Vanilla Icing

This easy, two-step vanilla icing recipe will become a staple for your cakes and cupcakes. It is so delicious you'll want to eat it out of the bowl!

Vanilla Icing Recipe

Just like my classic vanilla cake recipe, this icing is the perfect blank canvas for any flavor. It has just the right amount of sweetness and vanilla, plus a lot of body, so it holds up well. You can pair this with any of your favorite cake recipes, or experiment with food coloring to create fun designs. Since this is a butter-based buttercream, if you want to simply brighten the icing you can add a small (and I mean SMALL) amount of purple food coloring to balance out the yellow. 

I also love to decorate cakes with fresh flowers! If you're into it, too, grab a bouquet of your favorite stems and cut them so they're 2" long, then cover with aluminum foil. Carefully place the stems into the cake.

Ingredients for Vanilla Icing

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or paste, if you want visible vanilla flecks)
  • 3 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • A few tablespoons of whole milk (can be subbed with water or lemon juice)
  • Food coloring, optional

How to Make Vanilla Icing

  1. With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on high for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and whip again just to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar and salt. With the mixer on low, add the sugar 1 cup at a time, until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions. Whip on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, until the icing reaches your desired consistency. Use it to decorate cakes, cupcakes, or even cookies if that's your jam. 

What You'll Need

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