I’ve tested a ton of buttercream recipes in my day, but my go-to is a super simple American buttercream recipe that I’ve tweaked to my liking. I’ve used this recipe for frosting countless cakes and cupcakes and I’m a big believer that a good vanilla buttercream is something every baker should have in their recipe box. There’s nothing fancy about the way this recipe is made, but it will certainly taste like you whipped up something special!
My Favorite Buttercream Frosting for Cake Decorating
This vanilla buttercream recipe is technically an American buttercream, which basically means it has a butter base and is stabilized and sweetened with powdered sugar. Most American buttercream recipes use a ton of powdered sugar to give structure to the frosting, but I have tailored this recipe to use less powdered sugar and be less sweet than your average American buttercream. As a result, the vanilla flavor really shines through and it’s the perfect consistency for cake decorating, topping cupcakes, and even creating intricate designs. It also firms up in the refrigerator, making it ideal to use as a base under fondant!
Vanilla Buttercream Key Ingredients & Substitutions
There are just a handful of ingredients you’ll need for this recipe and it’s simple to whip up for people of all skill levels. I’ll explain what role each ingredient plays in the buttercream and any substitutes you can use:
- Unsalted Butter. This is the base of the buttercream and gives the frosting a rich buttery flavor and velvety smooth texture. If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use that instead and omit the salt at the end of the recipe. And if you want a vegan version of this buttercream, you can follow this recipe which uses vegan butter sticks.
- Powdered Sugar. This adds stability to the frosting while sweetening. I like to use less powdered sugar than the average American buttercream so that the frosting doesn’t end up cloyingly sweet, but if you’d like it even less sweet you can reduce the powdered sugar amount by up to ½ Cup. Just keep in mind that the consistency of the buttercream will be thinner.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. This flavors the buttercream, and making sure you use a good quality vanilla extract or paste is one of the secrets to success. You can use any kind of vanilla extract or paste, but my favorite brands are Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla and Costco Pure Vanilla Extract (the price is unbeatable). You can also substitute this ingredient for other extract flavors, just be careful how much you use because some extracts are more potent than others! If you’re looking for more flavor options, I have all of my frosting recipes here.
- Whole Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream. This thins out the buttercream while binding all the ingredients together. I like to use a liquid with lots of fat for this part because it makes the final frosting more velvety smooth, so whole milk or heavy whipping cream are my go-to’s. If you’d rather use a dairy-free option you can substitute this with any milk alternative, but keep in mind that the flavor of the liquid will affect the overall frosting flavor.
- Salt. A pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness beautifully.
Vanilla Buttercream Tips for Success
This buttercream is simple for anyone to make, but there are a few things to keep in mind when making, storing, and working with it.
- Room Temperature Ingredients. Be sure to use room temperature ingredients. This is important for ingredients to combine and create a smooth consistency. Over the years I’ve found that cutting corners like adding cold milk will create a curdled look in the final frosting because the temperature hinders the ingredients from coming together smoothly. Not the best look! So, take your ingredients like butter and milk out of the refrigerator for about an hour prior to making the frosting.
- Use the Paddle Attachment on Your Stand Mixer. Also known as the flat beater attachment, the paddle attachment is designed to incorporate just the right amount of air into the buttercream. This makes it easier to make smooth buttercream without a ton of air bubbles.
- Whip the Butter for a Long Time. To achieve the smoothest buttercream that’s also nearly white in color, you’ll want to whip the butter for a long time – about 7 minutes. In this amount of time, the butter should go from yellow to almost white and be extra smooth.
- Then Mix Everything Else on Low Speed. After you whip the butter, it’s important to keep the mixer on low speed any time you’re mixing in the additional ingredients. Even though it will take longer to mix the ingredients, keeping the mixer on low speed helps prevent air bubbles from forming in the buttercream.
- Let the Ingredients Fully Combine. After I mix in the final ingredient (salt) I like to run the mixer on low speed for another minute or two to allow everything to combine fully. This gives the powdered sugar time to dissolve as well, so the buttercream will taste smooth and not grainy.
Here’s a quick video I whipped up to show you my method for making this buttercream recipe and all my tips for success:
I’ve got more recipe videos like this one + some fun cake decorating tutorials on my YouTube channel if you want to see some more! I’m always rolling out new videos, so click the subscribe button while you’re there to ensure you never miss a new one.
Vanilla Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp whole milk or heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
- Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.
Notes
- Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
- Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe.
Tips for the best buttercream consistency
There are three types of consistency for buttercream that you need to know, and each one plays a different role in cake decorating.
Medium Consistency
This is the most versatile of all consistencies. It works perfectly as a filling between layers, crumb coating, frosting a cake (especially if you want a smooth buttercream finish), and even decorating cupcakes with simple piping tips. This buttercream recipe is medium consistency as-is, so it’s super easy to spread smoothly onto cakes. To test and make sure you’ve got a medium consistency going, you should be able to dip your rubber spatula into the buttercream and it will come out with soft peaks and spread easily when you move your finger over it.
Thin Consistency
This is the perfect consistency for painting with buttercream or writing a message on your cake. To achieve it, just add 1-2 additional teaspoons of room temperature milk to thin out the buttercream.
Stiff Consistency
If you’re piping buttercream flowers, especially ones with petals that need to stand upright, you’ll need a stiff consistency. Add an extra 1/2 cup of powdered sugar per batch of the above recipe to achieve this. When you dip your rubber spatula into the frosting, it should come out with stiff peaks, but when you pipe with it, make sure it’s not so thick that you have to put a ton of extra pressure on the bag or clog the piping tip. If you’re running into these problems, fear not! You can tone it down by adding room temperature whole milk, 1 tsp at a time, until it’s just right.
Hi there, I’m loving all your recipes! As for the buttercream, does it matter if I use Heavy whipping cream or whole milk as I need for the the buttercream to form a
a thin crust after piping. Thanks in advance!
I’m so happy you’re loving my recipes, Sandy! This buttercream will form a thin crust whether you use whole milk or heavy whipping cream. The heavy whipping cream does make the frosting a little silkier though.
Hi, I am looking for a buttercream recipe to use for my boyfriend’s birthday cake in a few days. I’m not sure what size it’ll be (no idea what size our tins are), but I believe it’ll be about 8 inches in diameter and I’m making 4 layers. How many batches of this recipe would you recommend for filling and crumb coating it? Also, I’m in Australia, are there any adjustments I may need to make to this recipe in regards to measurements? Thanks!
Hi Keira! For filling and crumb coating a four layer 8-inch cake, you should only need 1.5 batches of this buttercream recipe. You might even be able to get away with a single batch. If you’re planning on decorating the cake as well, I would make at least 2 batches. As for measurements, you should be totally fine. I know that Australian Cups are slightly larger than US Cups but it shouldn’t make enough of a difference here. Enjoy!
Hi there. I am in Australia and am going to try your recipe to ice and fill a three layer 9” birthday cake. Sometimes we substitute the milk/cream for just plain water…would that still suffice with this recipe. Thanks so much.
Hi Melissa! I haven’t tried subbing the milk for water before, but if it works in similar recipes I don’t see why not! My only advice is to use room temp water. Hope that helps and let me know how it goes if you try it!
Great recipe, love the flavor and consistency was perfect for piping onto cupcakes. It was too sweet for my taste so I think next time I’ll add more salt.
Could you please tell me what number to use on the mixer for step 1 (creaming the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and white) as well as what mixer number to use for step 2 when switching it to low while adding the sifted powder sugar please? After watching the video I noticed we have the same mixer but I can’t tell what number you used. I can’t wait to make this with my niece. Thank you!!
Hi Summer! Step 1 (medium-high) would be number 8 on the mixer, Step 2 would be the Stir setting (the lowest possible). Hope that helps!
Does this crust when dried and sitting out? Or is it still a smooth consistency. I want a smooth consistency for my cupcakes.
Hi Ashley! It is a crusting buttercream, but it stays soft underneath so is still pleasant to eat. If you want a non-crusting buttercream you’ll want to try a meringue based buttercream like Swiss meringue or Italian meringue.
Hi Whitney! I was wondering if one batch of this would be enough to frost a three- layer eight inch cake. (and just to frost the outside, I am using a different frosting for the filling, and possibly for the crumb coat as well….) Hope this makes sense! Thanks!
Hi Addie! Yes, one batch of this buttercream will be enough to frost the outside of a 3-layer 8-inch cake.
First time ever making buttercream and it’s amazing. Thank you!
Can I add food colouring to this?
Yay, Kylie! I’m so happy you love this recipe. You can absolutely add food coloring!
Hi Whitney! I wasn’t sure where to ask this question, but as I will probably be using your vanilla buttercream, this seems like the place! I just bought my first bottle of Amoretti Wild Strawberry flavor and can’t wait to try it! I know that you have used these products or similar in some of your videos but what I need to ask is how much should I use? I see that this product will give me color and flavor, just not sure how much to use. Say I make a single recipe of your vanilla buttercream. Thank you and wanted to say that I am enjoying my/your book, “Anyone Can Cake”!!
Yay, Paula! I’m so excited for you to try the Amoretti Wild Strawberry flavor! If it’s the Artisan flavor, I would omit the vanilla in this buttercream recipe and add 2-3 tsp of the Amoretti Wild Strawberry flavor. Also, so happy to hear you’re loving my book!
Thank you, Whitney!! Yes, it’s the Artisan natural flavor. I am making a single recipe of your vanilla buttercream, so about 3 cups. The man on the phone (I called for some help) said to use .3 or .5 per 10 oz. I will add 2 tsp and see what happens. Thank you.
How many cups does this recipe yield? Thanks in advance
Hi Liberty! This recipe makes 3 Cups of buttercream.
Hi, thank you for your recipes. I’m looking forward to baking/decorating the vintage heart cake. Out of curiosity, what’s your go butter brand for decorating cakes?
Hi Lucero! I go through a lot of butter (which can get spendy!) so I typically use Costco or Kroger (aka generic brands) unsalted butter.
Hi!
Every time I make American buttercream, it looks streaky and ?curdled rather than having a smooth and consistent colour. I make sure all the ingredients are room temperature (18deg Celsius?) Even if I whip it up and it comes together, shortly after it turns back to being streaky.
Please help!
Hi Gemma! What kind of food coloring are you using?
Thank you for this recipe! I followed your instructions and it turned out perfectly! I used it for frosting cupcakes
Yay, Nicole! I’m so happy it was a hit!
Hello.I have a hand mixer https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08S3MMJ7B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Its a 300W 5 speed mixer,can you please advise what speed I must be using to do this?
Hi Nalini! Just follow the times and speeds in the recipe. For high speed go all the way to 5, for low speed use it on the lowest setting. Hope that helps!
Hi I’m going to use this butter cream to “fill & frost” a semi naked cake. How much will I need to do a 4 layer 10 “ round cake?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge ❤️
Love from Calgary, AB
Hi Deb! Here’s a handy chart I whipped up for calculating how many batches of buttercream you’ll need: https://sugarandsparrow.com/how-much-buttercream-do-i-need/
Can I use half and half cream instead whole milk or heavy cream?
Hi Lisa! Yes, that should be fine!
Hi, Whitney Stable Buttercream Recipe for Hot Weather…..
kindly I would like to talk to you privately, but first of all you the best n the world. the cream is amazingly fantastic and perfectly said in hot weather it is an incredibly Stable Buttercream Recipe for Hot Weather waoo grate and it is so soft a perfect to use I thought hope it perfects exactly it stayed perfectly and wwwww. thankyou from my heart I wish to talk to you privately thank you thank you
Yay, Isabella! I’m so happy to hear that the heat stable buttercream worked so well! Thanks for letting me know it was a hit 🙂