The Ultimate No-Butter Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting (Bakery-Style Perfection!)
Do you adore the light, airy, and perfectly sweet frosting from your favorite bakery cakes? If so, you’re likely a fan of shortening-based buttercream, even if you don’t realize it! For years, I searched for that elusive homemade recipe that captured the magic of grocery store birthday cake frosting – the kind that’s never too heavy, never too sweet, and always incredibly fluffy. What I discovered was a revelation: the secret was no butter! While I absolutely love butter in my cakes and other baked goods, when it comes to frosting, I have a strong preference for a lighter, purer texture. That’s precisely why this Crisco-based Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting has become my absolute favorite. It delivers all the richness and stability of buttercream, but without a hint of butter, making it truly unique. And despite its name, there’s no heavy whipping cream involved in this recipe either.
Crafted with white vegetable shortening, this frosting sets itself apart as the lightest, airiest, and most incredibly delicious homemade icing you’ll ever have the pleasure of tasting. My childhood memories are filled with the joy of grocery store birthday cakes, and I always wondered why their frosting tasted so much better to me than most homemade versions. The “aha!” moment arrived when I realized it was the absence of butter that made all the difference. This recipe is an absolute game-changer, perfect for elegantly topping vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, adorning a festive sheet cake, or creating stunning designs on a multi-layered masterpiece. It’s truly versatile for any dessert that calls for a dreamy, delicious frosting. Many people who have tried it have unequivocally declared it the best frosting they’ve ever had, and I’m confident you’ll agree!
My journey into the world of cake decorating began with an extensive search for a reliable, shortening-based icing recipe. To my surprise, finding one that truly delivered on flavor and texture was incredibly challenging. Most recipes leaned heavily on butter, which simply wasn’t the consistency or flavor profile I was seeking. It was a long quest, but eventually, I stumbled upon this particular icing, and it was love at first bite (and first pipe)!
Today, I am absolutely thrilled to share this culinary gem with you. Not only is it my all-time favorite frosting in the world (and believe me, I am notoriously picky when it comes to icing), but it also seems to have mysteriously vanished from the internet. I feel it’s my public duty, as a passionate food blogger, dedicated cake decorator, and enthusiastic foodie, to ensure this incredible recipe continues to be enjoyed by home bakers everywhere. It’s too good to be lost to the digital ether!
🥘 Essential Ingredients for the Perfect Shortening Buttercream
Unlike traditional American Buttercream, which primarily relies on butter and powdered sugar, this unique recipe harnesses the power of meringue powder and vegetable shortening to achieve its signature light and fluffy texture. And despite its name, you won’t need any heavy cream for this “whipped cream” buttercream. The beauty of these simple ingredients lies in their ability to create an incredibly stable, bright white, and delicious frosting. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): The primary sweetener and structural base. Sifting is crucial for a smooth, lump-free frosting.
- Crisco (or quality white vegetable shortening): This is the star ingredient that replaces butter, providing a neutral flavor profile, superior stability, and a pure white color.
- Vanilla Extract (or preferred flavoring): Essential for flavor. Opt for clear vanilla extract if you desire a pristine white frosting for decorating. Other extracts like almond or lemon can also be used.
- Hot Water: Used to dissolve the sugar and meringue powder, creating the base for the whipped meringue.
- White Granulated Sugar: Combined with meringue powder and hot water to form a stable meringue.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Meringue Powder: This is a key ingredient for stability and creating that light, airy, whipped texture, mimicking a true meringue without raw egg whites. It also helps the frosting to crust slightly, which is excellent for decorating.
*Refer to the comprehensive recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions.
💭 Pro Tip: Achieve a Stunningly White Frosting
One of the most appealing aspects of a shortening-based frosting is its ability to achieve a truly pure white color, something butter-based frostings can never quite match due to butter’s inherent yellow hue. If you’re aiming for that pristine, dazzling white frosting that truly pops, especially for wedding cakes or specific color schemes, there’s a simple trick that goes beyond just using white shortening. For the ultimate fluffy white frosting, make sure to use CLEAR VANILLA extract (affiliate link). Regular vanilla extract, even the clear-looking ones, often has a slight yellow tint that can subtly alter your frosting’s color. Using a clear extract ensures your frosting remains as bright and white as freshly fallen snow, making it a perfect canvas for any food coloring.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Light & Airy Frosting
This remarkable shortening frosting is prepared in two distinct parts, and while it does require a little patience during the whipping process, I promise you the extraordinary result is absolutely worth every minute! The final outcome is an incredibly light, airy, and delicately sweet frosting – a true departure from the often overly sugary taste of many traditional icings. The secret to its unique texture and balanced sweetness lies in the extensive whipping time. Many who have tried it agree: it’s perfectly sweet without being cloying.
🌽 Essential Equipment for Silky Smooth Frosting
Given the significant amount of whipping required to achieve this frosting’s signature light and airy texture, an electric mixer is absolutely indispensable for this recipe. For maximum efficiency and ease, I highly recommend using two mixers if you have them available. This setup will not only significantly reduce your overall preparation time but also eliminate the hassle of washing beaters between the two distinct stages of the recipe. Personally, I find a stand mixer to be ideal for “Part 1” (mixing the shortening and powdered sugar), while a powerful hand mixer (affiliate links) handles “Part 2” with ease. Even though I own two stand mixers, it can be a bit cumbersome to set up both for a single task. Modern hand mixers are often quite robust and perfectly capable of handling the intense whipping required for the meringue component.
If you’re considering investing in a stand mixer, a 4.5 to 5-quart model is typically sufficient for most home baking needs, unless you frequently tackle very large batches or double/triple recipes. I personally use a 7-quart professional series mixer because I enjoy preparing larger baking projects. It’s worth noting that the professional series models often feature more durable metal gears (unlike some of the Artisan lines), which can significantly extend the lifespan of your appliance. The Cuisinart (affiliate links) brand also offers excellent stand mixers at a more accessible price point, making them a fantastic alternative if you’re looking for quality without breaking the bank.
🎀 The Ultimate Frosting for Cake Decorating
As a cake decorator, I can confidently say that this Whipped Cream Buttercream has been, and continues to be, my absolute GO-TO frosting for all my cake decorating endeavors. Its unique properties make it exceptionally versatile and a joy to work with.
One of the aspects I particularly adore about this recipe is its adaptability. It performs beautifully as a crumb coat, providing a smooth, stable base for your final layer of decoration. Furthermore, you can easily adjust its texture by adding a small amount of additional meringue powder if you desire a frosting with a slightly firmer “crust” – perfect for intricate piping work or designs that need to hold their shape. The pure white base also means it takes on food coloring exceptionally well, allowing you to achieve vibrant and true-to-shade hues without any yellow undertones from butter. And if you’re searching for the perfect cake to complement this exquisite frosting, I highly recommend checking out my Secret Ingredient Vanilla Birthday Cake – they are a match made in dessert heaven!
📖 Delicious Variations to Elevate Your Frosting
Now, for my absolute favorite part about this versatile frosting: its incredible ability to transform! While delicious on its own, you can easily create a sensational chocolate version. All you need to do is replace one part of the powdered sugar with an equal amount of unsweetened cocoa powder, and voilà! You’ll have a rich, decadent Chocolate Whipped Cream Buttercream. Because, let’s be honest, chocolate truly does make everything better, doesn’t it?
Chocolate Whipped Cream Buttercream: To craft this delightful chocolate variation, simply substitute 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. This rich, deep chocolate frosting pairs absolutely perfectly with my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, creating an irresistible combination that will leave everyone craving more.
Beyond chocolate, this frosting is a dream for experimenting with various flavors and colors. You can easily tint this frosting any shade imaginable using food coloring. For the best results and most vibrant, true colors without watering down the frosting, I highly recommend using high-quality gel icing colors from brands like Wilton or Americolor. You can also infuse it with other extracts like almond, lemon, peppermint, or even a touch of coffee extract for a unique twist. The neutral base of this shortening buttercream acts as a perfect canvas, allowing any added flavor or color to truly shine.
👪 Serving Size & Yield
This generous whipped buttercream frosting recipe is designed to beautifully frost one standard 10-inch cake, providing ample coverage for layers and decorative flourishes. Alternatively, it can generously adorn a batch of 24 regular-sized cupcakes, ensuring each treat is crowned with a light, fluffy swirl. If your baking plans require a larger quantity, simply double or triple the recipe with confidence; this frosting scales up effortlessly to meet your needs, always delivering the same consistent, delightful results.
💭 Storing Your Homemade Frosting
One of the fantastic benefits of this homemade frosting is its excellent shelf life. Unlike butter-based frostings that often require refrigeration, this shortening buttercream is remarkably stable and can be stored at room temperature. Simply transfer any leftover frosting into an airtight container and keep it in your pantry for up to two months. When you’re ready to use it again, you might notice it has settled slightly. To restore its original fluffiness and airy texture, simply whip it vigorously with a spoon for a minute or two, or give it a quick whip in your electric mixer for about 30-45 seconds until it’s light and creamy once more. This makes it a perfect make-ahead option for busy bakers.
🌥️ Freezing Instructions
While this frosting stores exceptionally well at room temperature, it also freezes beautifully, particularly when applied to a cake. I have successfully frozen numerous fully frosted cakes with this buttercream, and they thaw perfectly without any degradation in texture or flavor. However, it’s important to note that this frosting is best frozen on a decorated cake rather than on its own. Since it maintains its quality so well in the pantry, there’s generally no need to freeze the frosting by itself. If you do freeze a cake, ensure it’s wrapped tightly to prevent freezer burn and allow it to thaw slowly in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature for serving.
So, if you’ve been on the hunt for that elusive Crisco icing that tastes exactly like the delightful whipped frosting from your local grocery store bakery, your search ends here. You are absolutely going to adore this whipped cream buttercream frosting!
⭐ What Others Are Saying
We love hearing from you! If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a moment to RATE THE RECIPE below and share your experience. Your feedback helps other bakers discover and enjoy this incredible frosting.
Here’s what some happy bakers have shared:
“This is the lightest, most delicious frosting I’ve ever tasted!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting (No Butter!)
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Equipment
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electric hand mixer
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stand mixer
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cake tester
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mixing bowl
Ingredients
Part One:
- 1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted (approx. 4 cups)
- 2 ½ cups Crisco or white vegetable shortening
Part Two:
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 2 tablespoons 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) (* use CLEAR extract for pure white frosting)
Instructions
Part One: Prepare the Shortening Base
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In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not the whisk), add the vegetable shortening. Gradually begin to add the sifted powdered sugar, starting on low speed to prevent a sugar cloud. Once the powdered sugar is mostly incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about 5 minutes until the mixture transforms into a very creamy, light, and fluffy consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined. Set this fluffy shortening-sugar mixture aside.
Part Two: Create the Meringue
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In a separate, very clean mixing bowl, combine the granulated white sugar, table salt, and meringue powder. Pour in the boiling water immediately. Using your electric mixer (a hand mixer works wonderfully here), begin beating on high speed. Continue to beat the mixture vigorously until stiff peaks form, which typically takes about 8 minutes. This process creates a stable, airy meringue. Once the mixture starts to thicken and hold its shape, add your vanilla extract (or chosen flavoring). Remember, for a pure white frosting, use clear vanilla extract.
Combine and Finish
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Now, carefully add the whipped meringue mixture from Part Two to the shortening base from Part One in your stand mixer. Beat both mixtures together on medium-high speed for another 8 minutes. This final long whip is crucial for achieving the incredibly light, airy, and creamy texture that defines this frosting.
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Once the beating is complete, use a rubber spatula to gently “down beat” the frosting manually for a minute or two. This helps to release any large air bubbles that may have formed during the whipping process, resulting in an even smoother, silkier consistency. Your frosting will be incredibly light, creamy, and ready to use! Cover the frosting to prevent it from drying out. ***IMPORTANT: DO NOT REFRIGERATE this frosting. It can be stored perfectly at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 months (a pantry or cool cupboard is ideal).
Notes
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Calories from Fat 189
Nutrition
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