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Home » Recipes » Homemade Vanilla Buttercream

Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

Published: Jul 30, 2020 · Modified: Jan 3, 2023 by Lynda · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

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.

Vanilla icing on top of chocolate cupcakes.
Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 💭 Buttercream Vanilla Frosting Tips
  • FAQ
  • 📖 Recipe

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

What’s the Difference Between Frosting and Icing?

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

chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting

Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This is the only recipe you will need for homemade vanilla buttercream frosting.
4.58 from 38 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 batch
Calories: 184kcal
Author: Lynda

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

Serving: 1/16 | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 92mg | Sugar: 20g
Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SouthernKissedBlog or tag #southernkissed!

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.

Cupcakes with homemade vanilla frosting.

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?

More Get Cooking With Our Delicious Recipes!

  • Classic Arnold Palmer Drink
  • Southern Chocolate Gravy Recipe
  • Tequila Sunrise Recipe
  • Pommes Duchesse Recipe

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Evan Arnell Patterson says

    March 12, 2022 at 5:26 pm

    5 stars
    Nice and smooth

    Reply
  2. Jessica S says

    December 20, 2021 at 2:08 am

    Hi, I would like to know if you sift 3 cups of powered sugar or do you sift powered sugar and use 3 cups?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      December 20, 2021 at 7:53 am

      Great question! I measure 3 cups and then sift.

      Reply
      • Jessica S says

        December 20, 2021 at 12:23 pm

        Great! Thank you 😊

        Reply
  3. Brenda A. says

    November 16, 2021 at 10:30 pm

    Can this frosting recipe be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      November 22, 2021 at 10:09 am

      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.

      Reply
  4. Cynthia says

    October 29, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      October 31, 2021 at 8:04 am

      Did you sift the powdered sugar?

      Reply
    • sasha says

      March 21, 2022 at 10:55 pm

      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

      Reply
  5. Donna says

    September 03, 2021 at 7:07 pm

    How much does it make in one batch

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      September 04, 2021 at 7:40 am

      I do not know the volume, but it is enough to cover at least a dozen cupcakes or an 8-inch double-layer cake.

      Reply
  6. Melissa says

    April 30, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    5 stars
    I have been using this frosting recipe for over a year now. It is perfection – and so simple!! Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Sandra LePage says

    August 24, 2020 at 11:00 am

    Do we use unsalted butter?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      August 24, 2020 at 11:17 am

      You could. If you do, you might want to add a pinch of salt to help enhance the flavor.

      Reply
    • sasha says

      March 21, 2022 at 10:56 pm

      yes

      Reply
  8. Deborah Nicholson says

    August 09, 2020 at 3:57 am

    Also not herd of powders sugar

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      August 09, 2020 at 7:12 am

      Confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar

      Reply
  9. Deborah Nicholson says

    August 09, 2020 at 3:54 am

    I am English what is two sticks of butter

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      August 09, 2020 at 7:12 am

      That’s the equivalent of 1 cup of butter.

      Reply
  10. joy says

    May 17, 2015 at 5:06 pm

    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!!!!

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      May 18, 2015 at 6:31 am

      Happy Birthday! What a “sweet” way to celebrate it. (Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope your birthday was great!)

      Reply
  11. Marcie W. says

    September 08, 2014 at 6:47 pm

    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.

    Reply
  12. Angela says

    September 02, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    5 stars
    I am a sucker for buttercream frosting. And vanilla is my favorite flavor frosting as well. I’ll have to try this recipe.

    Reply
  13. HilLesha says

    August 31, 2014 at 2:54 am

    I’ve seen the baking mixes at The Fresh Market. I might have to give them a try sometime, especially after seeing these pictures. 🙂

    Reply
  14. Crystal Green says

    August 30, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    This looks so good! I love how stylish you made these look.

    Reply
  15. Crystal says

    August 29, 2014 at 3:43 pm

    You mean you can actually read the ingredients? Nice! I’ll be looking for those because your pictures have me drooling.

    Reply
  16. vanessa: thequeenofswag says

    August 26, 2014 at 9:20 am

    Those look amazing. I’ll have to try this recipe for my next brithday party for sure.

    Reply
  17. Donna says

    August 25, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    5 stars
    Brownies and cupcakes are my absolute favorite sweet treats!

    Reply
  18. Tiffany says

    August 22, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    That looks delicious! Going to try this on my next cupcakes!

    Reply

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Lynda and Johnny statue

My name is Lynda and I am a recovering sugar addict and travel junkie. I'm also a mom of two children & 2 dogs, wife of 1....and a messy cook taking life one bite at a time.

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