Personally, I don't think butter has any business in my frosting. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE butter, but I love it in my cakes and other baked goods; just NOT in my frosting. That's why I love this Crisco-based Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting. It's buttercream without butter! And although it's called 'whipped cream' buttercream, there is no heavy whipping cream in this recipe.
It's made with shortening and no butter, making it the lightest, airiest, and most delicious homemade icing you'll ever taste! As a kid, I always loved grocery store birthday cake frosting and I wasn't sure exactly why I preferred it over most homemade cake frosting. Eventually, I realized that it was because there was NO BUTTER in it! This is the perfect frosting for vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, a sheet cake, a layer cake, or anything you'd use frosting on. I've been told by many people that this is the best frosting they've ever had!
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When I started cake decorating I searched long and hard for a homemade shortening-based icing recipe I'd love and it was surprisingly hard to find. And then I discovered this icing and fell in love....
I am sharing this little gem with you today, not only because it's my FAVE icing in the world (and keep in mind that I'm super picky when it comes to frosting,) but because I can't seem to find it online anymore; it appears to have vanished off the face of the internet. And since I think that the world needs to know about this, I see it as my public duty to share it. Well, my duty as a food blogger (and cake decorator, die-hard cake lover, and foodie) anyway...
🥘 Ingredients
Unlike American Buttercream, which is basically butter and sugar, this recipe uses meringue powder and shortening instead of butter. And despite the name, you don't need any heavy cream for this recipe either. You'll need the following simple ingredients:
- powdered sugar
- Crisco (or another brand of white vegetable shortening)
- vanilla extract (or any flavor you prefer, such as almond extract)
- hot water
- white granulated sugar
- salt
- meringue powder
*See recipe card for quantities
💭 Top tip
You will never get a clean and fluffy pure white frosting using butter. Butter will always give it that tinge of yellow and it will look off-white. If you really want a fluffy white frosting, the trick is also to use CLEAR VANILLA (affiliate link).
🔪 Instructions
This shortening frosting is made in two parts so you have to be a little patient with the whipping time, but trust me, it's worth it! The end result is the lightest and most airy frosting you've ever had! The secret lies in all that whipping. And everyone agrees, it's not too sweet, as frosting can often be.
🍽 Equipment
Therefore, you will need an electric mixer for this recipe and it's actually easier and better to use 2 mixers (it will take you less time and you don't have to worry about washing the beaters in between steps).
I use a stand mixer for Part 1 and a hand mixer for Part 2. Although I have 2 stand mixers, it's a bit of a pain to get them both out for this job. Plus, my hand mixer (affiliate links) is powerful enough for the job (as most are nowadays)!
If you're looking at buying a stand mixer, unless you are doing a lot of big mixing jobs, you could do with a 4.5 - 5-quart. I have a 7-quart pro because I like to do larger baking jobs (double and triple recipes). But just keep in mind that the Professional series line is better quality and the gears are still made with metal (unlike the Artisan line) so a pro will last you longer, in my opinion. Cuisinart (affiliate links) also makes an excellent mixer and it's less expensive (that is my second mixer).
🎂 Cake Decorating
As a cake decorator, this was and still is my GO-TO frosting for cake decorating!
What I also love about this recipe is that it can be used as a crumb coat and you can add a little more meringue powder, based on whether you want a bit more crusting for decorating. And if you're looking for the perfect cake to serve it with, then check out my Secret Ingredient Vanilla Birthday Cake!
📖 Variations
But here's my VERY FAVORITE PART - you can make it into a CHOCOLATE frosting too! All you do is replace one part icing sugar/powdered sugar with an equal amount of cocoa and voila! you have Chocolate Whipped Cream Buttercream! Because chocolate just makes everything better, right?
Chocolate Whipped Cream Buttercream: to make the chocolate variation, simply replace 1 cup of icing/powdered sugar with 1 cup of cocoa. And it pairs perfectly with my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake!
You can color this frosting any color using food coloring. I would recommend using gel icing color (Wilton or Americolor).
👪 Serving size
This whipped buttercream frosting recipe will frost 1- 10 inch cake or 24 regular-sized cupcakes. If you need more, double or triple it.
💭Storing
This homemade frosting may be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 months. Whip with a spoon each time you use it to restore fluffiness. Or you can do a quick whipping in your mixer (for about 30-45 seconds)
🌡️Freezing
This frosting freezes really well and I have frozen fully frosted cakes with it many times. But be sure to freeze it ON a decorated cake, not on its own. Since it keeps so well in the pantry, you don't need to freeze it.
So, if you're looking for a Crisco icing that tastes just like grocery store whipped icing, you'll love this whipped cream buttercream frosting!
⭐ Reviews
Did you make this recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below.
Here's what others are saying:
"This is the lightest, most delicious frosting I've ever tasted!"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting recipe (with shortening)
Ingredients
Part One:
- 1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted 4 cups
- 2 ½ cups Crisco or white vegetable shortening
Part Two:
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 2 tablespoon meringue powder ***add 1 additional tablespoon for slight crusting
- ½ cup boiling water, less 2 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or flavor of your choice) * Be sure to use a CLEAR extract if you want the frosting to stay white
Instructions
Part one:
- Add shortening to the large bowl of a stand mixer and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat with stand mixer (paddle attachment NOT whisk attachment) on low speed until powdered sugar is combined, then increase to medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is very creamy and fluffy. Set this aside.
Part two:
- In a very clean bowl mix dry ingredients. Add boiling water and immediately beat with mixer on high speed. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. When mixture begins to get stiff add flavoring. * you can use a hand mixer for this part
Combine:
- Combine both mixtures and beat together for another 8 minutes with stand mixer.
- When finished, use a rubber spatula to down beat a little to remove some of the air bubbles. Frosting will be very light and creamy. Cover. ***DO NOT REFRIGERATE. Can be stored for up to 2 months at room temperature (I keep it in the pantry).
Brenda
Hi Terry, this is the closest recipe I’ve found to grocery store icing. I would like to try to make this with butter or maybe half butter half shortening. What are your thoughts?
Terri Gilson
Hi Brenda; Yes, you could try it. Personally, I have never done it because I don't like butter in my frosting. But I would do half butter and add it to the shortening portion at the same time and whip it as long (that will make it lighter)! Hope it works for you!
Terri
Rachel
If I were to flavourful this icing..for example peanut butter, works you suggest using real peanut butter in the place of some of the shortening...or would you suggest buying a peanut butter flavour/extract? Thanks in advance
Terri Gilson
Hi Rachel,
Yes, try to use an extract or emulsion if you can! But sure, it should work to sub out a cup of peanut butter for shortening.
I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Terri