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Home » Dessert » Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Published: May 18, 2023 by Allison · 62 Comments

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Learn how to make this easy, sweet, and creamy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting! A delicious topping for cakes, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and more. Once you try this recipe, you’ll never go back to store bought frosting again. 

This simple recipe is made with a handful of ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now. This is a go-to frosting to have in your repertoire.

Vanilla sheet cake topped with vanilla buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles.
Jump to:
  • Why you’ll love this recipe
  • Ingredients needed
  • Recipe overview
  • What to use vanilla buttercream on
  • Recipe tips
  • Buttercream storage
  • You might also like
  • Recipe

Why you’ll love this recipe

Ease: Only a few simple steps – this recipe is practically foolproof!

Flavor: This frosting tastes so much better than the overly sweet store bought stuff. It’s flavored with vanilla and just touch of almond extract to elevate the flavor even more.

Versatility: Spread it! Pipe it! Use it on cake, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and more!

Easily adaptable: Want it thicker, thinner, or with an added flavor? No problem! More on this below.

Vanilla buttercream frosting in a dark grey bowl.

Ingredients needed

Butter: Regular unsalted butter is best for this frosting. Don’t bother splurging on a higher fat European-style butter for this, I find that typical “American” butter is best for this buttercream.

Powdered sugar: This sweetens and thickens the frosting. If your powdered sugar is lumpy you can sift it first.

Milk: To thin out the frosting and make it creamy. I recommend whole milk or half and half.

Vanilla extract: Vanilla is the primary flavor in this frosting. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavoring.

Almond extract: This ingredient is optional but highly recommended. I love the touch of almond along with the vanilla for a bakery-style flavor.

Ingredients for vanilla buttercream frosting (butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, milk).

Recipe overview

*Full recipe below in recipe card*

  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter until smooth.
  • Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
  • Add half and half/milk and extracts.
  • Beat the frosting for several minutes until light and fluffy!

What to use vanilla buttercream on

Homemade vanilla buttercream is the perfect topping for cake, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and brownies.

Try it on these:

  • Vanilla Cake Recipe
  • Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Homemade Brownies
  • Cutout Sugar Cookies
White cake topped with vanilla buttercream frosting on a white plate.

Recipe tips

Butter should be softened (but not melty) so that it mixes smoothly.

I don’t usually sift my powdered sugar but if you notice that yours is lumpy sift or whisk before adding it to the butter.

Easily adjust the consistency of your buttercream by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.

Want a subtle citrus flavor? Lemon zest or orange zest can be added in the first step of the recipe. Start with 2 teaspoons and adjust based on your taste preferences.

If you’d like to dye the frosting, add a couple drops of your desired food coloring near the end of mixing time. If you’re going for a really dark color, the dye might thin out the frosting a touch. Just add a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken it up again.

For the fluffiest frosting, as the final step, beat it on medium-high speed for several minutes. This makes the frosting light, fluffy and beautiful. Perfect for making gorgeous swirls on top of a cake!

Vanilla buttercream frosting on a cookie topped with rainbow sprinkles.

Buttercream storage

This buttercream frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It sure be in an airtight container so that it doesn’t pickup any flavors/smells from your fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature so that is soft enough to spread/pipe.

If you’d prefer to freeze your frosting you can do so for up to 2 months in an airtight container. I recommend mixing it briefly after thawing to get it fluffy again.

You might also like

  • Carrot cake cupcake topped with swirled brown sugar frosting on a grey plate.
    Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Close up of Strawberry Cupcake topped with strawberry buttercream
    Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
  • Sugar cookies topped with frosting and sprinkles
    Sugar Cookie Frosting
  • Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla ice cream and rainbow sprinkles.
    Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

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Recipe

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Learn how to make this easy, sweet, and creamy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting! A delicious topping for layer cakes, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and more.
4.86 from 27 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 +
Calories: 276kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, but still cool to the touch
  • 4 cups powdered sugar , plus more, if needed
  • 1½ tablespoons half and half or whole milk, plus more, if needed
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional, but highly recommended
  • pinch of salt, if desired

Instructions

  • Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, starting out the mixer low and increasing to medium-high, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add half and half/milk, extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium high speed for 1-2 minutes.
    Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more cream to thin. 

Video

Notes

SERVING: Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (with piping bag), at least 24 cookies, or a 13×9 cake. Double this recipe for generously frosting a layer cake (including crumb coat and piping bag decorating). For a lightly frosted layer cake you can make the recipe as written.
STORAGE: This buttercream frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It sure be in an airtight container so that it doesn’t pickup any flavors/smells from your fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature so that is soft enough to spread/pipe.
If you’d prefer to freeze your frosting you can do so for up to 2 months in an airtight container. I recommend mixing it briefly after thawing to get it fluffy again.
RECIPE TIPS:
  • Butter should be softened (but not melty) so that it mixes smoothly.
  • I don’t usually sift my powdered sugar but if you notice that yours is lumpy sift or whisk before adding it to the butter.
  • Easily adjust the consistency of your buttercream by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.
  • Want a subtle citrus flavor? Lemon zest or orange zest can be added in the first step of the recipe. Start with 2 teaspoons and adjust based on your taste preferences.
  • If you’d like to dye the frosting, add a couple drops of your desired food coloring near the end of mixing time. If you’re going for a really dark color, the dye might thin out the frosting a touch. Just add a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken it up again.
  • For the fluffiest frosting, as the final step, beat it on medium-high speed for several minutes. This makes the frosting light, fluffy and beautiful. Perfect for making gorgeous swirls on top of a cake!

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Calcium: 7mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

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Comments

  1. Kelly

    February 19, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    5 stars
    My go to frosting since I found it!!!

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 23, 2021 at 10:56 am

      I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Suzette Scott

    June 11, 2021 at 8:22 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Allison, this is my go-to buttercream recipe! I have been looking for a buttercream recipe that was not overly sweet and tastes amazing like the supermarket Publix buttercream they use on cupcakes. I love it! I found this recipe a couple of years ago and typed it in a word document and keep it in my binder at work and forgot to write the website and I needed to make some frosting for a cake I made today for my daughter’s friends’ birthday tomorrow. I finally found your website gain after searching with target words…lol…. Thank you for this delicious recipe!

    Reply
    • Allison

      June 13, 2021 at 9:24 am

      You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kathrine

    October 06, 2021 at 6:11 am

    Hey! I haven’t made this yet but I was wondering if I could add food coloring to it? My daughter’s 3rd bday is tomorrow and she wants “galaxy” cupcakes ha!

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 09, 2021 at 8:46 am

      Sure! Just add the food coloring at the end. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Valerie Howard

    July 09, 2022 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my gosh!! I am in love with this recipe. I can’t make frosting. It’s always too runny or too thick, I’ve been in tears over it before. But I’m stubborn. I try anyway. This is the first recipe that actually came out perfectly first try!!!! It was amazing! Thank you so much!! (It’s for my Mom’s 81st birthday cake)

    Reply
    • Allison

      July 13, 2022 at 6:48 am

      Happy birthday to your mom! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  5. Jessica S

    October 17, 2022 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    This is the best buttercream frosting recipe!!! It has been my go-to frosting for my kids birthday cakes, baby shower and wedding shower cakes/cupcakes. It is so universal and adaptable. Thank you so much for sharing it…so many buttercream recipes are too sweet and this one is just right. The tiny bit of almond extract just makes it amazing!!

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 18, 2022 at 6:15 am

      Thanks, Jessica. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kim

    December 23, 2022 at 12:48 pm

    Can’t wait to make these recipe’s!

    Reply
  7. Nellie Tracy

    May 22, 2023 at 6:09 pm

    5 stars
    This is a delicious recipe for buttercream. I have a birthday coming up for a kiddo of mine, will definitely be using this recipe!

    Reply
  8. Gina

    May 23, 2023 at 6:40 am

    5 stars
    Who needs store bought when you have this delicious frosting recipe! This was absolutely amazing and will now be my frosting of choice when baking!

    Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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