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Home Β» Blog Β» Recipes Β» Frostings/Fillings

Bright White Heat Stable Pipeable Buttercream

Published: May 3, 2018 Β· Updated: Jun 4, 2021 by Kara Β· This post may contain affiliate links Β· This blog generates income via ads

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Today we’re talking about bright white heat stable pipeable buttercream that actually tastes good.

It’s a challenge to create a shortening buttercream that tastes close to real buttercream, but I was up for the challenge.

white frosting in a pink bowl

Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the Important Information Section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!

This frosting is perfect for those warm or hot days when you need a more stable buttercream and when you want super white frosting.

It’s also perfect for piping roses and other buttercream designs on cakes or cupcakes.

white icing in a pink bowl with text overlay
Jump to:
  • Important Information to Read First:
  • About this recipe:
  • How heat stable is this buttercream?
  • About the Ingredients:
  • Video:
  • Bright White Heat Stable Pipeable Buttercream
  • Other Recipes You Might Like:

Important Information to Read First:

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ BELOW! I want to address something before we get into this recipe. I have received a lot of ‘hateful’ comments regarding this recipe and I want to clear up a few things so you’ll know what to expect from it.

  1. This recipe makes a lot of icing, that is why it calls for many cups of confectioner’s sugar and shortening. It will make enough buttercream to cover at least two, 8″ round cakes plus extra for plenty of piping details. You can always halve the recipe if you don’t need that much.
  2. I do realize this isn’t ‘real buttercream’ because it uses vegetable shortening instead of real butter. The point of this recipe is to use shortening to get a more heat stable, pipeable and bright white buttercream. People have been calling this a heat-stable buttercream for many many years and I am not the first. Now, if you want a ‘real’ buttercream recipe using all buttercream, you’ll want to see that recipe here: Vanilla Bean Buttercream 
  3. Vegetable shortening is NOT lard. Vegetable shortening is plant fat and lard is animal fat. This recipe does not call for animal fat (lard).
  4. This recipe is similar to every other bright white, heat stable, pipeable ‘buttercream’ or icing that you’ll find at bakeries, grocery stores and home bakeries all over the U.S. It has been used for many many years by home and professional bakers alike and I’ve just modified it to make it taste better. If you’ve eaten a cake from the grocery store, it’s likely you’ve had this icing.
  5. Please note these things before sending me mean comments. I am truly trying to provide free recipes and be helpful to those who want free cake advice and recipes. It is completely acceptable for you not to like this recipe or decide not to make it. I will understand. Please remember to be respectful when making comments as I am a real person.
white buttercream in a pink bowl

With that out of the way, let’s get back to the actual recipe, right!

About this recipe:

So, shortening based American buttercream isn’t exactly a new thing, so I’m not reinventing the wheel here, but I am adding a few things in that actually help to give you a great tasting buttercream when you can’t actually use butter.

white buttercream close up in a bowl

So the way you make bright white, heat stable and pipeable buttercream is to use shortening instead of butter. Yeah I know it doesn’t sound super appetizing, but I promise it tastes better than it sounds.

If you’re not quite up for going with all shortening here, you can use half shortening and half butter. Your icing won’t be as white this way, so it’s a give and take.

bright white buttercream in a bowl

This buttercream is also a ‘crusting buttercream’, which means that a very thin film will develop over it which will allow you to smooth your cake using the Viva paper towel method.

That’s the method you use to smooth buttercream by letting your buttercream crust, then laying a viva paper towel over it and smoothing it lightly with your hand.

To see more about getting smooth buttercream, you’ll want to check out this post: How to Get Smooth Buttercream

white buttercream in a pink bowl

Make sure you keep this buttercream covered after you’ve mixed it, so that it doesn’t develop a film over it before you get a chance to ice your cake.

How heat stable is this buttercream?

I’m calling this buttercream ‘heat stable’, but that’s within reason. There is nothing you can do to buttercream to keep it from melting if you’re putting it out in direct hot sun.

This buttercream stands up better to warmer temperatures than an all butter buttercream, but you want to be reasonable about it.

Another thing to note is that from my experience, this buttercream is not the best under fondant because it does not firm up as well as butter does in the fridge, which makes it a little more tricky when adding fondant over it.

bright white buttercream in a bowl

I love this buttercream when it’s summer-time and the temps are warmer. I also love it when I need a bright white icing. There are tricks you can use for all butter buttercream to get it more white, but to me, it just never gets truly white like this buttercream gets.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

About the Ingredients:

  • Vegetable Shortening: Now, if you can get high-ratio shortening, it works the best, however because of the trans fats, it’s now been banned in most places. I’ve found that the Walmart store brand is a close second.
  • Meringue Powder (optional): If you’re using regular shortening, but you want to stabilize it even more, you can add in a couple tablespoons of meringue powder. This gives it some holding powder.
  • Salt: Ok this is actually really important because shortening based icing tends to coat your mouth and ‘seems’ like it’s actually sweeter. To combat this, we’re adding salt.
  • Powdered Sugar: You definitely need this to add sweetness and to thicken up the consistency.
  • Cream or Milk: This will make it cream and help you to adjust the consistency.
  • Clear Vanilla Extract: To keep this buttercream as white as possible, you can use clear vanilla extract in place of regular extract. I like the taste of regular vanilla extract better, but this is your call.
  • Butter Emulsion: I LOVE LorAnn Oils and the butter emulsion is really good. Regular butter extract you get at the grocery store just tastes gross to me, so I use this instead to give the buttercream more of that ‘butter’ taste. You can get this emulsion here: LorAnn Butter Emulsion
  • Buttery Sweet Dough Emulsion: This one is optional, but I really like the flavor it adds. You can get it here: LorAnn Buttery Sweet Dough Emulsion

Now, if you’d like an all butter buttercream instead, make sure to go here to get my recipe for that: Vanilla Bean Buttercream Recipe

Video:

Ok, let’s get to the recipe:

**By the way, this recipe was developed and tested using volume measurements (cups etc.). I do this because most people are used to measuring, instead of weighing. You may use the metric converter button to see the weight (gram) measurements. Those numbers are estimates on weight. Your results may vary a bit if you use the weight measurements.

bright white buttercream in a bowl

Bright White Heat Stable Pipeable Buttercream

This bright white heat stable pipeable buttercream is perfect for those warm or hot days and when you want super white frosting. It's also perfect for piping.
4.74 from 15 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buttercream
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 15
Calories: 647kcal
Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 3 cups vegetable shortening
  • 9-10 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 tablespoon meringue powder (optional for more stability and holding power)
  • Β½ teaspoon salt
  • 6-8 tablespoon milk or cream
  • 2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (can use regular vanilla extract if you don’t have clear)
  • Β½-1 teaspoon butter extract/emulsion (LorAnn oils has a good option)
  • Β½-1 teaspoon LorAnn buttery dough extract/emulsion (optional)
US Customary – Metric
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Mix shortening until smooth.
  • Add in the salt, 4 cups confectioners sugar and 3 tablespoon milk and mix well.
  • Optional: If you want to add in a couple tablespoons of meringue powder for  extra stability, you can do that now.
  • Add in another 5 cups confectioners sugar plus another 3 tablespoon milk and mix well.
  • Scrape down sides of bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of milk or cream if the buttercream is too thick. Mix well.
  • Add in the extracts and mix well.
  • Add more milk if icing is too thick. Add in only a tablespoon at a time. Mix well.
  • Finally, mix by hand with a rubber spatula to help press out any air bubbles.
  • This recipe makes enough to cover 2, 8″ round cakes

Notes

This recipe will make enough buttercream to cover at least two, 8″ round cakes plus extra for piping details.
This is a crusting buttercream, so make sure to keep your container of buttercream covered. It does not need to be refrigerated and can be left out on the counter for several days.Β 
If you want to keep it longer, you can pop it in the fridge and it’ll be good for a week, or slightly longer.Β 
Lorann oils has all these types of butter emulsions. Try some out and see what you like best. The grocery store version of butter extract is not super good. Do yourself a favor and pay a little extra to get a good tasting butter flavoring.
This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
PLEASE NOTE:
  1. This recipe makes a lot of icing, that is why it calls for many cups of confectioner’s sugar and shortening. It will make enough buttercream to cover at least two, 8″ round cakes plus extra for plenty of piping details. You can always halve the recipe if you don’t need that much.
  2. I do realize this isn’t ‘real buttercream’ because it uses vegetable shortening instead of real butter. The point of this recipe is to use shortening to get a more heat stable, pipeable and bright white buttercream. People have been calling this a heat-stable buttercream for many many years and I am not the first. Now, if you want a ‘real’ buttercream recipe using all buttercream, you’ll want to see that recipe here: Vanilla Bean ButtercreamΒ 
  3. Vegetable shortening is not lard. Vegetable shortening is plant fat and lard is animal fat. This recipe does not call for animal fat.
  4. This is similar to every other bright white, heat stable, pipeable ‘buttercream’ or icing that you’ll find at bakeries, grocery stores and home bakeries all over the U.S. It has been used for many many years by home and professional bakers alike and I’ve just modified it to make it taste better. If you’ve eaten a cake from the grocery store, it’s likely you’ve had this icing.

Nutrition

Calories: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg
DisclaimersTo see food safety, allergy & nutrition disclaimers, go here: Disclaimers

How to Share

I’d love for you to share this recipe link or tag it, but please do not share screenshots or copy/paste the recipe to social media as the content and photographs are copyright protected and we (bloggers) work really hard on our content. Sharing the link, tagging us on socials and pinning it is super appreciated though!

Tried this recipe?Mention @iscreamforbuttercream or tag #iscreamforbuttercream!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

  • Whipped Vanilla American Buttercream
  • Cheater Buttercream Frosting
  • Cake Batter Buttercream

Don’t Forget to Pin it Below!

heat stable frosting with text overlay pin graphic
bright white frosting with text overlay pin graphic
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Filed Under: Frostings/Fillings, Recipes Tagged With: buttercream, vanilla

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth

    March 06, 2022 at 2:34 pm

    First of all, I am soo sorry people have been mean to you or anybody else for that matter. I used to use a recipe like this years ago when making birthday cakes for my children…this is how I was taught in professional baking classes! If someone doesn’t like it, move on to a recipe you love!!! Thank you for all you post and love your recipes!!

    Reply
    • Kara

      March 06, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      Beth, thanks so much for the kind words! So glad someone understands. πŸ’–

      Reply
    • Rachel Boothe

      March 20, 2022 at 6:10 am

      I have a hard time piping roses on flower nails due to the petals falling over before I can even get them piped. I tried a Crisco all shortening recipe and got the same results. I do have a problem warm hands and I live in the southern United States where it is so humid. Do you think I would get a good result piping roses with this recipe?
      P.S. I have never understood why people want to be rude, particularly when someone is trying to be helpful. I am sorry you have had to experience this.

      Reply
      • Kara

        March 20, 2022 at 5:43 pm

        Hi Rachel, thanks for those kind words. I really appreciate it.
        I do get your frustration about piping roses in humid weather…the same here. I’m wondering if you could just make a small (1/2) batch of this recipe and try it out and see if it works any better for you. You could also add in an extra cup of powdered sugar to make it a little thicker and I wonder if that would help it stay firm for you a little longer. You could also try adding in a tablespoon or so of meringue powder. That could help firm it up a little more as well.
        The general advice when piping is to not fill the bag up too much, but if your hands are really warm, it might be okay to fill it up a little more.
        Also, I wonder if you wore gloves if that would help insulate them and keep some of that heat from reaching the buttercream? Might be worth a try.

        Reply
      • Sheryl

        June 11, 2022 at 1:57 pm

        5 stars
        I’m so sorry for anyone who comes on here and is blatantly rude. Your frosting is perfect…I have used similiar in the past and lost my recipe and was in search for a frosting that will stand up to the heat and humidity for an outdoor birthday party. You are very much correct when stating that shortening is a must for stability. You have delivered what is needed in your recipe for this to happen. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I appreciate it. Happy Baking! Happy Weekend!

        Like you mentioned if you want a true buttercream than look up that recipe! Geesh peeps it’s as simple as that! Stop with this nonsense and make your own blog of FREE recipes before complaining!

        Reply
        • Kara

          June 12, 2022 at 1:10 pm

          Thanks so much, Sheryl for your kind words. It really means a lot. So glad there are people who understand! Love your comment. πŸ™‚

          Reply
  2. Kelly

    March 13, 2022 at 11:29 pm

    Can you add food coloring gel to frosting and it still keeps consistency

    Reply
    • Kara

      March 14, 2022 at 5:34 pm

      Yes, if you add gel food coloring it won’t dilute it like liquid food coloring.

      Reply
  3. Rabiah

    March 14, 2022 at 9:31 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for your kind help!! I’m very sorry folks have been disrespectful towards you and all the hard work you put into creating FREE recipes/advice.

    I plan on making this cream recipe tonight! I was not able to find Butter emulsion but found Butter Vanilla emulsion. Is that an ok switch?

    Thanks for your awesome posts!

    Reply
    • Kara

      March 14, 2022 at 5:35 pm

      Thanks so much! I appreciate your kind words πŸ™‚ Butter vanilla emulsion will work just fine in this recipe. I hope you like it!

      Reply
  4. Nilda Panos

    May 13, 2022 at 9:36 am

    How can anyone be mean to someone so nice?It’s a shame!
    Thanks for the recipe and all that you do!

    Reply
    • Kara

      May 13, 2022 at 6:29 pm

      Oh, you are wonderful! Thank you so much. πŸ’–

      Reply
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Hey there, I’m Kara!

Hi, I'm so glad you're here! Cake shows up at our most important and happiest moments in life, like birthdays, weddings, baby showers and holidays. It's also for those everyday moments...it makes them even better. Put simply, cake just makes us happy! I love trying out new cake flavor combinations and decorating ideas. Have a look around and I bet you can find a cake recipe or tutorial for any of life's big moments and those everyday moments too. Click here if you want to learn more about me!

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