Heavenly Vanilla Buttercream Food

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). On low speed, beat in the powdered sugar and then the salt. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons milk; adjust the consistency with extra milk as desired. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature and beat on medium-high until smooth.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a saucepan, place the sugar and carefully pour the water around the edge. Using your finger, make an X in the pan to help the water gently mix with the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook to softball stage (235 degrees F.)
• Meanwhile, whip the egg whites in a mixer with a whip attachment until light and fluffy. When sugar is at the softball stage, slowly pour it into the bowl down the side and continue whipping, adding vanilla, until incorporated and then cooled.
• Add the butter 1 cube at a time while whipping until it is a thick butter cream (check flavor and consistency of butter cream before continuing to add butter, as not all of the 2 cups may be needed).
• Keep at room temperature while frosting the cake.

HEAVENLY VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy-duty saucepan, mix water with sugar until it is of even consistency.
• Put saucepan on low-med heat.
• Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium until they start getting stiff, then opaque. This takes about 45 seconds per egg white.
• When the sugar syrup in the pan goes into a boil for at least a minute (without burning), turn off the heat.
• With the mixer still on medium speed, pour the boiling sugar syrup into the stiffened egg whites, using a funnel. The funnel should aim directly at the egg whites in the bowl, using care not to let the sugar syrup touch the side of the bowl or the whisk, as this could cause stringy sugar crystals to form in the icing, which should be silky smooth.
• Keep the mixer on medium speed for about 10 minutes - scraping the sides of the bowl every 3 minutes or so.
• When the egg whites resembles thick marshmallow fluff, keep the mixer on low to medium speed, and start adding the butter, one half-stick at a time.
• Wait until the entire half stick is incorporated before adding the next.
• When you've added the fifth or sixth stick of butter, the mixture may begin to look watery and lumpy, like cottage cheese. This is alright - simply keep adding the rest of the butter and leave the mixer on.
• Add vanilla.
• Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and watch it turn from lumpy, greasy cottage cheese into a silken smooth, dense, whipped cloud of heavenly, delicious, smooth buttercream.
• Use buttercream right away, or it can be refrigerated.
• If refrigerated, let buttercream come to room temperature for at least 2 hours before attempting to re-beat it. Otherwise, you will, once again, have the greasy cottage cheese effect, and it does take considerable effort to rebeat it to the perfect consistency.

SIMPLE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute.
• Add 6 cups of confectioners' sugar, the vanilla, and the milk.
• Beat on low speed until creamy.
• Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until the frosting is thick and creamy.

BAKERY STYLE VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Cupcakes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.
• In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
• Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla.
• With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.
• Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
• Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
• Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• Icing.
• Beat softened butter for a couple minutes in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.
• Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and blend well with the butter.
• Add more sugar, if needed, to adjust for taste. (I find that 2.5 cups is perfect).
• Add vanilla extract, salt, and 1 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for for a few minutes on high, until light a fluffy. Make sure you really beat it for a few minutes (at least 3) so you get that super smooth and fluffy frosting texture.
• If your frosting is too thin, add more sugar.
• If your frosting is too thick, add milk/cream 1 Tbsp at a time.
• I like to use 2 Tbsp milk for a thicker frosting to pipe on cupcakes, and 3 Tbsp milk for a slightly smoother frosting to frost a cake.

GREGGY'S VERY VANILLA SWISS BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place sterilized stand-up mixing bowl (just make sure it's super clean and dry) with whites on top of a sauce pan with water, barely simmering (a.ka. double boiler).
• Heat to 160 F, constantly stirring. Be sure to watch it and keep stirring or else it'll turn into an omelette.
• Add Cream of Tartar and whip in stand mixer until cool. Place in refrigerator or freezer if necessary, after reaching a medium peak. You can also place the cooked egg whites on an ice bath ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator, then whip it up.Place back on whip and gradually add butter, one stick at a time. Make sure the meringue is cold prior to adding it to the mixture or else it will be a soupy mess. The mixture should separate at first (don't be alarmed and freak out). Be patient and keep mixing; it'll come back together. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
• No Cook Variation:.
• You could beat powdered egg whites (the kind where you just add water and whip), then proceed with the recipe (without Cream of Tartar).

VANILLA AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a stand up mixer fixed with paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth.
• Turn off mixer and add 2 cups powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Keep adding the powdered sugar in increments on a low, then medium speed until there is no more left. Stop and scrape bottom of bowl in between mixing. Set mixer on high speed and mix until smooth and fluffy.

BILLY'S VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy.
• If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

BILLY'S CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• With mixer on low speed, add chocolate until just combined.
• Add milk, vanilla, and sugar; mix on medium until well combined, being careful not to overmix.

MR. BROWN'S ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Boil 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium heat until it reaches 245. As it cooks begin meringue so it's ready when syrup is done.
• Whip egg whites with a wire whisk in a stand up mixer on high until soft peaks form. About 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup sugar. Beat.
• Slowly pour the hot syrup into the meringue steadily with the mixer still on high.
• Beat the frosting for 7-10 minutes until the outside of the bowl is room temperature.
• Beat in butter by the tablespoon. The butter will deflate the frosting a bit.
• Add in desired flavorings.
• Flavorings.
• Chocolate: 1/2 cup melted and cooled chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Coconut: 1 teaspoon coconut extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Coffee: 1 teaspoon espresso powder or 3-5 tablespoons strong coffee.