Easy, fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting! A delicious topping for layer cakes, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and more. Once you try this recipe, you’ll never go back to store bought frosting again.
Friends, let’s chat about frosting. If you are still team “frosting in a tub,” I am here to pry that tub out of your hands and convince you that HOMEMADE FROSTING is where it’s at. No judgement if you need to take shortcuts in life, but please, please, pretty please don’t let store bought frosting be one of them. I occasionally take shortcuts with a boxed brownie mix or a store bought cake, but I just can’t bring myself to trade in homemade frosting for that junk in a tub.
It is super easy to make homemade frosting, and it tastes one billion times better than store bought. Not to mention, canned frosting is mostly corn syrup, artificial flavors and oil. Blech. This simple recipe is made with ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now: butter, powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla.
How To Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat softened butter with powdered sugar.
- Add heavy cream or half and half to thin it out and make it super creamy.
- Flavor the frosting with vanilla extract and the option of also adding almond extract (it’s so good).
- Beat the frosting for several minutes until light and fluffy!
That’s it! See, I told you it was easy. And with only 4 ingredients, there is no reason you can’t whip this up at a moment’s notice.
Add the frosting to your favorite sweet treats by spreading it on or using a pastry bag and tip. Homemade Vanilla Buttercream is the perfect topping for so many delicious treats. It elevates even the simplest recipes (psst… boxed cake or cupcakes can be made extra tasty by topping them with homemade frosting). I especially love it on my Homemade Vanilla Cake Recipe (pictured below).
TIP: Easily adjust the consistency of your buttercream by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or more cream (to thin).
Frosting For Sugar Cookies
If you’re looking for a frosting recipe for sugar cookies, this is it. We top our Easy Sugar Cookies, Cutout Sugar Cookies, Sugar Cookie Bars, and Bird’s Nest Cookies with this frosting all the time. It is the perfect complement to a sweet and buttery sugar cookie.
See here for to different ways to prepare it: Sugar Cookie Frosting.
This frosting is also fantastic on cupcakes and layer cakes. If you’d like to dye the frosting, simply 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.
Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
- My number one tip for getting the fluffiest frosting is to 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 cupcake (chocolate or vanilla).
I’ve been making this recipe for years. In fact, homemade frosting is one of the first recipes that started my transition into baking from scratch. Once I tasted homemade frosting and educated myself on all the garbage in tub frosting (eeek!), I never looked back.
Now, if you need me, I’ll be swiping my finger through a big bowl of vanilla buttercream while no one is looking. Ssshhh.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, but still cool to the touch
- 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted if lumpy), plus more, as needed
- 1+ tablespoons heavy cream or half and half, milk can be substituted in a pinch
- 1 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional, but highly recommended
- pinch of salt, if desired, to balance the sweetness
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and half of the powdered sugar until well-combined (starting out the mixer low and increasing to medium-high). Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar (while beating), followed by extracts and 1 tablespoon cream. Continue to add more cream, a little bit at a time, as needed. For a thicker frosting, add a little more powdered sugar. Lastly, turn the mixer to medium-high, and beat well for 1-2 minutes.Depending on how thick you want the frosting, you can easily adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or more cream (to thin).
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Renee Goerger
This is my go-to buttercream frosting recipe. It’s wonderful!!
Celebrating Sweets
Thank you!
Ashley
Can you make this up ahead of time? If so how should it be stored? I’m planning to make a bunch for a cupcake decorating party.
Celebrating Sweets
You can store it in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Before using it, bring it to cool room temp and give it a quick beat to get it fluffy again. Enjoy!
Stacey
This is the best frosting! It is our new go-to! Thank you so much for sharing!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy! -Allison 🙂
Tiffany
Mine is runny and I added more powdered sugar but there is no fluff 🙁 please help
Celebrating Sweets
Your butter is probably too warm/soft. Stick the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes or so, then try beating it again.
Lily
Amazing! Was loved by all at my parties!
Celebrating Sweets
Fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Pat
Hello,
Can you advise if this frosting will firm up, once cookies are decorated?
Celebrating Sweets
If you need it to firm up it will need to be refrigerated. Temperature affects the butter (it will be softer at room temp and firmer when chilled). If you’re asking if it hardens, like royal icing, no it does not. Enjoy!
priscilla mendoza
My buttercream is not fluff. It’s not runny either. It kind of breaks it’s not super lumpy but it’s to like icey .. I don’t know if it makes any sense. But how can I fix this? I added half & half instead of the heavy cream because that’s what I had & it said I could substitute with that. I also added fresh strawberries? That’s probably why it looks the way it does.. can I fix it?
Celebrating Sweets
It’s because of the extra moisture from the strawberries. You can try adding more powdered sugar. For future reference, I have a strawberry buttercream recipe: Strawberry Buttercream
Terry C.
HI, I made th is tonight. Delicious! It frosted 24 cupcakes, but i didnt pipe the frosting. I used a cookie scoop and dolloped one scoop per cupcake and then spread it with a small off set spatula.. gorgeous and a perfect frosting to cake ratio in my opinion.
My question is, can I keep these on the counter for a couple of days before serving them at a luncheon. Or should they be stored in the fridge then taken out the morning of the luncheon and brought to room temp. I am just not a fan of cold cupcakes. You won’t get the amazing texture of this fabulous buttercream.
ANXIOUS to hear your reply.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Terry. Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I would recommend storing them in the fridge and bringing to room temp prior to serving. Enjoy! Happy holidays!
Terry C
No worries. When I didn’t hear back I decided it was the best plan of action to put them in the fridge.
Thanks for the reply and Merry Christmas to you! 🌲
Cheryl
I was going to make this today because we absolutely love it but the butter I have it salted. Will this still come out the same way?
Celebrating Sweets
That should be ok, just leave out the pinch of salt. Enjoy!
Nadine
We just made buttercream from your recipe. I’ve been at this for a year trying to find the perfect combination and this nailed it. I can see why got so many 5 stars. It’s fluffy perfectly creamy and sweet. Thank you. Nadine
Christy
Can you make this a chocolate buttercream?? If so how much cocoa powder should you use?? Should I use unsweetened???
Thank you
Allison
Yes! You can add about 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (more or less to taste). You’ll need to add a bit more half and half or cream as well. Enjoy!