Gluten Free Vanilla Buttercream
This gluten-free vanilla buttercream frosting is perfect for piping onto cakes and cupcakes. It’s smooth, fluffy, and creamy—with a texture so dreamy, you’d never guess how easy it is to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (12 g) vegetable shortening optional but recommended for stiffness
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- food coloring optional
Instructions
- Add the butter and shortening to your mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer set to high speed, beat the butter for about 10 minutes. You will notice it begin to lighten in color.
- Sift in the powdered sugar (to remove lumps) one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until smooth.
- Add the cream and vanilla, and start mixing on low speed.
- Once combined, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat the buttercream for at least 5 minutes, or until it looks fluffy and smooth.
Equipment
- electric mixer or stand mixer
Notes
- You must use room temp butter for the frosting or the buttercream will have lumps in it.
- If you want to pipe on the frosting, replace up to half the butter with shortening.
- Heavy cream makes the frosting fluffy, but you can also use regular milk.
- To whiten your buttercream, add a tiny amount of purple or violet food coloring gel. The purple will cancel out yellow tones.
- If the buttercream separates, scoop out 1 cup and microwave it for 15 seconds. Add it back to the bowl and mix until the frosting comes together.