Easy Vanilla Frosting
This easy vanilla frosting is made with only five ingredients and is beyond delicious. It is the perfect topping for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and so much more! Prepare it only 5 minutes and love every bite.
Quick Look: Easy Vanilla Frosting
⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
🍽️ Yield: enough to frost 12 cupcakes (or a 9-inch round cake)
🛠️ Equipment Needed: hand mixer, large mixing bowl
⭐ Top Tip: If the frosting is too soft for piping, add more powdered sugar; if too stiff, thin with milk ½ Tbsp at a time
For most of my life, I bought store-bought frosting. Then I realized I already had all the ingredients at home to make it from scratch. This easy homemade vanilla frosting is incredibly simple to whip up.
All you need to do is combine the ingredients and blend them together. The result is a light, buttery vanilla frosting that’s perfect for cookies, cakes, or cupcakes.
One of the best parts about this vanilla frosting is how customizable it is. Want it a little thicker for piping? Add more powdered sugar. Prefer it creamier and easier to spread? Mix in an extra 1/2 tablespoon of milk. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, holiday, or just because, it’s a frosting you’ll turn to again and again.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Whole Milk: I prefer whole milk for the extra fat in the flavor/texture, but swap for any that you have on hand.
- Vanilla extract: for great favor.
- Pinch of salt: to enhance the flavor of the frosting.
How to make easy vanilla frosting
Don’t miss the video at the bottom of this post where I walk you through every step of making this easy chocolate buttercream frosting.
Step 1: Add softened butter to a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Pour in milk and vanilla and stir. Then pour in powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Spread on cookies or a cake.
Why you will love this recipe
This is truly one of those recipes you’ll come back to time and time again. The flavor is rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet. The best part is that you know exactly what’s going into your frosting – simple ingredients with nothing artificial or hard to pronounce. It’s quick to make, spreads beautifully, and is versatile enough to pair with just about any cake, cupcake, or cookie.
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
FAQ
Yes! You can make it up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Before using, let it come to room temperature and re-whip with a hand mixer to bring back its fluffy texture.
Use food coloring, one drop at a time and mix well!
Yes! It pipes beautifully. If the consistency is too soft, just add a bit more powdered sugar to stiffen it up before piping.
This recipe makes enough to frost about 12 cupcakes or one 9-inch round cake. Double it if you’re doing layered cakes or want extra for piping decorations.
What to use the frosting with
Use this frosting to top any of your favorite desserts! Including these Eggless Sugar Cookies or these easy Eggless Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
Equipment needed
- 1 hand mixer
- 1 large mixing bowl
How to store and reheat
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, let it come to room temperature and re-mix with a hand mixer.
More frostings and icings
An alternative to this vanilla frosting is this tasty Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. If you are looking to decorate cut out sugar cookies, grab this Royal Icing (eggless) recipe!
Another favorite of mine is this Easy Cream Cheese Glaze.
Tips for Success
Need your frosting a bit thicker for piping? Add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until desired consistency.
Or do you need it thinner to spread on cookies? Add 1/2 tablespoon of milk at a time to thin it out.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and a quick comment below.
Quick Vanilla Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups (340 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add softened butter.1 cup unsalted butter
- Using a hand mixer on low speed, beat the butter until light and fluffy. This will take about 1 minute. Stop halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour in milk and vanilla and stir together.2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pour in powdered sugar. Using the hand mixer on low speed, mix until well combined.3 cups powdered sugar
- Spread on top of cookies and top with sprinkles if desired!
Video
Notes
Need it thinner to spread on cookies? Add 1/2 tablespoon of milk at a time to thin it out.
I loved this. Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! Love to make this for cookies and cupcakes.