Homemade Vanilla Buttercream 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 between cake layers.
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.
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 to make of all.
This vanilla buttercream recipe is an easy, 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.
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, it’s safe to add the vanilla and milk.
This frosting is fantastic on just about any cake or cupcake! Try it on my Classic White Layer Cake, Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake, Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes, or Mocha Cupcakes. Each one is a delicious excuse to make another batch of buttercream!
Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 Tbsp whole milk
- 1 -2 tsp 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.
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
Buttercream Vanilla Frosting Tips
- Keep whipping the frosting until it becomes lighter and fluffier.
- Use room-temperature butter, not melted butter.
- Don’t use unsifted powdered sugar unless you actually like little clumps in your frosting.
- When mixing the frosting, if it is too dry, add one 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.
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 a cake.
Last Bite
Ready to sweeten your day? Whip up this creamy buttercream and spread it on your favorite cake or cupcake creation. Don’t forget to pin it for later, share it with a fellow baker, or leave a comment below to tell me how you used it. I love seeing your baking creations!
Can this frosting recipe be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator?
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.
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?
Did you sift the powdered sugar?
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
How much does it make in one batch
I do not know the volume, but it is enough to cover at least a dozen cupcakes or an 8-inch double-layer cake.
I have been using this frosting recipe for over a year now. It is perfection – and so simple!! Thank you!
Do we use unsalted butter?
You could. If you do, you might want to add a pinch of salt to help enhance the flavor.
yes
Also not herd of powders sugar
Confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar
I am English what is two sticks of butter
That’s the equivalent of 1 cup of butter.
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!!!!
Happy Birthday! What a “sweet” way to celebrate it. (Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope your birthday was great!)
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.
I am a sucker for buttercream frosting. And vanilla is my favorite flavor frosting as well. I’ll have to try this recipe.
I’ve seen the baking mixes at The Fresh Market. I might have to give them a try sometime, especially after seeing these pictures. 🙂
This looks so good! I love how stylish you made these look.
You mean you can actually read the ingredients? Nice! I’ll be looking for those because your pictures have me drooling.
Those look amazing. I’ll have to try this recipe for my next brithday party for sure.
Brownies and cupcakes are my absolute favorite sweet treats!
That looks delicious! Going to try this on my next cupcakes!