Sweet, creamy, and with notes of vanilla, this homemade buttercream is made with all-natural ingredients that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or for filling in between layers of cake.
Buttercream is a type of frosting that is made with butter and sugar. It is usually butter-based, but can also be made with margarine or vegetable shortening. Buttercream can be flavored with vanilla extract, chocolate, and other flavorings.
This recipe for vanilla buttercream is an easy and delicious way to top your cakes and cupcakes. The buttercream is made with butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and a little bit of salt. It is then whipped until it is light and fluffy.
If you are looking for a delicious buttercream recipe, this is the one for you! This recipe is easy to make and will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.
Let’s look at how to whip up a batch of buttercream, shall we?
🥘 Ingredients
Making buttercream frosting is a cinch if you have a good mixer and five ingredients:
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- milk
- pinch of salt
🔪 Instructions
- Beat 1 cup butter (two sticks) at high speed in an electric mixer until light in color. (This should take a couple of minutes.) Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar.
- Once the sugar has been incorporated into the butter, add milk, vanilla, and salt and whip at high speed for 3-5 minutes.
- Spread or pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
It’s safe to leave cakes or cupcakes topped with American Buttercream out at room temperature for a few days.
The key is to whip the butter really well before you add any additional ingredients. I like to get it looking light and airy before I add powdered sugar. It’s important to slowly start the mixer or powdered sugar will be everywhere. Once the powdered sugar and butter are well blended, then it’s safe to add the vanilla and milk.
💭 Buttercream Vanilla Frosting Tips
- Keep whipping the frosting until it gets lighter and fluffier in appearance.
- Use room-temperature butter, not melted butter.
- Don’t use unsifted powdered sugar, unless you actually like little clumps of powdered sugar in your frosting.
- When mixing the frosting, if it is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it is fluffy and moist.
- Store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature before using.
This vanilla buttercream frosting is great on chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, white cake, purple cake – you get the idea.
FAQ
Icing is typically thinner and runnier than frosting – it’s more like a glaze. It’s the pretty topping that you see on cookies. (Think royal icing.)
Frosting, on the other hand, is thicker and fluffier and is ideal for topping cake.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 -2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Beat butter at high speed in an electric mixer until light in color. Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar.
- Once sugar has been incorporated into the butter, add milk, vanilla, and salt and whip at high speed for 3-5 minutes.
- Spread or pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
Video
Notes
- Keep whipping the frosting until it gets lighter and fluffier in appearance.
- Use room-temperature butter, not melted butter.
- Don’t use unsifted powdered sugar, unless you actually like little clumps of powdered sugar in your frosting.
- When mixing the frosting, if it is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it is fluffy and moist.
Nutrition
There are at least four types of buttercream: American Buttercream, Swiss Meringue Buttercream, French Buttercream, and Italian Meringue Buttercream. American Buttercream is the sweetest and easiest of them all to make.
If you like cupcakes like I do, check out my recipe for Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes and these other desserts that pair well with buttercream:
- Classic White Layer Cake – This is a basic cake that can be embellished with buttercream and sprinkles, chocolate chips, or anything else your heart desires.
- Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake – Chocolate and vanilla are a match made in dessert heaven. Wouldn’t you agree?
Evan Arnell Patterson says
Nice and smooth
Jessica S says
Hi, I would like to know if you sift 3 cups of powered sugar or do you sift powered sugar and use 3 cups?
Lynda says
Great question! I measure 3 cups and then sift.
Jessica S says
Great! Thank you 😊
Brenda A. says
Can this frosting recipe be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator?
Lynda says
Personally, I don’t. However, it is possible to store it in the refrigerator. According to Taste of Home, frosting will last in the fridge for up to one week.
Cynthia says
Hi, I just made this recipe and the taste was good! The texture of the frosting was what I had issues with, it wasn’t smooth. Any tips for what I may have done wrong?
Lynda says
Did you sift the powdered sugar?
sasha says
I would recommend sifting the powdered sugar, at least twice if not more. If you are wondering if u sift it one cup by one cup i would recommend sift 1 cup and sifting it again, add another cup and sift, then sift both cups what u had sifted lastly add the last cup and sift and then once u sifted that last cut sift everything in one sift , but to be honest i personally don’t think it needs that last cup
Donna says
How much does it make in one batch
Lynda says
I do not know the volume, but it is enough to cover at least a dozen cupcakes or an 8-inch double-layer cake.
Melissa says
I have been using this frosting recipe for over a year now. It is perfection – and so simple!! Thank you!
Sandra LePage says
Do we use unsalted butter?
Lynda says
You could. If you do, you might want to add a pinch of salt to help enhance the flavor.
sasha says
yes
Deborah Nicholson says
Also not herd of powders sugar
Lynda says
Confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar
Deborah Nicholson says
I am English what is two sticks of butter
Lynda says
That’s the equivalent of 1 cup of butter.
joy says
I just made my chocolate birthday cake today. I can honestly say I have made innumerable cakes,cupcakes in the last 30 or so years… This is the best mix I have ever used hands down. Not only is a wonderful rich chocolate flavor (so often lacking in a mix) but batter is nice consistency and it bakes evenly. You won’t regret!!!!
Lynda says
Happy Birthday! What a “sweet” way to celebrate it. (Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope your birthday was great!)
Marcie W. says
The more all organic, non GMO items I can buy, the better. My ultimate goal is to have every item in our fridge and pantry be organic, but that would definitely be expensive.
Angela says
I am a sucker for buttercream frosting. And vanilla is my favorite flavor frosting as well. I’ll have to try this recipe.
HilLesha says
I’ve seen the baking mixes at The Fresh Market. I might have to give them a try sometime, especially after seeing these pictures. 🙂
Crystal Green says
This looks so good! I love how stylish you made these look.
Crystal says
You mean you can actually read the ingredients? Nice! I’ll be looking for those because your pictures have me drooling.
vanessa: thequeenofswag says
Those look amazing. I’ll have to try this recipe for my next brithday party for sure.
Donna says
Brownies and cupcakes are my absolute favorite sweet treats!
Tiffany says
That looks delicious! Going to try this on my next cupcakes!