Instructions

1. Melt a heaping 1/4 cup of vanilla ice cream. (Add exactly 1/4 cup at the beginning of the mixing process and reserve the rest to use if the frosting is too thick.)
2. Add the butter, 1/4 cup of the melted ice cream, and the vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. The Ice Cream should be thoroughly melted and the butter should be “slightly softened” which means it is still cold but has been out of the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
3. Mix the melted ice cream, butter, and vanilla together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.)  You want to fully cream the ingredients together so their flavors meld together.
4. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture down from the sides of the bowl before moving on to the next step.  
5. Add the Powdered Sugar into the mixing bowl with the butter/ice cream mixture.
6. Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the ice cream/butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). 
7. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy.
8. If the frosting is too thick, add another teaspoon of melted ice cream and mix again.
9. Time for the sprinkles! Add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of sprinkles and mix until combined. (Optional)
10. Taste your frosting. You want to figure out if the taste is right (does it need more melted ice cream or vanilla?) and consistency is correct (is it too thin or too thick?)  Too thick? Add another teaspoon of melted ice cream and mix again to check to see if it is now the right consistency.  The amount of melted ice cream to use depends on the state of your frosting and sometimes the time of year (if it is a hot humid day, you might not need to add any liquid.) A good rule of thumb is to add the melted ice cream a teaspoon at a time.