How-to Tuesday: The Best Classic Vanilla Buttercream

Hello and good afternoon my cake lovers! Welcome to my second how-to Tuesday!

This week, I'll be posting two recipes. One for the perfect classic vanilla buttercream, and one for the perfect classic cream cheese frosting.

I think a true baker should have just three frosting recipes: Vanilla Buttercream, Cream Cheese, and Chocolate. You really don't need any others unless you're going all out on a cake. I have never used any other frosting besides these three, and the only two I plan on developing in the near future are cookie dough frosting and peanut butter frosting (for the Oklahoma State Fair!!!).

There are a few tricks to buttercream frosting:

1)Beat the butter until it's absolutely the smoothest thing you've ever seen. I am dead serious. My worst frostings come up because I didn't beat the butter until it was a smooth as a baby's bottom. No lumps. I mean it. You won't have to sift the powdered sugar if you just cream the butter.

2. Add the ingredients in order as listed on the recipe card. Do not add the milk after the butter but before the powdered sugar. You'll get a lumpy mess of dairy. It's gross. Trust me.

3. Use white vanilla to get whiter buttercream. If you use classic vanilla, you'll still have an ivory color buttercream. If it doesn't bother you, go for your brown vanilla. It tastes just as good!

4. This recipe covers a 2-layer 8" cake. Cut it in half for cupcakes or a small cake.

INGREDIENTS
4 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 bag (7-8 cups) powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup + heavy cream or whole milk

DIRECTIONS
1. In a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer, cream the butter until smooth.

2. Slowly add in powdered sugar until incorporated.

3. Add vanilla and salt. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.

4. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.