Bright White Heat Stable Pipeable Buttercream

Bright White Heat Stable Pipeable Buttercream

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buttercream

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Prep Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 405kcal

Author: Kara @I Scream for 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.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

3 cups vegetable shortening (Read the post to see suggestions, what this is and why this is used in this recipe.)
9-10 cups confectioner's sugar (This frosting makes a lot of frosting.)
2 tablespoons meringue powder (Optional for more stability and holding power.)
½ teaspoon salt
6-8 tablespoons milk or cream
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (Can use regular vanilla extract if you don't have clear.)
½-1 teaspoons butter extract/emulsion (LorAnn oils has a good option.)
½-1 teaspoons LorAnn buttery dough extract/emulsion (optional)

Instructions

Mix the shortening until smooth.
Add in the salt, 4 cups confectioners sugar and 3 tablespoons of 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 tablespoons of 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.
See the notes section for best ways to store this and for more questions.

Notes

*This recipe makes enough to cover 2, 8" round cakes or 1, 8" round layer cake plus plenty for piping borders and other decorations.

How to Store: This is a crusting buttercream, so make sure to keep your container of buttercream covered. It can be left out on the counter for several days. If you want to store it longer, you can pop it in the fridge and it'll be good for a week, or slightly longer.

About the Flavorings: 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 very good. Do yourself a favor and pay a little extra to get a good-tasting butter flavoring.

For other questions: Make sure to check out the post, which should answer other questions you may have about ingredients, substitutions, etc.

Nutritional values are an estimate.

*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE:

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 two, 8" round cakes or a layer cake plus extra for plenty of piping details. You can always halve the recipe if you don't need that much.
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 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
Vegetable shortening is not lard. Vegetable shortening is plant fat and lard is animal fat. This recipe does not call for animal fat (lard).
This is similar to lots of 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 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