• About
  • Work with Me
  • Contact
  • Food Photography

Chef Janet

So good, they'll never know it's gluten-free.

  • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Salads
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Cooking Basics
  • Gluten-Free Diet Tips
Home Β» Baked Goods Β» Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

February 4, 2020

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Jump to Recipe

Vanilla buttercream frosting is a pretty common recipe-and there is no shortage of recipes available. But finding just the right balance of sweet and butter is so important. I have a couple tips to offer and some variations to easily create different flavors.

close up of 3 gluten free strawberry cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting, cut strawberries and cupcakes in back

I think vanilla has gotten a reputation for being common and boring but I don’t agree with it. The mild, velvety flavor it adds is luxurious. My preferred way to get vanilla flavor is of course with vanilla beans but they can be very expensive. I am not a huge fan of the alcohol in vanilla extract and the beige tint it gives to soft white vanilla buttercream frosting. So I prefer vanilla powder (I use Cook’s vanilla powder). It’s sweet, it’s pale and is a perfect option for the perfect creamy white color.

Buttercream Frosting Texture

close up of cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting on black wire rack

I usually make my frostings on the stiffer side so that they can easily be piped onto a cake or cupcakes. If you prefer your frosting more creamy, start by adding 2 tsps milk or milk substitute and mix. Add more if needed. This creamier texture of frosting is nice for spreading onto a gluten-free coconut cake or gluten-free lemon cake. These gluten-free vanilla cupcakes are perfect with this frosting. Or pipe some onto this ganache glazed chocolate sponge cake.

close up of mini and regular cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting on white wood background

Variations

Lemon Buttercream – Add the zest of 1 lemon and 2 tsps lemon juice
Cinnamon Buttercream – Add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to the powdered sugar
Coconut Buttercream – Replace 2 Tbsps of butter with 2 Tbsps coconut cream and add 1 tsp coconut extract. If it is a bit too runny (coconut cream textures vary widely between brands) add an additional 2 Tbsps of powdered sugar.
Sweet and Salty Buttercream – Use salted butter in place of unsalted and add 1/4 tsp extra salt for the best buttercream you will ever make.

Continue to Content
2 layer gluten-free lemon cake with buttercream frosting on white marble cake stand. slices of lemon on top of cake

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 3 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

This perfectly sweet vanilla buttercream is the frosting for your favorite cake or cupcakes. It makes enough to frost 2 dozen cupcakes or to lightly frost a 2 layer 8" cake.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 tsps vanilla powder or vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp milk (optional for a creamier texture)

Instructions

  1. Beat the butter with a stand or hand mixer for 2 minutes.
  2. Add half of the sugar and beat on low until most of it is combined. Add the remaining sugar and beat on low until most of the sugar is incorporated.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, Add the vanilla and salt and beat on high for 1 minute.

Recommended Products

  • Vanilla Powder
    Vanilla Powder
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 2 Tbsps
Amount Per Serving Calories 64Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 3mgSodium 32mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 0gSugar 14gProtein 0g

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated using information from the Nutritionix database. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Did you make this recipe?

Share the yum!

© Janet Harlow
Cuisine: American / Category: Baked Goods
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Posted In: Baked Goods · Tagged: frosting, vanilla

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and review when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means a great deal to me.

Thank you!
Janet

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me
Hi, Welcome! I'm Chef Janet and I create gluten-free recipes that everyone will love, gluten-free or not.

Set up a customized lesson with me to learn basic cooking techniques, gluten-free, menu planning and kitchen tips to make your life easier. Follow me on instagram to keep up with my latest and let me know how I can help.

Follow along on Instagram

This gluten-free, rich, fudgy, chocolate orange ca This gluten-free, rich, fudgy, chocolate orange cake has got us singing a tune. Link to the recipe in my profile. 
🍊🍫🍊
It's dairy free, and gets its wonderful moist, rich texture from vegan yogurt - @kitehillfoods
almond milk is the bomb.
πŸ«πŸŠπŸŽ‚
#orangechocolatecake #chocolateloafcake #chocolatecake #glutenfreecake #glutenfreechocolatecake #glutenfreerecipes #bakefromscratch #glutenfreebaking #cakerecipe #cakefromscratch #glutenfreechef #orangeandchocolate
I am so excited to present these after & before ph I am so excited to present these after & before photos of my Gluten-Free Spice Cake (also dairy-free) with sweet potato frosting. Link to the recipe in my profile.Β 
πŸŽ‚πŸŽ‚πŸŽ‚
The 3rd photo, from back in 2015, was on my old blog. When I started to learn photography last year, I also launched a new blog & didn't want to post the recipe with that unappealing photo. I finally got around to a re-shoot & the recipe is back.
πŸŽ‚πŸŽ‚πŸŽ‚
Thank you to @dr_nadiafazal and @sweet_tooth_by_drj for hosting and to @heathygoodiesbylucia for judging this
#foodphotoglowup & inspiring me to do something I'm proud of!Β 
Check out the # for some beautiful food photography.
No food coloring or powdered sugar (no cane sugar No food coloring or powdered sugar (no cane sugar at all) was used in this Sweet Potato Frosting. Just sweet potato, cream cheese butter and maple syrup. Maybe using sweet potato in frosting sounds really weird to you, I think it is perfect. Link to the recipe for this creamy, dreamy frosting in my profile. 
🍠🧁🍠
In my opinion most frostings are way too sweet. Using a naturally sweet base for frosting, means less added sugar. This frosting is just sweet enough and is perfect slathered on carrot cake, spice cake, vanilla cake or even chocolate cake.
I'm excited that this gluten-free chocolate cupcak I'm excited that this gluten-free chocolate cupcake recipe was perfected just in time for Valentines Day. It's simple to make, dairy-free too and the recipe is linked in my profile @chefjanetk
🧁🍫🧁
Top it with just one or all 3 frostings for a neapolitan cupcake. The strawberry buttercream is flavored & colored with freeze dried strawberries. That chocolate cream cheese frosting is vegan and so creamy dreamy! The cream cheese frosting is just sweet enough for a chocolate, red velvet or carrot cake. My previous post links to these frosting recipes.
🧁🍫🧁
This post is my contribution to #youbakemecrazy hosted by the wonderful @prettydeliciouslife @peaches.and.company @jackelinnepastry @the.magic.whisk  and @marilynfoodie
Huge thanks to them for hosting and putting in the work!

#glutenfreecupcakes #chocolatefrosting #veganfrosting #dairyfreecupcakes #creamcheesefrosting #chocolatecupcake #glutenfreedairyfree #glutenfreedessert #strawberryfrosting #featuremyfood #bakefromscratch #glutenfreetreat #glutenfreebaking #foodphotographyΒ  #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreechocolate #neapolitan
Two kinds of frosting on one gluten-free chocolate Two kinds of frosting on one gluten-free chocolate cupcake. Vegan chocolate cream cheese frosting and cream cheese frosting (with dairy). Both recipes are linked in my profile @chefjanetk
🧁🍫🧁
These frostings are just the right consistency for piping onto cupcakes or decorating a cake. I tried making vegan cream cheese frosting without the chocolate and it's yummy, but more like a runny icing. The gf, df cupcake recipe is coming very soon!
🧁🍫🧁
#frosting #cupcakefrosting
#veganfrosting #glutenfreerecipes #frostingrecipe #chocolatefrosting #creamcheesefrosting #chocolateandvanilla #foodphotography #featuremyfood
Just one more pic of the gluten-free pizza I worke Just one more pic of the gluten-free pizza I worked on this week. Broccoli, grape tomatoes, vegan pesto and a healthy drizzle of balsamic glaze.  I highly recommend the balsamic for a sweet tangy accent to pizza. Link to the vegan crust recipe in my profile.
πŸ•πŸ₯¦πŸ…
I just perfected this recipe for thin crispy glute I just perfected this recipe for thin crispy gluten-free pizza crust using this @myorodemark cast iron pan. Link to the gluten-free and vegan recipe in my profile. 
πŸ•πŸ•πŸ•
The key to a crispy pizza crust is high, DIRECT heat on your crust, just like the pizza ovens at your fav pizza place. This cast iron pan allows you to get that direct heat in your home oven. It's a little tricky with delicate gluten-free dough,  but I worked out a method to make it easy.
πŸ•πŸ•πŸ•
I simplified my old recipe by using @kingarthurbaking Measure-for-measure flour. All you need is 6 ingredients!
Are you a pizza traditionalist?Are you a cheese pi Are you a pizza traditionalist?Are you a cheese pizza person or are you creative with your toppings? 
πŸ•πŸ•πŸ•
This gluten-free pizza is topped with pesto, butternut squash, vegan feta & mozzarella, fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It's a perfect way to use whatever you have in the fridge. Regardless of the toppings this gluten-free pizza crust recipe is linked in my profile!

Copyright © 2021 Chef Janet · Theme by 17th Avenue · Privacy Policy