Vanilla Buttercream recipes may seem beyond simple but I get a surprising number of questions from home bakers everywhere. So let’s set the record straight with perhaps the most ubiquitous and variable frosting recipe there is! Let me know how you enjoy this recipe; historically, I have found it to be a crowd pleaser whether decorating birthday cakes or homemade vanilla cupcakes.
Ingredients for Homemade Buttercream
Butter: I almost always specify unsalted butter in my recipes then add salt back in. I do this because different manufacturers put in various amounts of salt and I don’t want anyone to make something too salty or not salted enough when using my recipes. If you only have salted butter on hand then go ahead and use it. You can add more salt to taste if needed.
Confectioners Sugar: Not all brands are equal and some will definitely be lumpier than others. It’s always a good idea to sift it out before using, especially if you’re using piping tips. A little lump can clog the tip and cause a big problem.
Vanilla Extract: I love vanilla but there are tons of flavorings you can add, I have a whole section on this below. If you are using vanilla then try and use a nice one and I would not recommend using artificial vanilla flavor.
How To Make Buttercream Frosting
1. Cream the softened butter and salt in a stand mixer for about a minute using a paddle attachment. You can also make this frosting with an electric hand mixer and a big bowl.
2. Add your powdered sugar to the butter in batches. Make sure to sift your powdered sugar, especially if you’re going to be using any piping tips. Those clumps will cause clogs that make decorating nearly impossible! It’s best to run the mixer on low speed.
3. After the first batch of powdered sugar is added it’s time to scrape the bowl down, then sift in more powdered sugar and repeat.
4. Add a tablespoon of cream or milk and mix in. You can add more later if desired.
5. Once incorporated, with the mixer running on low, go ahead and add the vanilla extract or whichever flavoring you’re using. Add more cream or milk as desired to thin the buttercream out. When your buttercream is finished, you should have a nice even and fluffy consistency.
6. You can now use the frosting as desired. If you make it ahead then the buttercream can be chilled and then used after coming back to room temperature. Always give your frosting a whip just before using and feel free to add some milk or cream to thin things out if needed.
Pro Tips for this Recipe
- Sift your powdered sugar to avoid clogging piping tips.
- Scrape the bowl down to help ensure even consistency throughout.
- You can use almost anything to flavor buttercream like fruit juice, citrus zest, coffee, orange blossom or rose water, melted chocolate, or Oreos!
- If your buttercream has been sitting for a while or was chilled and brought back to room temperature it’s always a good idea to give it a quick whip to restore it’s consistency.
- If you’re looking for a very spreadable and very smooth icing for something like a sheet cake or to make your life easier when using a piping bag, you can add the full amount of cream in (and maybe even a bit more).
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best butter to use for buttercream frosting?
- For a whiter buttercream it’s really important to use a pale butter. Almost every recipe will call for using unsalted butter but then have you add salt back in. This is done because various brands of butter have different amounts of salt in their product.
- Using unsalted butter helps to ensure a consistent result. You can however use salted butter, omit additional salt and have a delicious cake frosting.
- The most important thing to do when whipping up a batch of buttercream is that it’s room temperature!
How can you make cold butter room temperature?
If you need to warm some cold butter up just slice it into some smaller pieces and microwave them on a plate at 50% power for 10 second bursts. Flip them after each burst and they’ll be nice and room temperature in no time!
Is buttercream or whipped frosting better?
The main difference between buttercream frosting recipes and whipped frosting is the butter. Whipped frosting does not contain butter and is a lighter and fluffier icing. Buttercream contains a good amount of butter and has more of a rich flavor; so you be the judge! 🙂
Will this frosting recipe melt at room temperature?
When buttercream icing is left out at room temperature, it will form sort of a crust on the outer layer while the inside will stay fairly smooth. If it is very warm or humid, then the buttercream can loose structure. This will affect decorations you’ve piped and may even destabilize layer cakes, causing them to sag or even collapse.
How long can you leave buttercream out?
You can leave this buttercream frosting recipe out overnight if covered. If the buttercream contains cream cheese, then it should always be refrigerated for it to remain safe to eat. Homemade frosting that contains dairy will spoil more quickly so it should be refrigerated after a few hours.
How do I thin it out?
If you want to thin out buttercream frosting, then you’ll want to add in some extra cream or milk. I recommend mixing in a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
If you’ve tried this american buttercream frosting recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

Buttercream Frosting
Video
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp vanilla 15mL
- 1 lb confectioner's sugar 454g
- 1 cup unsalted butter 225g, room temperature
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream 45mL
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Whip the butter and salt for about a minute using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can use a hand mixer instead if needed.
- Sift in the confectioner’s sugar in several batches beating on low after each addition. Scrape the bowl down and repeat the process.
- Add a tablespoon of the cream while mixing on low then add the vanilla. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency. You can add more cream or milk if desired for a thinner consistency.
Notes
- Sift your powdered sugar to avoid clogging piping tips.
- Scrape the bowl down; to help ensure even consistency throughout.
- You can use almost anything to flavor buttercream, fruit juice, coffee, orange blossom or rose water, melted chocolate, or Oreos!
- If your buttercream has been sitting for a while or was chilled and brought back to room temperature it's always a good idea to give it a quick whip to restore it's consistency.
- If you're looking for a very spreadable and very smooth icing, you can add the full amount of cream in (and maybe even a bit more).
Nutrition
Sharon Sawdon says
Hi John! Thank you for this recipe and the video. I used it to frost two cakes I made for my brothers wedding and it was perfection! <3
Anna says
Why is there so many air pockets in my buttercream?
Jamie Tweedie says
LOVE IT! I put it on my gluten free bean cake. The salty yet sweet taste complimented the cake so beautifully! I’m sharing this recipe with my momma!!
Vicky says
Like a true Virgo you give details that others bakers don’t and thus a better product is the result, so thank you.
You use vanilla but I would omit it because I would like to add rosewater and lemon – would that make the mixture too slack do you think?
Donna Godair says
How much of all ingredients for 24 cupcakes?
Morgan Jones says
Perfection. Light and fluffy, creamy and buttery, and sweet without being cloying. 10/10 again, John!
Annie says
May I ask can less sugar In your Recipe
Buttercream ?
Anna says
I attempted to make cupcakes for the first time in a very long time and was looking for a simple frosting that I have already had ingredients for.
Your recipe is easy to follow and I do like the fact that ingredients are listed both by volume and by weight.
I didn’t have heavy cream, so I had to improvise and added some milk instead. This buttercream is very sweet and for the next batch I will try one of the meringue versions to balance the sweetness.
Nikki P says
Hi John,
I am a total newbie with frosting and decorating cakes and your YouTube videos have inspired me so much! I actually tried the Italian Meringue Buttercream first, but that tasted like pure butter to me. Did I do something wrong?
So I followed up with this vanilla buttercream recipe and it was phenomenal! Exactly what icing tastes like in my dreams. It didn’t spread onto my cake very easily, it left patchy places all over and pulled up parts of my cake.. Any tips? Should I maybe add more cream?
Thank you very much! Happy baking ??
Jordan says
Hi! I use this recipe and love it; however, when i go to move a cake I get cracks in my buttercream. I have even tried glueing multiple cake boards together. Do you ever have this issue? If so, how do you fix it? Thank you!
jkanell says
Hi Jordan! I chill my cake for transport and that really helps, no issues with cracking!
Shannon says
If want to decorate a 3 layer 6 inch cake will this buttercream recipe enough or I’ll have to make adjustments to the ingredients? And if I wanted to add gel color when should I add it?
jkanell says
It’s totally enough. I add the color in last 🙂 Hope you have fun!
Anna Miles says
Hi John, I came across this recipe after going through many online. I want to give it a go, but don’t know how much buttercream I’ll need to make. Could you please tell me what your version of “1 batch” is? How many cups will you get out of it. Thanks!
jkanell says
I need to measure the cups out but it’s enough to do a three layer 6 inch cake.