Step 1

In the bowl of a stand mixer (see note 1), add in the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and cream.

Step 2

Using the paddle attachment, mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients are combined (about a minute), and then turn up the speed to a medium high and mix for a full 10 minutes. Scrape the bowl down half way through.

Step 3

After 10 minutes, turn the mixer down to the lowest speed for a further minute or so to remove any large air bubbles.

Step 4

The frosting should be silky smooth and it's now ready to use! If you find that your buttercream is a bit firm and has a lot of holes, then it means that either the butter or cream was too cold. To fix this, gently heat the buttercream in the microwave for 5 second bursts (don't heat it for too long otherwise the buttercream will melt), mixing in between each burst until the frosting is softer in consistency and you can easily mix it, and then rewhip it for a few minutes.