You won’t believe the simplicity of this easy buttercream frosting recipe! With just two steps, you’ll make perfect buttercream every time!
Sound familiar? You try to make buttercream, but it ends up too soft. Then, you add so much sugar to fix it that the flavor gets ruined. I can’t even count how many times that’s happened to me! So, I came up with this recipe to make sure my buttercream turns out perfect every time!
Why This Recipe Works
- The ‘all in one method’ keeps the frosting from being over-mixed, which softens and thins out the frosting.
- Softened butter that’s still cool to the touch ensures the buttercream stays creamy without needing more sugar.
- Using cream instead of milk creates and rich and creamy frosting.
This easy vanilla buttercream frosting is great for frosting cakes and cupcakes. It’s so creamy and delectable you might want to just eat it with a spoon!
The Key To This Recipe
For this recipe, I use a one-bowl method (that works best when a food processor is used but also works with mixers too). To make it you just throw all the ingredients into the bowl and mix until creamy. For my food processor, it takes a minute. After the first 30 seconds, I scrape the bowl and run it for 30 seconds more. That’s it!
To use a mixer, you start low, and once the sugar starts to look mixed into the butter, you finish with a higher speed. Either method is super quick and easy!
Best Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Sugar: Whether you call it powdered sugar or confectionary sugar, the best one for frosting is 10X sugar (the level of fineness that brands display on the packaging). If your sugar isn’t marked, be sure not to skip the sifting process, as it’s the best way to ensure the best possible result.
- Cream Vs. Milk: Although milk will work just fine to make buttercream, chilled whipping cream is recommended. It adds not only creaminess but also helps keep the frosting cool, allowing the cream to whip with the butter, resulting in a light, fluffy, and creamy buttercream.
- Butter: Although salted butter can help balance sweetness, you can use either salted or unsalted butter to make frosting. Just be sure to use softened butter that’s still cool to the touch, as warm butter can result in buttercream that’s too soft and requires extra sugar to firm up.
- Vanilla: Use good-quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or beans scraped from a vanilla pod for the best possible flavor.
How To Make Easy Buttercream Frosting
Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or mixer.
Mix until creamy (scraping the bowl after the sugar looks combined).
Transfer to a covered bowl or container until needed.
When stored properly, buttercream frosting can last in the fridge for up to a week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
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Quantity
This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of frosting which is enough for:
- 12-16 cupcakes
- 9×13 inch cake
- 8″ layer cake
- 9″ layer cake (a thin layer of frosting including filling).
Tips For Best Results
- Use 10X powdered or confectioners sugar for the best consistency.
- Use softened butter that’s still cool to the touch. Warm butter will create buttercream that’s too soft.
- Use cold cream, which allows it to whip with the butter, resulting in a light, fluffy, and creamy buttercream.
- Heavy Cream/Whipping Cream is great for a creamy consistency, but you can use half-and-half (AKA Single Cream), or whole milk instead.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
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Let’s Make EASY Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 12 oz butter (1½ cups/3 sticks) softened still cool to the touch
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt optional
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or mixer.
- If using a food processor, mix on high for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and mix again until smooth (this should only take 30 seconds-1 minute).
- If using a mixer, start on low (to avoid a mess), and once the sugar starts to look mixed into the sugar, finish with a higher speed until smooth.
- Transfer to a covered bowl or container until needed. When stored properly, buttercream frosting can last in the fridge for up to a week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Tips + Notes
- Use 10X powdered or confectioners sugar for the best consistency.
- Use softened butter that’s still cool to the touch. Warm butter will create buttercream that’s too soft.
- Use cold cream, which allows it to whip with the butter, resulting in a light, fluffy, and creamy buttercream.
- Heavy Cream/Whipping Cream is great for a creamy consistency, but you can use half-and-half (AKA Single Cream), or whole milk instead.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a heavy cream or milk splashes will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
sherry J elmore says
really really thick. can’t use it in piping bag
Erren Hart says
I appreciate your feedback! If the buttercream is too thick for piping, you can try adding a small amount of milk or cream to loosen it up to the desired consistency. Happy baking!
Erin says
This was really delicious buttercream! I love that it wasn’t too sweet and I can’t believe how easy it was to make! Thanks, Erren!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying our buttercream recipe; we’re glad to hear that you enjoyed it! We appreciate your kind words, and your feedback. Thank you for choosing to bake with us, and we hope you’ll try more of our recipes in the future.
Sally says
Mine didn’t taste too great.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for letting us know! We’re sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy it. Can you tell us a little more about what you didn’t like?
Tesni Morrison says
Honestly, this is the first recipe that really turned out fantastic butter cream for me…. I have used it multiple times and the kids even asked if we bought the cupcakes from the bakery because the icing tasted like it was bought from a shop. Thanks for sharing…
Erren Hart says
Thank you so much for trying our Easy Buttercream recipe, Tesni! We’re so happy it turned out fantastic for you and your kids. This recipe is one of our most popular, and we’re glad it worked well for you.
Lisa says
Hi Erren,
This looks like a great recipe to make for my mom’s 95th birthday cake. I was hoping to make the cake the evening before and so am wondering if this buttercream needs to be refrigerated? Thanks so much!
Erren Hart says
Hi Lisa, it can stay out at room temperature for up to 2 days, and then it will have to be refrigerated.
Jayme says
I had to come back to tell you I use this recipe all the time, it’s foolproof, thank you!
Erren's Kitchen says
I love to hear this Jayme, glad you like it 🙂
Heather T says
This recipe is just outstanding and unbelievably simple. It’s my new favorite! Thanks!!
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Jessica Roberts says
I haven’t had a chance to try this yet and as m luck would have it I am completely out of vanilla extract. I have a question though. Do you measure 3 cup unsifted and then sift it or do you soft and measure. Thank you!
Erren Hart says
I measure then sift. Hope you enjoy the recipe. Please stop back to let ,e know!
Valentina says
Hi Erren,
I have a comment and a question. I absolutely loved your buttercream frosting recipe – best I’ve ever made! Now I want to make chocolate buttercream frosting. Can I use your buttercream frosting recipe and simply add unsweetened cocoa to it? If so, do you know how much? Thank you for all your awesome recipes.
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi you can start by adding a 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and do a taste test, add more if needed. I hope this helps 🙂
sherry says
I want to use this frosting Recipe I want it for wedding cake can I use almond extract also or should I use it just by itself instead of vanilla extract or both together?
Erren Hart says
I honestly have never used almond extract before in a frosting. Typically it’s quite strong so I would add a teaspoon at a time and then taste to see if it needs more. You can also use vanilla too. It’s a personal prefrence.