Discovering greatness in mishaps! Today, I stumbled upon a delightful accident: Fluffy Vanilla Dream Frosting! If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll also appreciate my classic American Buttercream Frosting.
Ever found yourself walking away from your stand mixer mid-preparation, only to be ensnared by the captivating chaos of social media? Join the club!
Seven minutes later, I returned to find my mixer vigorously whipping butter and sugar into a heavenly light and sweet frosting.
How to Make Fluffy Vanilla Dream Frosting
Ensuring your butter and milk are at room temperature is crucial.
While substituting whipping cream for milk is a fantastic idea, it’s not imperative if your butter is whipped to perfection. (Skim milk isn’t recommended for this recipe.)
Some versions of this recipe tout it as a “quick one-bowl” method. To achieve this, simply toss all ingredients into the stand mixer, blend on low for a minute, then switch to high for 5 minutes. The results are strikingly similar!
Feel free to omit the almond extract if it’s not to your liking, but I implore you to give it a try at least once. For those with nut allergies, use Imitation Almond Extract. (No need to compensate with extra vanilla.) Experiment with other extract flavors like coffee, root beer, lemon, or orange!
Indeed, you can reduce the sugar content if desired. Some have successfully used as little as 2 cups. Start with two cups and adjust to achieve your desired flavor and texture.
Here’s a tip from a seasoned bakery owner:
For an even smoother texture, transfer the buttercream to a food processor after following the initial recipe steps. Process on low for about 5 minutes to achieve a silky perfection!
Not only does this whipped buttercream boast exceptional flavor, but it’s also ideal for piping!
I tinted this frosting turquoise for a whimsical piping experiment:
Achieving WHITE frosting is a breeze:
Opt for pale butter, often the most budget-friendly option.
Use clear imitation vanilla extract.
And here’s a game-changing tip…
Try adding the TINIEST amount of purple food coloring. Just a smidgen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract (10 mL)
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Almond Extract (5 mL)
- 32 oz confectioners sugar, sifted* (900 g)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, you can use up to 1/2 cup if you need a loose, creamy consistency (30 mL)
- pinch salt
- *You can use as little as 16 ounces if you want to decrease sugar (450 g)
Instructions
- Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add vanilla and almond extract.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add confectioners sugar, milk, and salt; scrape sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.
- Once incorporated, whip frosting for at least 3 minutes on medium-high to high. (My mixer went for 7 minutes.)
- If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in additional milk.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
