Vanilla Buttercream Frosting + Video
This Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe is easy, creamy, and extremely versatile. Made with basic ingredients, this vanilla frosting is a staple for decorating cakes, cupcakes, or cookies.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is a staple for any baker. This is your basic, go-to vanilla frosting for decorating cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. It’s simple, classic, soft, creamy, and sweet.
How to Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Classic American vanilla buttercream frosting is made with:
Save This recipe
Enter your email below to get a link to this recipe emailed straight to you to save later! Plus be signed up for all new recipes.
- butter
- salt*
- powdered (confectioners’) sugar
- pure vanilla extract
- heavy cream (or milk)
*Depending on whether you use salted or unsalted butter (or your personal salt tolerance/preference), you may want to adjust the amount of salt used. But do not skip the salt! It helps to bring out the flavors.
- Make sure the butter is soft/room temperature. (This takes about 30-60 minutes to come to room temperature, or you can try these 3 tricks to soften butter quickly.)
- Beat the butter and salt until creamy with a hand or stand mixer and the paddle attachment.
- Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cream. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing completely before adding more. Repeat until all powdered sugar is added. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then add heavy cream one Tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
Adjusting buttercream is simple. Add more powdered sugar if it’s too thin, or more cream/milk if it’s too thick.
Cream or Milk?
When it comes to using cream or milk, I prefer using heavy cream in my vanilla buttercream frosting. It gives it a lighter, creamy whipped texture, while still being stiff enough to pipe decorations.
TIP: Make sure to mix in the heavy cream at a slow speed, as to not incorporate too much air.
Milk (or half & half) works just as well, and will be used in equal portions as the heavy cream. As a general rule of thumb, when adding liquid to frosting, always start small, adding only 1 Tablespoon (or even 1 teaspoon) at a time.
It’s better to add the milk/cream slowly than to have an overly sweet frosting with added powdered sugar.
How to Make Vanilla Buttercream White
Making a wedding cake and need white frosting?
- First, use clear imitation vanilla extract. The dark brown color of pure vanilla extract is hard to hide. Clear vanilla extract will give you the same taste without the discoloration.
- Second, use air to soften and lighten the color. Add each cup of confectioners’ sugar individually, turning the stand mixer on the highest speed that it will go after each addition. This not only makes the frosting extremely fluffy, it also lightens the color of the frosting as air is incorporated. Although, any buttercream that uses all butter will still have a light tinge of yellow to it.
- The last best bet you have to make a whiter vanilla buttercream frosting is to use half butter and half shortening (or coconut oil). This way you get the taste of butter, with the whiter color of shortening or coconut oil. (NOTE: I prefer using coconut oil to shortening, but some people complain they can taste the coconut. You really shouldn’t taste the coconut if it’s a good quality product.)
With vanilla buttercream frosting, the possibilities are endless. Adding food coloring will transform this classic frosting into rainbows, swirls, mermaids, dragons, or anything else you can imagine.
Have fun with it! Plus, homemade frosting tastes a million times better than anything in a can.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, (2 sticks) softened to room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt*
- 3-4 cups (360-480 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 Tbsp heavy cream, (or milk**)
Instructions
- With an electric mixer and the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the salt until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing completely before adding more. Repeat until all powdered sugar is added.
- Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then add heavy cream 1 Tablespoon at a time, and mix at low speed, until the desired consistency is reached. (*Can mix at medium-high speed if using milk.)
- Spread or pipe frosting onto cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. May add food coloring first, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Pinterest and Instagram for more!
Is this recipe for salted or unsalted butter?
That depends on your personal salt tolerance. It’s better to start with unsalted and add salt to taste, unless you regularly use salted and prefer it.
Can this frosting be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for about two days
THANK YOU SO MUCH for such a super easy recipe! I have always been intimidated by making icing because it would either be too watery or just taste like pure sugar. I try to make healthier alternatives of everything I eat too, which can be challenging when trying to make icing as well. When I seen your recipe I had hope and faith that I could use whipped butter (half the fat of real) and half and half (in place of heavy whipping cream) and this would still turn out right – and it is amazing! It is still thick and fluffy! The flavor is great…not too sweet and the consistency is on point for frosting cupcakes/cakes etc. I will NEVER look for another icing recipe again! This is a true gamechanger for me and will help me step my baking game up tenfold! Thanks so much for sharing this. I will be trying it with your Chocolate Cupcake recipe. And then I’ll try your Vanilla Cupcake recipe and add a hint of almond to the icing for that as well. The possibilities are endless for me thanks to you – much appreciated!
Wonderful! I’m so happy you were able to make this frosting work the way you wanted it to Shawnee! Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe.
How long does the icing last in the fridge ?
If you refrigerate it, probably 7-10 days.
is this recipe enough for a 9 inch double layered cake?
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting which should be enough for a 9-inch two-layer cake.
The texture was out of this world, but it was almost too sweet. It may have been the confectioners sugar (which was store brand) , because I only did 3 cups. Would adding more butter counter act the sweetness?
You could try a little less powdered sugar next time, maybe 2 cups. Or I highly recommend my cream cheese frosting that only uses 1 cup of powdered sugar: https://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/best-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/
Girl, this buttercream is life changing. I’ve always made homemade frosting but I always wanted a buttercream that tasted like a bakery and this recipe was perfect! I made my cupcakes last week and have wanted to comment all week on this recipe being amazing!
I’m so glad you approve of this recipe Anna. Thanks for taking the time to leave your review!
Hi! I am excited to try this! Do I need to keep this frosting/the frosted cake in the fridge? 🙂
Nope. The frosting will be fine at room temperature, unless you live a very hot/humid climate.
I am wondering if I can put food coloring
Yes, absolutely. Very easy to color with food coloring drops or gel/paste.
I just love your easy to follow recipes (I’ve tried several and they all turned out great!) and really enjoy your blog! Thank you!
I’m so glad Jill! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! <3