Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (American Buttercream)
Making the fluffiest Vanilla Buttercream using just 5 simple ingredients for your layer cakes and cupcakes is so easy. All it takes is butter, powdered sugar, a splash of heavy cream and good quality vanilla extract and you’re off to the races! You might know this frosting as American buttercream, but mine is creamy, smooth, and not overly sweet like other frosting recipes. I love using this versatile frosting for layer cakes, cupcakes, or filling cookie sandwiches. It’s easy to flavor and color, holds its shape for tall cupcake swirls, and creates sharp, professional edges on cakes. It’s a total all-rounder and might just become your new favorite frosting!
Hey team! I’m so excited to share my new and improved Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe with you. It’s smoother, stiffer, and easily one of my favorite frostings to work with. It’s so easy to color with food gels, but the best part is playing around with flavors. You can add essences, extracts, freeze-dried fruits, or sauces to make it your own. My favorite is mixing in salted caramel sauce. It’s amazing piped on top of my Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes.
Speaking of favorites, I love using it to frost my Vanilla Bean Cupcakes or layer up my vanilla cake. An otherwise boring falvor, when you use good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, it really shines! The texture is fluffy but stable, so you can pipe tall swirls or create sharp, professional edges on your cakes. If you’re into chocolate, I’ve got a Chocolate Buttercream Frosting that’s just as easy to make and comes out velvety smooth. Whether you’re making cupcakes, layer cakes, or even cookie sandwiches, this frosting has you covered.
Why You’ll Love This Vanilla Buttercream
- Holds its shape under normal conditions – Ideal for decorating, it stays in place without drooping or sliding and that’s because of my tip on how to soften butter properly!
- Not overly sweet – Unlike other buttercream frostings, this buttercream has a balanced sweetness that won’t make your bakes overly sweet.
- Perfectly stable – Great for warmer kitchens or longer decorating sessions, it’s sturdy and reliable. Keep in mind though, it’s mostly made of butter and will melt in warm environments so best to keep your frosted baked in the fridge on hot days!
- Velvety smooth – Whips up into a silky, luscious texture that spreads like a dream.
- Great for piping – Whether it’s swirls, rosettes, or intricate details, this buttercream pipes beautifully onto cupcakes or cakes.
- Naturally pale – Achieves a lovely pale color without needing gels or additives to make it whiter.
Vanilla Buttercream VS Other Buttercreams
This is an all-round buttercream which can be used for many different things. But here’s how it compares to other frostings.
- Italian Buttercream – Smoother and less sweet, made with a cooked sugar syrup, but more time-consuming to prepare.
- Ermine Frosting – Lighter and creamier, made with a cooked milk and flour base, and less buttery in flavor.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream – Silky and less sweet, whipped from egg whites and sugar, but requires more precision to make.
- German Buttercream – Rich and custard-like, made with pastry cream, offering a deeper flavor and softer texture.
- French Buttercream – Ultra-rich and decadent, made with egg yolks and sugar, perfect for indulgent desserts but softer and less stable.
Why would you make this frosting instead? It’s way easier and quicker to make. It uses simple ingredients, and it works for pretty much everything!
A Crash Course On Getting Perfectly Smooth Vanilla Buttercream
- Prepping ingredients ahead of time – Starting with softened butter is non-negotiable. Read my guide to softening butter, it’ll give you fluffy frosting. Sifting your powdered sugar will prevent lumps and help everything blend smoothly for flawless frosting!
- Getting your frosting fluffy – Whip your butter on its own until it’s pale, creamy, and full of air before adding the sugar, about 10 minutes. This step sets the stage for a light, airy frosting that feels soft and smooth instead of dense or greasy.
- Flavoring and coloring your frosting – Enhance the flavor with vanilla extract, zests, or emulsions, and add gel food coloring for vibrant, streak-free results. A little goes a long way, so start small and build up.
5 Simple Ingredients Are All You Need
- Butter – I use unsalted butter, but if you like the added saltiness, use salted butter, just leave the salt out of the recipe. Can not stress enough how important it is to make sure your butter is softened properly. I have a full guide on how to soften butter properly on the blog!
- Salt – I use fine sea salt. Regular table salt will work too.
- Vanilla extract – The type of vanilla extract you use matters. Pure vanilla extract will give you a deliciously authentic vanilla flavor, vanilla bean paste is a great option for a vanilla bean speckled frosting. I have a great recipe for pure vanilla extract on the website if you want to check it out! It takes a bit of planning ahead but it’s a cheaper option for regular bakers to use!
- Heavy cream – I used to use milk in my frosting to smoothen it out, but I made the switch over to cream because I found milk made the frosting too soft. Using cold heavy cream will help stiffen up your frosting a little, while smoothening it out nicely.
- Powdered sugar – you can use pure icing sugar (no corn starch) or soft icing sugar (with corn starch) for this recipe. Just make sure you run it through a sieve before using. It’ll get rid of any lumps and give you a smoother, fluffier frosting.
How To Soften Butter Properly For Fluffy Frosting
Getting your butter properly softened is the best way to create light, fluffy vanilla buttercream. It should feel cool to the touch when it’s softened, around 18-21C / 65-70F, and soft enough to leave a slight indent when you press into it. If it’s greasy, shiny or melting it’s way too soft and your frosting will turn out heavy, oily and overly soft instead of smooth and fluffy.
Here’s how to soften your butter
- Cut your cold butter into cubes and let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- If you’re short on time you can grate it using a box grater and it should be ready in 5 minutes!
Properly softening your butter will ensure it blends perfectly with the powdered sugar, giving you frosting that’s silky smooth and holds it’s shape.
TIP: The best way to fix frosting that’s gone too soft or is looking a little greasy is to pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, then re-whip on medium high speed until it’s smooth again.
How To Make Your Vanilla Buttercream
- Start by creaming your softened butter, vanilla extract and salt in a large mixing bowl using either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes, until the butter is pale, fluffy, and creamy in texture.
- Sift the powdered sugar into the creamed butter using a fine sieve. Start mixing on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated and no dry powder remains. Then, whip on medium-high speed for 10 minutes until the frosting becomes light and smooth, pale, and stiff enough to hold its shape, similar to stiff peaks in whipped cream.
- To smooth out your frosting, add 1-2 tablespoons of cold heavy cream. Whip it into the frosting on medium-high speed. The cream helps create a smoother texture, and its cold temperature slightly stiffens the frosting, making it easier to work with.
The result: Your buttercream will be smooth, fluffy, and creamy, with a pale color and just enough stiffness to hold its shape when piped. If you give it a cheeky taste, you’ll feel the creaminess and vanilla first before you taste the sweetness. Congrats! You’ve just made the perfect frosting for spreading, piping, or decorating. You’ve nailed it!
Frosting not smooth enough?
Sometimes frosting can have too many air bubbles, especially if it’s made ahead of time. It happens 🤷🏻♂️. Sometimes it can be too stiff, especially on cooler days. These are the two techniques I use to smoothen my frosting and make it creamy and smooth again.
- Microwave half the frosting for 10 seconds until it’s soft and jiggly (not melted), then mix it back into the rest on medium high speed until creamy and smooth.
- To get rid of air bubbles, beat the frosting on low speed using a mixer for 5-10 minutes or use a spatula to fold and smooth it out right before piping or spreading.
PRO TIP: If it’s a warm day, just be a little cautious with these techniques because it can cause your frosting to become overly soft and lose structure. On a warmer day, just re-whip, or of the frosting is too soft, pop it back in the fridge for 30 minutes before re-whipping.
Which Is Better? Stand Mixer Or Hand Mixer?
Both will give you great results! It just depends on what works best for you. A stand mixer is more hands-off and easier to use, letting you multitask while it does the work with a paddle attachment. It’s perfect if you want to prep other ingredients or just save some effort. A hand mixer, on the other hand, is great when you don’t feel like hauling out the stand mixer. The trade-off is that you’ll need to stand there and hold it while you mix. If it’s a toddler free environment and you’re listening to a podcast, go with the hand mixer 😂 Whichever you choose, the key is knowing the texture to aim for at each step, because that’s what really matters.
Different Ways To Flavor Your Frosting
There’s lots of ways to flavor your frosting! Here’s some of my favorite flavor variations.
- Vanilla – Add 1-2 teaspoons of high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for a rich, classic flavor. For the best infusion, mix it in while creaming the butter and sugar. As a general rule, I always include vanilla extract, no matter the final flavor of the frosting, it enhances everything!
- Coffee – dissolve 1 – 2 tsp of instant coffee powder in 1 tbsp of hot water, mix it and then let it cool completely before whipping into the frosting.
- Caramel – Add about 60g cup of salted caramel sauce into a full batch of vanilla buttercream and beat it in until well combined.
- Peppermint – Add 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract and whip it into the frosting.
- Lemon – Mix in 1 tsp of lemon extract or the zest of 1 lemon.
- Berry – blend 1-2 tbsp of freeze dried berry powder (strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry) directly into the frosting for a natural flavor and color boost.
- Peanut Butter – Add 2-3 tbsp of smooth peanut butter and whip until well combined. It gives the frosting a nutty creamy flavor!
- Almond – Use 1/2 tsp almond extract to your frosting and beat it in. A little goes a long way, so taste your frosting and then add more if you think it needs it.
The Best Way To Color Your Frosting
The best way to color your frosting is to use food gel colors. Stay away from using liquid food dye which can cause your frosting to split. A little goes a long way with food gel colorings. Just use a little to begin with, mix it in, then use more if you need it. Frosting that’s colored with food gel coloring tends to deepen in color the next day. So if you’re making this frosting ahead of time, keep that in mind. If I’m making red frosting for example, I color it the day before with a little cocoa powder and let it rest overnight before freshly whipping it up to use on my bakes.
How much frosting does this recipe make?
This frosting recipe makes one batch of frosting. One batch is enough:
- Cupcakes: One batch is enough to frost about 24 cupcakes with medium-sized swirls on top.
- Cakes: Double this recipe to fill and frost an 8-inch, 3-4 layer cake, including a thin crumb coat and outer layer of frosting. The exact amount will depend on how thick you like the frosting between the layers.
My tips for making amazing buttercream
- Scrape the Bowl – Don’t skip scraping down the bowl as you mix. It ensures every bit of butter and sugar is evenly combined.
- Sift Your Sugar – Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the butter to get smooth, lump-free frosting that’s a dream to pipe.
- Re-Whip Chilled Frosting – If your frosting is too firm after being chilled, thaw at room temperature for an hour or microwave half for 10 seconds (just until jiggly), then mix it back in to smooth it out.
- Bright, Vibrant Colors – Color your frosting with food gel a day ahead. The colors deepen overnight, making them extra bold.
- Measure out using kitchen scales – Measuring out your ingredients by weight and not cups is the best way to get consistent results every time. I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales to measure out ingredients!
Your Questions Answered
Storage
Store your frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Keep in mind that frosting is porous, so it can easily absorb fridge smells. Make sure it’s sealed tight! To freshen it up, let it thaw at room temperature for about an hour, then re-whip on medium-high speed until it’s creamy and pale again.
Why is my frosting melting?
Help Nick! I live in a warm climate; how do I stop my frosting from melting?
If you live in a warm climate, making stable frosting can be tricky because it’s mostly butter, and butter melts in the heat. Unfortunately, there’s no magic fix for this. Keeping your frosting or frosted dessert in a cool spot or refrigerated is the best way to prevent melting. If you do refrigerate your frosted dessert, let it sit at room temperature for a bit to thaw before serving. For re-whipping frosting, let it thaw for an hour, then whip it on medium high speed until creamy again.
Why is my buttercream grainy?
Look, as smooth as this frosting recipe is, it’s going to be slightly grainy. That’s the nature of a frosting like this. The sugar never completely dissolves and there’s no way to make it completely smooth in texture. If you’re looking for an ultra-smooth frosting that isn’t grainy at all, give my Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting a go!
How can I make my buttercream less sweet?
American buttercream is naturally sweet, but I’ve already reduced the sugar in this recipe compared to others. Using less sugar than this would make the frosting too soft to hold its shape, as powdered sugar provides the structure it needs for piping or filling cakes. If you’re after a less sweet frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream is a great option!
Will this frosting recipe crust?
Yep. This frosting will crust when it’s left out in the open air. The best way to prevent this from happening is to store it in an airtight container. That way it stays nice and fresh.
If you’re after a buttercream that doesn’t crust, try my Swiss my Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Why is this recipe in grams and not cups?
The short answer is accuracy! It is far easier, more accurate and you get more consistency results when you measure ingredients by weight, especially in dessert and bread baking! I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales!
Tried this recipe and loved it? Awesome! Drop me a comment below and tell me about it! Can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you! You can also keep up to date with me during the week by joining me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!
Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (American Buttercream Frosting)
This perfectly smooth and easy to make American Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is a great all round option for frosting cakes and cupcakes!
Serves 1 batch
Ingredients
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 500 g unsalted butter, softened (see notes)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
- 20 g heavy cream, cold (see notes)
- 400 g powdered sugar
Instructions
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Cream butter – Add your softened butter, salt and vanilla extract to a large bowl. If using a stand mixer fit it with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. You will want to scrape down the bowl halfway through with a spatula to ensure everything beats together evenly!
- Add sugar – Scrape the bowl down using a spatula and add all of the sifted powdered sugar. Begin beating on low speed at first. When no dry ingredients are showing, turn the speed up to medium high speed again and beat for 5 minutes.
- Add cream – finish by adding the heavy cream to smoothen out your frosting. Beat in on medium high speed for 2 minutes.
How to make your frosting smooth!
- American buttercream frosting has a slight grit and is stiffer than most frostings. It’s great for layering cakes or frosting cupcakes or even making frosting decorations on your cakes. Here are some ways to smoothen out your frosting!
- Microwave half the frosting – If it’s a cold day or your frosting stiffened up, you can smoothen it out by adding half of the frosting into a heatproof bowl and popping it into the microwave for 10 seconds or until jiggly in the center, not melted. Add to the rest of the frosting and beat on medium speed for a couple minutes to combine. This will help freshen it up!
- Beat air out – Right before using or adding to a piping bag, use a spatula to beat the air out of the frosting until smooth. This works great if your frosting has just been made. Alternatively, you can beat the frosting on the lowest speed on your mixer for about 5-10 minutes. This will make your frosting ultra-smooth but also softens it. Don’t do this on warm days as it can over soften the frosting or even cause it to split. Just use the spatula to beat out the air.
Notes
How to soften your butter
Make sure your butter is softened for this recipe. It’ll help with the structural integrity of the frosting. I have a full guide on how to properly soften butter on the blog, but for reference, softened butter is 18C / 65F on a thermometer. Cut it into cubes and let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until it reaches this temperature to until it’s soft enough that when you press on it with your finger, it leaves an indent with some resistance.
Heavy cream – I originally used milk for this recipe, but I’ve made the switch to cold cream instead. I find that milk makes your frosting too soft, and cold cream keeps it’s structure, and using cold cream helps stiffen your frosting while making it smoother. It’s a win win! For this recipe I’d recommend using heavy whipping cream which has about 36% butterfat in it. Check how much fat it has per 100g on the back and that number will give you a percentage.
How Much Frosting Does This Make?
For Cupcakes – This recipe makes enough frosting for about 24 cupcakes with a nice medium-sized swirl on top. If you prefer smaller swirls or just a thin layer of frosting, it will stretch further.
For Cakes – You’ll want to double the recipe if you’re filling and frosting an 8-inch, 3-4 layer cake, including a thin crumb coat. The exact amount will depend on how much frosting you like between the layers and on the outside, but doubling it gives you plenty to work with!
Why I use less sugar in my buttercream frosting than other recipes
This recipe uses less powdered sugar than most traditional American Buttercream recipes to create a smoother, less sweet frosting. If you prefer a stiffer frosting for piping or need more structure for warmer conditions, you can add an extra 100 – 200g of powdered sugar without making it overly sweet. Just keep in mind, more sugar means a firmer texture a little less smooth.
Storage – Frosting can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to three days. To re-whip, add half of the frosting to a heatproof bowl and microwave for 10 seconds. Mix using a spoon then microwave for another 5 seconds. The frosting should be jiggly, not melted. Add to the rest of the frosting and beat on medium speed for a couple minutes until smooth.
Why is my frosting melting?
The most obvious reason is heat! If it’s a warm day, your frosting will melt because its most made of fat which melts when heated. Frost your desserts and chill them in the fridge. It’s the only way to stop the frosting from melting. This is especially important for layer cakes.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per one batch. Obviously you won’t be eating an entire batch of frosting.
A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition
Calories : 5026kcal
Carbonhydrates: 351g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 413g
Saturated Fat: 261g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g
Monounsaturated Fat : 107g
Trans Fat : 16g
Cholesterol: 1098mg
Sodium: 2393mg
Potassium : 152mg
Sugar : 344g
Vitamin A: 12789IU
Vitamin C: 0.1mg
Calcium: 139mg
Iron: 0.3mg
Nutrition Disclosure
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78 comments
My go to recipe for buttercream… it’s amazing!
Thank you!
Yay! So glad to hear that! 💜
How do you get rid of the grittiness of the frosting? Like it’s smooth looking but has a gritty textures possibly from the sugar?
Hi marissa, with American Buttercream Frosting there will always be a slight grittiness. I’ve updated my recipe since you commented (sorry for the late reply) to include ways to make it even smoother. Hope you get to give the recipe a go! N x
Hi Nick if I wanted a strawberry flavoured buttercream would I leave out the vanilla extract and add strawberry instead or both or half and half and also if I was doing a strawberry batter mix would I leave out the vanilla and add strawberry extract instead thank you judy
Hi Judy! You can use both or just strawberry flavouring in both the batter and buttercream 🙂 Hope that helps!
N x
Been looking high and low for years for a buttercream recipe with no avail, either too grainy, too sweet, too buttery, too bland, or too runny. Till I found this, I could go on about it forever, it’s smooth, tasty, holds its shape well and so damn easy. Thank you, Nick thank you thank you from the bottom of my daughter’s heart since I used it for her Bday cake :D. This is a gem and definitely a keeper. Sending you a big virtual hug all the way from Egypt.
P.S. I also tried your tzatziki recipe and it was so easy and really really tasty, so thank you for that as well 😀
Awwww! This comment has made me so happy! First of all, I’m so glad you liked this recipe! And I’m so happy you commented to let me know! Isn’t that tzatziki recipe just so yum? I love it. N x
THANK YOU Nick!
My 11 yr old ADORES baking with me and this frosting is ..well, just BEYOND!
She wanted me to ask you how she could make it dairy free (she wants to make cupcakes for a friends bday whom has allergies). Thanks in advance! XO 💗
Hi Julie! I’m so happy to hear that you and your 11-year-old are enjoying baking together—especially this frosting! 💗 For a dairy-free version, you can easily swap the butter for a good quality dairy-free butter (make sure it’s softened the same way as regular butter). You can replace the milk with any plant-based milk like almond, soy, or oat milk. The texture will still be smooth, and it should work great for cupcakes! Let me know how it turns out, and happy baking to you both! 😊
Hi Nick,
What brand of butter do you use? Butter in Australia is so yellow, and I would love to make a batch of buttercream as white as what’s on your vanilla cake.
Hi Lu! I totally get what you mean about the butter in Australia being quite yellow. For a whiter buttercream, I usually go for Westgold butter—it’s a bit lighter in color and works really well for that smooth, pale finish. Another tip is to beat the butter for a little longer before adding the sugar—it helps lighten it up even more. Hope that helps! N x
HELLO NICK, I AM NEW AND GLADE TO HAVE MEET YOU; YOUR RECIEPS ARE AMAZING AN SO ARE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS TO CREATING YOUR DELICIOUS LOOKING SWEETS. I HAVE A QUESTION WHAT SIZE ARE THE CUPCAKE LINERS YOU USE WHEN BAKING YOUR CUPCAKE THEY APPEAR TO LOOK LARGER THAN THE ONES PURCHASED FROM THE GROCERY STORE.
Hi Marilyn! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes and instructions—welcome! 😊 The cupcake liners I use are slightly larger than the standard grocery store ones. The ones I typically use measure about 5cm at the bottom, 7.5cm at the top, and are 4cm in height. If your liners are smaller, you can still use them, just keep in mind you might get a few more cupcakes out of the batch. Hope that helps!
Are you able to make this in advanced and keep in the fridge?
Yes! Just make sure you thaw for an hour or two before re-whipping to freshen up 🙂 Hope that helps! N x
Love LOVE the texture and creaminess of this frosting. Super easy to pipe (which I’m terrible at!) and not overly sweet like some frostings are. Thank you for all the tips with temperatures, timing and whipping that butter!! Amazing!
Hi sue! Thanks so much! Glad you liked the recipe! N x
Hi Nick, question how many cupcakes can I frost with this recipe?
Hi Nayeli. It depends on high the frosting swirl is. But for this recipe you can frost 24 cupcakes. N x
Hi Nick – I love your videos. What butter do you use? I live in Australia and am constantly in search for the best brand of butter for butter cream.
Hi Bec! Thanks so much! I used to use the no-name Safeway butter—it was decent for a while but the quality has dropped lately. Now I go for the Westgold brand. It’s a bit pricier, but the quality is definitely worth it. Hope that helps! N x
Hi Nick,
It says in metric equal parts butter to sugar, but in US its double the sugar to the butter ?
Which one is correct ?
Thanks so much. Love all your recipes and appreciate all the work you put into them x
Hi Lara, I’ve since gone in and updated the recipe 🙂 N x
Hi Nick! I think there’s still a problem. I’ve been using your recipe for many years and remember it as equal parts butter and sugar by weight. In grams you’re recipe has double the butter to sugar….
Hi Lauren! Correct! I updated the recipe to be less sweet and much smoother by decreasing the amount of sugar. You can of course increase the sugar amount to what it used to be for a much stiffer buttercream! N x
Hi Nick!
Question for you – If you add milk to the buttercream, does the frosted cake need to be refrigerated? If I leave the milk out, can the cake stay out at room temperature?
Thank you!!
Hi Samantha! Great question! If you add milk to the buttercream, it’s best to refrigerate the frosted cake, especially if it’s warm where you are. The milk helps smooth out the frosting but can soften it too much at room temperature. If you leave the milk out, the cake can stay at room temperature for a day or two without any issues, but if it’s warmer, I’d still recommend keeping it somewhere cool. Hope that helps, and let me know how it turns out! N x
Hi Nick!
I’ve been a follower of yours for several years now! Love your recipes. Your old buttercream recipe that I still follow was 500g butter and 1kg icing sugar. I’ve now noticed your recipe has changed to 500g butter and 500g icing sugar.
Is there a reason for this? It just seems like a large change so I’m curious as to the reason 😊
Hi Leanne! So glad to hear that! Yes! I halved the sugar to lessen how sweet the recipe was 🙂 N x
Would this recipe be enough to frost a 3 layer eight inch cake? Thank you.
Hi Leanne! I would recommend doubling the recipe. One batch will be enough to fill and crumb coat the cake. You would need another batch to frost and decorate the top 🙂 Nx
Hello i saw in your video that you also added chocolate melts. How many grams did you add send its not in your recipe? I love your videos
Hi Alex! I will be updating this recipe soon. You can either use 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and add it in with the powdered sugar. Or you can use 200g melted chocolate that has come to room temp. N x
I can’t begin to praise you enough for this recipe! I had a last minute cupcake order that wanted “tall bakery style” frosting…which I’ve never done before. I went through 4 ‘best ever buttercream’ tutorials which all failed and then I finally came across yours. Everything came together beautifully and it saved the day! From the bottom of my little beginner baker heart thank you!
Oh Emily, you’ve made my day! It’s always to good to hear when someone loves your recipes. Thanks again for the lovely comment! N x
Hi Nick! Any suggestions on how I could incorporate Oreos into this amazing recipe if I wanted to do an Oreo buttercream?
Absolutely! You can add crushed oreos in at the end once the frosting is done. I would recommend about 1/2 cup of crushed oreos. N x
Thank You sooo much for this recipe 😍 I struggled getting a smooth, less sweet American Buttercream, but this one is perfection!
Thanks so much Jules! N x
Hey Nick! Love ur recipes! What should I do if I don’t have the paddle attachment? Can I use something else? Same for the vanilla cupcakes, can I use a different one? What should I use?
Hi Lauren! You can use a whisk attachment but it may come out a little over aerated. You could make this with an electric hand mixer if you have one. N x
Hi you used to have information about making the chocolate buttercream but I don’t seem to find it on here anymore. How much unsweetened cocoa powder do I put? Thank you
Hi! I was planning on creating a seperate post for chocolate frosting, but in the mean time, I’ve gone in and added info on how to turn this to chocolate buttercream. You’ll be able to find that in the ‘Commonly Asked Questions’ section of the recipe post 🙂 N x
Hi Nick! I’m not a fan of American buttercream but you’ve totally converted me! I’ve always found it to be a bit too sweet but after having tried this recipe, it has been a complete game changer! This ABC as well as your cream cheese frosting are my go-tos and I can’t thank you enough! Thank you so much, please keep the amazing recipes coming, I’m such a fan of your desserts 🙂
Aww, I’m so glad to hear that Leah! N x
Sooo soft! I can’t believe that butter and sugar mixed together could do such a fluffy cream! I used it on your vanilla cupcakes which I turned pink. Beautiful! Question: I already halved the quantities, because we are only 4 (I made them for my kids), but I still have quite a lot of cream. Can I freeze it?
Hi Margherita! Glad to hear you liked the frosting recipe. Yep, you can freeze it. Double wrap it in plastic and freeze for 2 weeks. 🙂 N x
Hi Nick… making this TODAY !!!! can you advise when to add the salted caramel to the frosting???? for a filling for the macarons…..and how much to add please….. many thanks..
Hi Christina! Apologies for the delayed reply. You can add it any time! 😉 about 1/4 cup should be ok to start with and then add more if you feel it needs it. N x
Hi Nick, I actually have a question because an old classmate from college used to work in a bakery and her buttercream frosting on her cupcakes she brings for the whole class was able to get through the whole day without melting or being so wet, and it looked like it dried on the outside at first and doesn’t get on your finger. However, when you bite into it, it was just perfect and it melts in your mouth! Is there a trick to making buttercream frosting like this?
Hmm, I wonder if your classmate made Swiss meringue buttercream frosting! SMBC doesnt crust, however most, if not all AMBC will crust. I have a great Swiss Meringue buttercream Frosting recipe here if you want to try it! N x
I’m going to try your jack o lantern cake with this frosting but I’m confused about the measurements for the vanilla and milk. Is it 1 to 2 or is it 1/2 (.5)? Thank you!!
Hi Amanda! It’s 1-2 tbsp depending on the consistency of your buttercream. If it’s a warm day or you feel it doesn’t need it, leave it out or add only 1 tbsp. Hope that helps! N x
And the vanilla is 1 to 2 teaspoons?
yep! depending on your taste preference and how strong your vanilla extract is. N x
What about the vanilla? Is it 1 to 2 tsps as well? If so, how do you determine how much to use? Thank you!!
yep! It depends more on your own personal preference. 1 tsp is standard. 2 tsp if you love the flavor and have millions of dollars to spend on replacing your vanilla extract every three days haha N x
Hi Nick, Great recipe. One question…..how much does one batch make? “Batch” really doesn’t say much. It could be a cup, enough for a dozen cupcakes or to fill and frost a 3-layer 9-inch cake! Please be a little more specific if you can for us (me) novices. Thanks a bunch.
Hi Mike! Great question, and I totally understand how ‘batch’ can sound a bit vague. One batch of this frosting is enough for about 24 cupcakes with medium-sized swirls. If you’re looking to fill and frost an 8-inch, 3-4 layer cake, you’ll need to double the recipe to make sure you have enough frosting, depending on how much you like to use between the layers. Hope this helps, and happy baking! Hope that helps! N x
I just tried your recipe and it came out great! So easy to make too! Thank you!
That’s awesome! N x
Thanks! N x
I have been trying to find a buttercream frosting recipe that wasn’t too sweet. I found this one and I was really hopeful about it. I followed the instructions and recipe exactly as shown. I was disappointed with the results. It was awful. It was way too sweet. I even tried to make it a second time but the results were the same. I had to throw both batches away because it was way too sweet
Oh my goodness! It’s frosting Lesa! It’s supposed to be sweet! Lol.
Hi Nick! I was wondering if the same trick of milk powder used in the cream cheese frosting can be used here in order to make the buttercream less sweet? Basically can I just in every recipe just swap part of the icing sugar for same quantity of milk powder, in order to keep the same stability, consistency, and ability to crust on top (and be able to pack the product) but without the additional sweetness? Or they don’t work exactly like that and too muck milk powder could create problems?
Also, if in any of these frosting recipes I want to add some cocoa powder (or other similar ingredients) can I just add it or should I reduce for the same quantity the icing sugar?
Thanks!
Chiara
Hi Chiara. Milk powder won’t work for my American buttercream sorry. For this recipe I have a chocolate version on the site. I think theres instructions in the post for how to make my cream cheese frosting into chocolate cream cheese frosting. It’s really very delicious! N x
Hi Nick! For how long can this be safely left at room temp once used to frost good? And after that for how long more in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Chiara. This buttercream has a lot of sugar in it which acts as a kind of preservative. I think 2-3 days would be ok out of the fridge. In the fridge it can sit in there for up to a week. Just keep in mind, if it’s on top of cupcakes and in the fridge, cupcakes tend to dry quicker when theyre in the fridge so I would say if it’s on the cupcakes, 3 days in the fridge. Hope that helps! N x
How easy is it to add different flavourings/colies to this recipe?
Hi Paul! Adding colors is really easy. You just add a couple drops of food gel colouring (not liquid food dye) and mix it in. Hope that helps! N x
Hi Nick
Can i use icing mixture instead of icing sugar?
Hi Trang! You can use icing mixture, but keep in mind that it contains cornstarch, which can affect the texture slightly. It might make the frosting a little softer and less smooth than using pure icing sugar (powdered sugar). If you’re after a smoother, firmer result, I’d recommend sticking with icing sugar. Hope that helps! N x
Hi Nick, I have just made the recipe and yum. I added an extra 200g of butter plus another cup and a half of icing sugar. I need to cover 30 cupcakes with a fondant topper plus decorate so not piped as high as yours plus I have a five layer (six inch cake). Will this be enough?
Hi there, I have done the recipe which is amazing but added another 250g butter and about another cup and a bit of icing sugar. Would this be enough to cover 30 cupcakes and a 5″ cake with five layers?
Hi Danelle! Hi! So glad you loved the recipe! With the extra butter and sugar you added, you’ve definitely increased the batch size. That should be enough to generously frost 30 cupcakes or a 5-inch, five-layer cake, depending on how thick you go with the frosting. If you’re aiming to do both (the cupcakes and the cake), it might be a little tight, but if you don’t mind a slightly thinner layer, you could make it work. Let me know how it turns out! N x
Hello Nick! How should I soften the butter and warm the milk if I don’t have a microwave? I had the butter problem as well when I was making pie crust and unfortunately couldn’t make any successful attempts so i want to make sure I do everything I can to not mess this one up! Thanks!
Hi Bridget! No worries—there’s definitely a way to soften the butter and warm the milk without a microwave. For the butter, you can leave it out at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes until it’s soft enough to press a finger into but still holds its shape. If you’re short on time, cut it into smaller cubes to speed up the process. As for the milk, gently warm it on the stovetop over low heat—just until it’s lukewarm, not hot. Hope this helps, and good luck with the frosting! N x