Rodelle Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

This vanilla buttercream topping is great for almost any dessert recipe especially our St. Pat's Day Cupcakes! It's thick, creamy, sweet and smooth- and it's such a simple recipe to make.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract (or 1 tsp Rodelle Vanilla Extract and 1 Rodelle Vanilla Bean, split and scraped)
  
• 4 sticks (2 cups or 32 tbsp. or 16 oz.)unsalted butter, softened (room temp)
  
• 5 cups powdered sugar plus more for consistency
  

Optional:

• Replace 2 sticks of butter with cream cheese.
  

Directions

• Place egg whites, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl, whisk thoroughly.
  
• Place egg white mixture in a double boiler and heat water to a simmer on LOW to just warm the egg whites (the small amount of indirect warmth from the water underneath will help dissolve the sugar while NOT cooking the eggs).
  
• Heat until sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes.
  
• Set egg white mixture aside and let cool.
  
• With the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, cream butter on medium until creamy.
  
• Slowly add the egg white mixture ½ cup at a time, scraping down sides as needed.
  
• Change to the whisk attachment and whisk for 2-3 minutes until creamy and well incorporated.
  
• Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on medium and then high in between.
  
• Mix on high for 1-2 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
  
• If the frosting is too heavy, add additional powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) until fluffy.