cupcakes. If you want a big whopping swirl of it, I would say that it would take at least double this amount to frost 12 cupcakes. However, if you are just going to lightly cover your cupcakes, this recipe should do.
Ley - Yes! It's got a very strong vanilla flavor - after all it IS extract - it just has beans added to it. Also, you can always add more vanilla bean paste if you want it even stronger.
This frosting was awsome!! I'm very picky about frosting and so is my hubby and we both loved it! I couldnt find the vanilla bean paste so i used one whole bean and 1 teaspoon of good vanilla extract. Thanks so much =)
ReplyDeleteAnon - Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'm really picky about frosting too.
ReplyDeleteTrader Joe's sells an amazing vanilla bean paste and the price is not bad
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't like any frosting.... at least I didn't until I had this one. I adore it! Thank you so much for this recipe!
ReplyDeleteI see that anonymous added a bean + vanilla extract instead of the vbp... Do you think if I just added vanilla extract it would do? I'm having a Thanksgiving "pre-game" dinner w friends this week and I want to make the pumpkin cuppies with this buttercream but I don't think that the vpb will get here on time! :(
ReplyDeleteCupcake Fairy - You could just use vanilla extract, but it wouldn't be as good. If you could get your hands on a vanilla bean that would be the next best thing to the paste. I'm sure it would be fine with vanilla extract, it just wouldn't have the same punch.
ReplyDeletefor those who tried this recipe, is this sweet? i am looking for a buttercream frosting recipe that is not too sweet...i tried a lot of recipes and seems to always fail:( desperately looking for a moist vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream frosting that will suit my husband's tastebuds....th
ReplyDeletethanks in advance..
I used seeds from 2 vanilla beans for this and it was amazing...I recommend doing this.
ReplyDelete-Jen Chasse
I love this frosting, it is my go-to vanilla frosting - just like ice cream. And it works with nucoa margarine for us lactose intolerant folks! Love the blog too. Just posted some of your frostings! Thanks much. =)
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I haven't frosted with it yet, but have snuck a few tastes and this is great. I tripled the recipe and just used one bean, which worked for me. Thanks!
ReplyDeletehi....I really wanted to try this ice cream like frostings..just a question before i attempt it.
ReplyDeletecan this frosting be made in advance and refreigerate?As i was thinking of making it a day in advance and chill them.
Thank you!
Ivy - That shouldn't be a problem at all. I've even frozen it.
ReplyDeletehi stef,
ReplyDeleteHow abt if i flavour it with chocolate,jams or jellies?will it turn out right?
If i add food colouring...will it be ok?
Food coloring will be fine. As for jams and jellies - that will change the consistency of the frosting. It will probably still taste good though.
ReplyDeleteThanks alot steph!
ReplyDeleteSo im not sure how much extra powdered sugar I need to add because I want it to be fluffy and for some reason it isnt fluffy ? How do I get it fluffy. other than that i love the idea . i couldnt find the vanilla bean paste but I can imagine that it tastes delicious ~
ReplyDeleteAnon - I'm not sure what you mean by fluffy. It pipes well without adding too much sugar, but perhaps it is never what you would think of as fluffy.
ReplyDeletefinally got around to posting/making the vanilla bean buttercream frosting, im also like you and dont normally like buttercream frostings but to say this is the best buttercream frosting i have made/eaten the vanilla bean paste made a HUGE difference and it was SO pretty with the specks of vanilla bean so glad i listened to you and bought the vanilla paste and made this frosting! btw my daughter 2 1/2 begged to lick the bowl LOL
ReplyDeleteThis is the best vanilla frosting ever. Buy the vanilla bean paste, it's worth it for the taste and the compliments. Unprompted, most say "This tastes like vanilla ice cream!" and "I didn't think I liked vanilla frosting until now."
ReplyDeleteI love this recipe. I make in in my KitchenAid Mixer all the time, and it goes on ANYTHING!
ReplyDeleteI tripled the recipe to ice 24 cupcakes & it was the perfect amount. I didn't have vanilla bean paste, but I did have extract & vanilla beans. I used 3 tsp extract & the seeds from 2 whole vanilla beans. I also measured out my milk & let the vanilla bean skins soak in the milk before I added it to the butter & sugar. I used unsalted sweet cream butter & added a pinch of salt to the frosting while mixing. I used a piping bag & 1M tip and it piped wonderfully. My hubby & 2 boys LOVED it! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe :) I heard about vanilla bean the other day and I think I might have to invest!
ReplyDeleteThanks sooo much for this recipe! It is AMAZING!! I've made it a handful of times now and I've converted buttercream haters into buttercream lovers! This is now the only buttercream recipe I use!
ReplyDeleteThis icing was AWESOME and so easy to make. I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful icing! Easy to make and easier to eat! wow! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI know I'm going to sound like a newb (can't help what you are lol), but did you use unsalted butter in this recipe? I'm making a chocolate cake that calls for 1 cup of coffee, so I think this buttercream would go really well with it. I, too, am not a huge fan of buttercream as I find it to be too sweet. Thanks in adanced!
ReplyDeleteChristie - Don't worry about asking anything. I always bake with unsalted butter.
ReplyDeleteHas anybody tried adding a touch of cinnamon to this frosting? I'm wanting to use it on my apple pie cupcakes :)
ReplyDeleteI am eager to use this frosting on my Husband's birthday cupcakes! Can I get some feedback on how everyone thinks it might taste on Spice Cupcakes (I mean the spice cake flavor that you can purchase in a box)? I know that usually a cream cheese frosting is used on spice cake and wondered if this would be ok instead. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAnon - Oops. Sorry I missed your comment from Oct. Cinnamon goes really well in this frosting.
ReplyDeleteSugar and Spice - You could definitely use this with a spice cake. It would be great!
Fantastic - thanks for the response and Happy Baking!
ReplyDeleteStef - I tried this frosting with the spice cupcakes and added a little cinnamon to the frosting as well to tie it in, I then used a little raw sugar mixed with a bit of cinnamon as homemade dusting sugar to decorate and they were a huge success - my husband said they were the best he'd ever had!!! Thanks for suggesting the vanilla bean paste! I even added it to my pancake batter and made vanilla bean pancakes the next day and they were a big hit too!
ReplyDeleteHi Stef! I would love to make this buttercream, but do you think it would taste alright if I used vanilla essence? Most of the vanilla bean pastes contain alcohol, and I'm a Muslim, so that's a no-no. And vanilla beans are hard to come by in my neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteMimi - It won't be quite as good, but it should work. You might need to add more than the recipe calls for. Just taste it as you go and keep adding more essence until it's as strong as you like.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if anyone knows (this might b a silly question, but!)if you don't have powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) can I use regular sugar than just grind until it gets to be powder looking?
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can answer this I would really appreciate it!
Lori P.;)
I've been using this frosting recipe almost exclusively for the past (almost) 3 years. Thanks so much for posting it! My now 17 year old daughter is always volunteering to bake cupcakes for school bake sales, and every single time she says, "Hey Mom! Can we make that vanilla ice cream frosting?!" So, another generation using this fantastic recipe!
ReplyDeleteI found the paste at New Season's Market.
ReplyDeleteI looooove you and I now love love love vanilla frosting! I dashed out to W.S and bought 3, yes 3 bottles of the vanilla bean paste. I'm not sorry at all, it's amazing stuff. You said it tastes like vanilla ice cream..... and it sure does, just like Breyers. I couldn't stop eating it. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
ReplyDeleteI made this last week, but I found it to be extremely sweet. I used vanilla essence and 2 vanilla beans instead of the vanilla paste. Should I cut down on the powdered sugar? But what if I want to pipe it?
ReplyDeleteMimi - Buttercream frosting is always very sweet. You won't be able to pipe it if you add less powdered sugar. Have you tried cream cheese frosting? I find that to be less sweet and even better than buttercream.
ReplyDeleteThis is my new go-to buttercream recipe. I found vanilla paste at the store recently. It's so good I could almost eat a spoonful by itself! Great recipes, thank you for existing!
ReplyDeleteI;m trying this right now, I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI took a trip out to William and Sanoma for the vanilla bean paste and it was worth it! I've made this 3 times already (in less than 2 weeks) and it has been a huge hit! I've even passed the recipe on to several admirers. This will definitely be my go-to icing from now on. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI made this cake and smothered it with the vanilla bean icing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emily-weaver-brown/4827840735/
After 4 1/2 hours of labor, my version of this cake didn't look as nice, but it was extremely delicious thanks to the icing!
Fantastic recipe! I got the paste from Williams Sonoma for $10 and it was definitely worth it. My whole family loved it, and most of us never like typical buttercreams. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI just made this frosting last night and it was AHHHMAZING! Probably the best vanilla buttercream I have ever tried!
ReplyDeleteit's the BEST vanilla buttercream i have tried ( i don't really like buttercream at all)
ReplyDeleteone question: how long can this be stored in the fridge?
Anon - Great question. I would say about 3 days, but I don't know for sure.
ReplyDeletecan I adapt this at all with ground vanilla bean?
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteNot sure if Sur La Table is a store only found in the Midwest but just wanted to give the heads up that this store is awesome! and they sell vanilla bean paste. Wishing everyone a happy and safe new year
-Ebony
Just made this and it was awesome, thanks!! :)
ReplyDeleteWould it work to add rum? I want to spike my frosting for New Year's Eve :). Also, I have another recipe that uses egg whites and granulated sugar. What difference would that make on the outcome of the frosting?
ReplyDeleteI would suggest always using salted butter for buttercream recipes. It really makes the recipe pop (in a good way) and makes the vanilla taste more vanilla-y.
ReplyDeleteI agree that salt brings out the vanilla flavor, but I never use salted butter. Salted butter can go rancid, and the salt can mask the off flavor. In addition, I prefer to control the amount of salt that I use, so I just use unsalted butter and add a bit of salt to adjust the flavoring - it always works perfectly!
ReplyDeleteI never thought I would like buttercream frosting! I guess I was scarred by the grocery store frosting that was overly sweet and disgusting.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is amazing! I now have a new found love for buttercream, and the vanilla paste works wonders. It definitely tastes like melted vanilla ice cream.
I'm not a huge buttercream fan either, but omg this vanilla bean recipe is perfect. I used it as a topping with your perfect vanilla cupcake (PERFECt consistency and flavor) they paired together perfectly. I will never use any other recipe for vanilla cupcakes and vanilla buttercream! Not too sweet, just perfect. And I shall forever use vanilla bean paste!!!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteDo you think doubling up on the bean paste and mixing the frosting with mascarpone will dilute the sweetness of the frosting? Not too fond of overly-sweet frosting. I'm planning in making this frosting for my daughter's coffee concert.
Thank you!
Ann
You may want to try my vanilla bean cream cheese frosting (1/4 C butter, 8 oz cream cheese, vanilla bean paste to taste, powdered sugar until it's as stiff as you like - if you don't like sweet frostings, put only as much as need to make it pipable).
DeleteThis is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I'm making a Bailey's and chocolate cake for St. Patty's Day. I have vanilla beans on hand, but not extract (or paste for that matter, but that is on my list for my next trip to Trader Joe's)...and of course I'll be coloring it green. :)
ReplyDeleteHi! I really want to try making these! vanilla vanilla are my favs! I am from spain so it's not so easy for me to find all the ingredients. What is the difference between pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste? I already have vanilla beans so can I use just one of the other two for both the cake and the buttercream? Or should i use the extract for the cake and the bean paste for the icing as you wrote?
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
You can use extract and beans in the both the cake and the frosting. The paste is essentially vanilla extract plus beans.
DeleteHi, I just wanted to post this link for people having trouble finding vanilla bean paste like I am. I havent tried this yet, but its a recipe on how to make your own. It require 4 vanilla beans and some corn syrup. Hope it helps! http://www.ehow.com/how_5472053_make-vanilla-paste.html
ReplyDeleteWilliam Sonoma sells it
DeleteI've found great vanilla bean paste(Nielsen-Massey)for about $6-7 bucks at many of my local TJMaxx/Home Goods and stores of that sort. Just make sure you check expiration dates and you should be good to go!
ReplyDeleteDoes this frosting come out white, or does it have that off white color? I am thinking about doing this frosting for a bride, but she really doesn't like buttercream.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous- It's definitely off-white! It's so good though that I could care less :)
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the UK with exactly this buttercream frosting. Well, not quite exactly, we used vanilla essence at the time. However every British mum used this, on top of tiny sponge cakes (we called them fairy cakes) made to a Victoria Sponge recipe or Pound Cake as you guys know it. So often I read American recipes that use shortening(!) or other fats to make buttercream. The reason we called it buttercream is because it's made with butter and you use it like cream. Something odd occurred to baking on the Mayflower maybe? It's really nice to see you enjoying and sharing something that I've known about for nigh on 50 years. :) I still use normal buttercream and Victoria sponge as the base for a lot of my cakes, simply because it always works, it always tastes great with real butter in it, and people always come back for more. :) Oddly enough, people even prefer it to things like red velvets! Maybe because it is the taste of their childhood, too.
ReplyDeleteBtw - excellent on line source for all Vanilla products, including a 10 x strength alcohol free version, is Vanilla Mart. They sell world wide. https://www.vanillamart.co.uk They do a variety of vanillas and produce pastes, extracts and powders from many of them. I've used their products exclusively for a long time.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm going to use vanilla beans and extract, how much of each do you suggest?
ReplyDeleteis it supposed to be grainy? 8've tried making this recipe and it doesn't come out smooth...
ReplyDeleteThis frosting tastes like it's made from heaven!!! Thanks and I can't wait to make the chocolate cream cheese frosting next time.
ReplyDeleteHopefully this blog is still getting some traffic so you can all help me with my question! I want to make this for my wedding cake (rather than something with shortening and artificial products)- does anyone have any experience knowing how well it holds up out of the fridge, and also how far in advance it can me made? Thank you!! :)
ReplyDeleteI find that it holds up really well for days. But, I would be cautious of using it if your wedding is outdoors and it's going to be hot.
DeleteIs it supposed to be white? oooor another color? :S
ReplyDeleteHow many cupcakes can this recipe be used for? I don't see the info anywhere
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious! I'm planning on making an ice cream cake with 2 9"x13" cakes (stacked on top of each other) + 3 layers of ice cream in between. Do you have an estimate of how many recipes of this frosting I will need to frost the entire cake? Even a ballpark would be great, because I have no idea!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone frosted a layered cake (like two tiers) and then put fondant decorations on it? I just wondering how it holds up? or does it stay soft/stick or crust over at all?
ReplyDelete