Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Jul 14, 2020, Updated Aug 17, 2023

5 from 14 votes

48 Comments

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The best homemade vanilla frosting recipe! This vanilla frosting recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes with 6 ingredients! Great frosting for decorating cakes & cookies! Ditch the store-bought frosting for good!

Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe (2)

This is a recipe for the best Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe that is perfect for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies! There’s no reason to ever buy store-bought frosting again, when this frosting recipe is so easy to make that it comes together in 5 minutes with 6 ingredients!

This is seriously the best vanilla frosting. Every person who tries it falls in love…even if they’re “not a frosting person.” I love that it not only tastes great but it’s also excellent to decorate with. The mixture of shortening and butter makes it easy to pipe, plus it hardens beautifully! It’s really a recipe you need in your tool belt!

I have used it to decorate every cake (this chocolate cake from scratch and this chocolate chip cookie cake) I’ve ever made over the last 13 years – which, with 6 kids plus one husband is a lot of cake decorating. It can also be frozen and saved for later. Seriously you need to try this easy vanilla frosting recipe ASAP!

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Vanilla Frosting: Ingredients & Substitutions

This homemade vanilla frosting is made with only 6 ingredients, so we’ll chat about them quickly before we jump into the recipe!

Use Room temperature ingredients

An important note about the ingredients in this recipe is that they all need to be at room temperature. They mix much better if they are not cold. Frosting also pipes much easier at room temperature.

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  • Salted Butter.I use salted butter to make frosting (and just about everything). Unsalted butter works perfectly as well. You can also try using vegan butter for a dairy-free version.
  • Shortening.I use Crisco all-vegetable shortening to make this vanilla frosting. It works well and is easy to use because it comes in stick form. I don’t recommend making substitutions for the shortening.
  • Milk.I have used many different varieties of milk, I recommend whole milk or 2% milk to make this homemade frosting.
  • Pure vanilla extract.Use pure extract for the best flavor. You can also use vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste.
  • Sea salt.I like to add a pinch of sea salt to really bring out the flavors. This is optional, and you can omit it if you’d like.
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How to Make Homemade Vanilla Frosting

This vanilla frosting recipe is very straightforward, but here are a few tips to ensure that it turns out perfectly!

Cream together butter and shortening

The first step in this homemade vanilla frosting recipe is to cream together the butter and shortening. Make sure there areno lumps in the mixture before moving onto the next step.

Add vanilla and sea salt

Next, add vanilla and sea salt and beat again until the mixture is smooth.

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Add half of the powdered sugar

Next, add half of the powdered sugar and beat until it is all incorporated.

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Add milk & the rest of the powdered sugar

One the first half of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the milk and the rest of the powered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides, and continue beating to be sure to incorporate all the powdered sugar.

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Food coloring

If you would like to dye the vanilla frosting, add coloring after your frosting is well-mixed and has reached the desired consistency.

If you are making many colors, pull out small bowls and dye them one at a time. I highly recommend using gel food coloringinstead of the liquid variety, and always save some pure white just in case!

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Decorating with Vanilla Frosting

You can use this homemade frosting to decorate many different baked goods. From sugar cookies to cake, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this vanilla frosting!Here are some suggestions:

  • I use this vanilla frosting to frost this chocolate cake for every birthday cake I make!
  • It’s also great to use on these chocolate cupcakes.
  • Slather some of this on top of the best sugar cookies.
  • We use it to make this nativity cake at Christmas.

Freeze cake before frosting

If you are using this vanilla frosting to decorate a cake, I recommend baking the cake a day ahead of time and freezing it. That way after you make the frosting, it will spread onto the cake easily without catching crumbs. Remember, do not chill or freeze the frosting, it spreads and pipes easiest at room temperature.

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Frost a crumb coat

Even if you plan on covering the cake in a design, roses, etc. I recommend doing a thin crumb coat with the vanilla frosting on the entire cake first. This also minimizes crumbs in the frosting so the final product looks pretty. I use this large pastry scraper to make smooth edges/tops.

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Pipe on a design

For this video I made my daughters 5th birthday cake, and of course she requested a unicorn cake. I put 3 colors into a piping bag and piped on rosettes using aWilton 1M tip.

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FAQs about Homemade Frosting

Here are some commonly asked questions about this vanilla frosting recipe.

How do you store homemade frosting?

You can store the vanilla frosting for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
You can also store it in the piping bags in the freezer or refrigerator. I often use disposable decorating bags and if I have leftover frosting I just toss the bags into the freezer or refrigerator

Can you freeze homemade frosting?

This vanilla frosting recipe recipe makes a ton of frosting, and it freezes exceptionally well! Even if I know I only need half of the recipe I still make the whole batch so that I can have some on hand in the freezer!
When you’re ready to use it remove from freezer and let it come to room temperature gradually (do NOT microwave).

How do you store a decorated cake?

Once you use this frosting to decorate a cake, I suggest storing the decorated cake in the refrigerator so that the frosting hardens faster. However, we are a room-temperature cake-eating family. If you are too, take the cake out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving. If there are any leftovers, store at room temperature covered in foil for up to four days. Or in the refrigerator for longer.

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If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe (15)

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Best Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe

Laura

The BEST homemade vanilla frosting recipe! 5 minutes and 6 ingredients is all it takes to make the best frosting at home! Ditch the store-bought varieties! Great for decorating cakes & cookies!

5 from 14 votes

Course condiment, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 (servings) Enough to frost a 2-layer 8-9″ round cake

Calories 283

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Total Time5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cream together butter and shortening until smooth.

  • Add salt and vanilla and beat until well combined.

  • Slowly add powdered sugar 1 or 2 cups at a time until your mixture is thick and a little lumpy (you can always add more later).

  • Add milk and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

  • If necessary, add more powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

  • Use to frost your favorite cakes, cookies and cupcakes!**

Video

Notes

Notes:

  • As you can see, my frosting isn’t pure white. This is because I used vanilla extract that is brown. If you want a whiter frosting, use clear vanilla.
  • If you plan to decorate with this frosting please keep it at room temperature. Cold frosting does not pipe well (or at all)!
  • If you’d like to add color, simply mix it in after your frosting has reached your desired consistency!
  • I usually decorate cakes the night before and let them set up in the fridge. Then I remove from the fridge at least 2 hours before serving so they can come to room temperature.
  • This makes a TON of frosting! If you don’t use it all you can freeze it to use for later!

How to store vanilla frosting:

  • This vanilla frosting lasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • You can also store it in the piping bags in the freezer or refrigerator. I often use disposable decorating bags and if I have leftover frosting I just toss the bags into the freezer or refrigerator

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Salted Butter.I use salted butter to make frosting (and just about everything). Unsalted butter works perfectly as well. You can also try using vegan butter for a dairy-free version.
  • Shortening.I use Crisco all-vegetable shortening to make this vanilla frosting. It works well and is easy to use because it comes in stick form. I don’t recommend making substitutions for the shortening.
  • Milk.I have used many different varieties of milk, I recommend whole milk or 2% milk to make this homemade frosting.
  • Pure vanilla extract.Use pure extract for the best flavor. You can also use vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste.
  • Sea salt.I like to add a pinch of sea salt to really bring out the flavors. This is optional, and you can omit it if you’d like.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 16.3g | Saturated Fat: 84g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.8g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 9.3mg | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Calcium: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

This sunflower cake was for M’s first birthday. Still my most favorite cake I ever decorated to date!

Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe (16)

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Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient that will improve your frosting? ›

By mixing in some vinegar, it will give another layer of flavor and also help hold the icing together better. (In general, you'll need a quarter of a teaspoon of vinegar for every three egg whites you use.)

What can I add to vanilla frosting to make it better? ›

Smooth Additions
  1. Cream cheese. Beat in 8 ounces of room temperature plain or flavored cream cheese. ...
  2. Whipped cream. Mix equal parts freshly whipped cream and frosting. ...
  3. Butter. This makes a buttercream more buttery. ...
  4. Peanut butter or other nut butter. ...
  5. Nutella. ...
  6. Cookie butter. ...
  7. Jam, preserves, or marmalade. ...
  8. Lemon curd.
Feb 14, 2024

How do you doctor up vanilla frosting? ›

Flavor with extract

If you're starting with vanilla frosting, adding flavor is one of the easiest tweaks you can make. A little of your favorite extract—whether it's almond, peppermint or lemon—would be a great addition. It's easy to go overboard with extracts. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, whip it in and taste.

How do you make homemade frosting thicker? ›

Most frostings are made with powdered sugar (otherwise known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar), which contains cornstarch to prevent it from caking. Adding more powdered sugar can be an effective way and the easiest way of absorbing too much liquid to achieve thicker frosting.

How do you make frosting taste like bakery? ›

Whip the frosting with half a block of cream cheese and an extra cup of powdered sugar and a few drops of the appropriate flavoring extract. If you're using chocolate, add cocoa powder. If you want a richer buttery flavor add a few tablespoons of butter as well.

What is the most important ingredient in frosting? ›

Sugar is the most important ingredient in all types of frostings, providing sweetness, flavor, bulk and structure.

How do you make Pillsbury vanilla frosting taste better? ›

Flavor or color will add some pop

Other kinds of extracts will add interest and special flavors that can complement the ingredients in your cake or dessert. Try a few drops of almond, orange, lemon, coffee, peppermint, rum, or even birthday cake extract. Color is another fun way to spruce up your frosting.

What can I add to frosting to make it fluffier? ›

"Mixing in cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon zest, or even Nutella can make such a difference." From making frosting creamier or fluffier to changing its flavor, these easy changes will certainly impress anyone you're planning to share your dessert with.

Why is my vanilla frosting too runny? ›

Powdered Sugar Magic: One of the most common ways to thicken frosting is by adding more powdered sugar. Start by incorporating small amounts until you achieve the perfect consistency. This method works well with cream cheese frosting, buttercream frosting, and other basic recipes.

Can I add lemon juice to store bought vanilla frosting? ›

Yes, there's no need to worry about the frosting coming out curdled. I prefer treating the lemon juice like an extract and adding it after the powdered sugar. How do I add lemon flavor to store bought frosting? Mix in about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh lemon juice to any store bought frosting.

How do you thicken vanilla frosting? ›

Add meringue powder (powdered egg whites) and powdered sugar in equal amounts (a table spoon each, whip, then check for thickness, repeat as needed). You can also try thickening by adding bits of softened cream cheese along with a some powdered sugar.

Can I add cocoa powder to vanilla frosting? ›

For some rough guidelines I recommend 1/4 cup cocoa powder for every 2 cups of frosting and 3 ounces melted chocolate for every cup of frosting. Use a good quality dark chocolate, with a high proportion of cocoa solids, for a strong chocolatey taste.

Does adding more powdered sugar make frosting thicker? ›

Add powdered sugar

If the frosting has not reached your desired thickness after chilling, add a few tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar to help your buttercream stiffen.

How do you stiffen frosting without powdered sugar? ›

If you are trying to avoid any sweetness to your frosting you could try some cream of tartar or some cornstarch mixed with a little milk. You can also whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into the softened cream cheese. People use gelatin to thicken and set whipped cream frostings.

Does heavy cream make frosting thicker? ›

Ingredients Needed

Heavy Cream – I prefer to use higher-fat heavy whipping cream in my whipped cream recipes, as it produces a thicker, more stable frosting. While you can still use it, regular whipping cream has a slightly lower fat content.

How can I improve my can of frosting? ›

Try these suggestions to take your desserts to the next level and leave your family and friends asking for more.
  1. Whip frosting to make it seem more homemade. ...
  2. Make it thinner. ...
  3. Thicken it up. ...
  4. Add cream cheese. ...
  5. Mix in whipped cream. ...
  6. Flavor or color will add some pop. ...
  7. Combine frosting with additional ingredients.
Jul 29, 2023

Why do you put vinegar in frosting? ›

Add white vinegar.

Although many do so to avoid cracks and to achieve a smooth appearance, I find just the tiniest bit — about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon — also curbs the sweetness, allowing the wonderfully creamy mouth-feel of the icing to truly shine.

How do you make frosting more vibrant? ›

Read It!
  1. Gel Food Coloring. Add a couple drops of food coloring into your microwave safe bowl full of white buttercream and stir well to combine. ...
  2. Heat it Up. Microwave the bowl for 6-8 seconds. ...
  3. Voila! Once your base is super deeply colored, you can add it to the rest of your buttercream and stir to combine!
Jun 1, 2022

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