How to Make the Best Buttercream Frosting - Handle the Heat

How to Make the Best Buttercream

  |  
April 5th, 2023
4.97 from 29 votes
4.97 from 29 votes

How to make the BEST Buttercream Frosting that's soft, creamy, easy to make, and perfectly sweet. This homemade buttercream frosting pairs wonderfully with just about any cake or cupcake recipe, plus it can be made ahead of time. Customizable with flavor variations listed below!

Yield: 3 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

TASTE: Perfect level of sweetness without being cloyingly sweet.
TEXTURE: I love how creamy this frosting is! It has a velvety, silky texture that can’t be beat.
EASE: Super easy. This frosting comes together in just a few minutes.
APPEARANCE: Perfectly smooth and creamy.
PROS: With so many customization options, your cakes and cupcakes are about to be more delicious than ever.
CONS: None.
WILL I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Absolutely.

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I want to teach you how to make the BEST buttercream frosting you’ve ever had.

There’s nothing worse than the sickeningly sweet and artificial-tasting store-bought frosting that comes in tubs or is loaded onto grocery store birthday cakes. I usually scrape that stuff off whenever I’m served something like that – which is saying something for this sweet-toothed girl!

Enter my homemade buttercream frosting recipe. Perfectly balanced in sweetness, silky smooth and creamy in texture, and an absolute dream to both frost with and eat.

Making homemade buttercream might feel a bit daunting, but I promise it’s super easy! I’ll teach you how to make perfect buttercream step-by-step, so there’s no need to feel intimidated.

My buttercream frosting recipe is the easiest way to level up your homemade cupcakes and cakes – and it’s so much fun to customize the flavors, too. Check out all my customization suggestions below.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

What is Buttercream Frosting?

American-style buttercream frosting is made of butter and powdered sugar, whipped together with a little cream and some flavoring (such as vanilla extract). Some American buttercream recipes will contain shortening or a combination of butter and shortening, but I use an all-butter mixture. Shortening leaves a slightly greasy film behind on the palate and has a slight aftertaste that I don’t prefer.

This perfect buttercream frosting recipe is one of the quickest and easiest buttercreams possible.

Ingredients for The Best Buttercream Frosting:

  • Sugar – Powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar) is the base for this buttercream. Be sure to sift the powdered sugar or your buttercream may end up clumpy and gritty. Read more about my preferred types of powdered sugar below.
  • Butter – Use high-quality butter since it’s the base of the recipe. I like Challenge butter and prefer to use unsalted butter in all my baking so I’m in control of the salt. Also, be cautious that your butter isn’t too warm or too cold. Your butter should ideally be about 67°F.
  • Salt – I like using fine sea salt, simply because I prefer the flavor. Learn more about different types of salt here.
  • Vanilla extract – I recommend using a high-quality pure vanilla extract (not an imitation vanilla flavor) when making a buttercream, especially if it’s a vanilla buttercream and the star of the show. Even better, use vanilla paste if making vanilla buttercream!
  • Heavy cream – Used to thin out the buttercream just a touch and give it that smooth consistency and creamy texture.

Do I Have to Use Heavy Cream? Can I Use Milk in This Buttercream?

You can use milk or half-and-half if that’s all you have, but I highly recommend using heavy cream if possible for its creaminess and maximum richness. There’s a reason it’s called buttercream. 😉

Why is my Buttercream Frosting Full of Air Bubbles?

Be sure to use the flat paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment will cause air bubbles to form. If your buttercream has been sitting for an extended period, you will need to re-mix on your mixer’s lowest setting for a minute or two, or mix by hand with a rubber spatula for a few minutes.

If your ingredients are too cold, this can also cause airy buttercream.

Here’s how to fix this:

  1. Remove ½ a cup of buttercream to a separate bowl.
  2. Microwave it for 10-15 seconds until softened (without melting it).
  3. Add it back to the bowl and hand mix with a rubber spatula to fully incorporate.

This will help the whole batch of buttercream warm up a little and encourage the air bubbles to dissipate.

The Best Powdered Sugar for Buttercream

Always sift powdered sugar before adding it to your buttercream. Most recipes (including mine) are written like this: “3 cups powdered sugar, sifted” which means you measure the sugar first, THEN sift it before adding it in.

For the absolute smoothest buttercream frosting, I recommend investing in organic powdered sugar that contains tapioca starch instead of cornstarch because it dissolves much more readily to remove grittiness. This is the brand of organic powdered sugar I usually use, though Trader Joe’s also has a great option available.

Buttercream Must-Have Tools:

Step-by-Step Instructions for Buttercream Frosting:

  1. Mix the powdered sugar and butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and butter. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  2. Continue to mix. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase to medium speed and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  3. Add the salt, vanilla, and cream. Beat on medium for 1 minute, adding more cream if needed (go slow and only add a teaspoon or so at a time) until your desired consistency is reached.
  4. Use right away or store for later use. Your buttercream is now ready to use, or it can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Tell When Buttercream is Properly Creamed:

How to Color Your Buttercream Frosting

If you’re adding a flavor that naturally is colored (such as fruit preserves or chocolate), then your buttercream frosting will, of course, be colored by this addition.

For a more brightly-colored buttercream, I highly recommended gel food coloring. I like Americolor or Chefmaster gel food coloring. It packs a saturated punch so you don’t need to use much. Start with a few drops then add more from there until you reach your desired color.

Ways to Use Buttercream Frosting:

Does Buttercream Need to be Refrigerated?

While the sugar in buttercream acts as a preservative and keeps the frosting intact for a few hours at a time, I recommend storing the buttercream in the refrigerator.

How to Store The Best Buttercream:

Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. Allow the buttercream to come to room temperature, then re-whip in the stand mixer until light and fluffy again. Add a tablespoon or 2 of powdered sugar if it needs to thicken.

Can You Freeze The Best Buttercream?

Yes! Store this buttercream in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and then bring to room temperature before re-whipping until light and fluffy again.

Buttercream Frosting Flavor Ideas:

You may need to adjust the powdered sugar ratio depending on your flavor preferences and adjust the cream ratio depending on your texture preferences.

  • Chocolate: Add 1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder.
  • Strawberry: Add 1/3 cup seedless strawberry preserves and a few drops of red food coloring.
  • Raspberry: Add 1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves and a few drops of red food coloring.
  • Mocha: Add 1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder.
  • Chocolate Malt: Add 1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup malted milk powder, and use 1/4 cup milk, plus more if needed.
  • Peanut Butter: Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter and reduce the powdered sugar to 2 1/2 cups.
  • Irish Cream Buttercream: Use Bailey’s Irish Cream instead of cream.
  • Kahlua: Add 1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 cup Kahlua in place of the cream.
  • Mint: Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract and a few drops of green food coloring.
  • Nutella: Add 2/3 cup Nutella and reduce powdered sugar to 2 cups.
  • Lemon (or any other citrus): Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest and 3 tablespoons lemon juice and increase powdered sugar to 3 1/2 cups.
  • Coconut: Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract.
  • Cinnamon: Add 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
  • Pumpkin: Add 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, remove cream.
  • Salted Caramel: Add 1/3 cup caramel topping and increase salt to 1 teaspoon, remove cream.
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Use 3/4 cup light brown sugar in place of all powdered sugar, add 1 1/4 cups flour*, and garnish with mini chocolate chips. *To make the raw flour safer, we need to kill bacteria. Treat the flour by baking it at 350°F for 10 minutes or microwaving in 30-second bursts until it reaches 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to guarantee it hits the temperature at which bacteria dies. Heating the flour in the oven also toasts it slightly, giving it a nutty caramelized flavor that works beautifully in this recipe.

Click here for my FREE Best Buttercream Cheatsheet, which includes the recipe, my tips and tricks, and all of the customization ideas listed above in printable form!


Other Buttercream Recipes You’ll Love:


    4.97 from 29 votes

    How to make
    The Best Buttercream

    Yield: 3 cups
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    How to make the BEST Buttercream Frosting that's soft, creamy, easy to make, and perfectly sweet. This homemade buttercream frosting pairs wonderfully with just about any cake or cupcake recipe, plus it can be made ahead of time. Customizable with flavor variations listed below!

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
    • 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
    • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream

    Directions

    1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

    2. Add the salt, vanilla, and cream and beat on medium speed for 1 minute, adding more cream if needed.

    STORAGE:

    1. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let come to room temperature and re-whip in the stand mixer until light and fluffy again. Add a tablespoon or 2 of powdered sugar if it needs to thicken.

    Recipe Video

    Recipe Notes

    Customization ideas listed in the pink tip box above!
    This recipe makes enough buttercream to frost about 12 to 15 cupcakes. Double this recipe to frost an 8 or 9-inch two-layer cake.
    Course : Dessert
    Cuisine : American
    Keyword : buttercream, buttercream frosting, buttercream frosting recipe

    This post was published in 2021 and updated in 2023 with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.

    Tessa Arias
    Author: Tessa Arias

    I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

    Tessa Arias

    About Tessa...

    I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

    Find Tessa on  

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    Recipe Rating




    1. #
      Katie — October 16, 2023 at 3:58 pm

      I absolutely love this recipe! But always have to double it in order to frost an entire cake (2 9 inch cakes stacked)

    2. #
      Anna — September 14, 2023 at 10:45 pm

      So I wanted to make the Nutella version, but I spaced and just made the regular recipe with3 cups of confectioner’s sugar (It’s been a long day!). Can I still add the Nutella at this point? Should I add anything else?

    3. #
      Rachel — August 25, 2023 at 7:58 am

      I used this buttercream with a texas sheet cake. the family declared it the best oreo cake! Better than oreos!

    4. #
      Karen — August 16, 2023 at 4:04 am

      Can this recipe be used for piping decorations on your cut-out sugar cookie recipe?

      • #
        Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — August 16, 2023 at 7:23 am

        Hi Karen! Yes, this buttercream will be delicious on Tessa’s sugar cookies, but it might not fully set as it’s not designed to completely dry like regular cookie icing. The icing recipe Tessa includes with her cut out cookie recipe will dry and harden, so you can stack the cookies and easily transport them. If you’re not worried about any of that, and just want a deliciously decadent, yummy frosting instead, then you can absolutely use this buttercream recipe instead. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂

    5. #
      Jerry — April 2, 2023 at 3:02 pm

      I had a question, wanted to try this vanilla buttercream frosting with your incredible chocolate cake, have only made the cake with your amazing chocolate frosting. Do I need to increase the amount of frosting to do a 2 layer 9” cake. Best tip I ever received on Buttercream was organic confectioner sugar, a real difference maker.Thankyou…

      • #
        Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — April 3, 2023 at 9:07 am

        Hi Jerry! So glad to hear that the organic powdered sugar has been such a great tip for you! Just to be safe and make sure you have plenty of frosting to both fill and ice your cake with, I would recommend doubling this buttercream recipe. If you have a little leftover, you can always use this to pipe a border or some pretty rosettes or decorate however you’d like 🙂 Happy baking!

    6. #
      Marc — December 30, 2022 at 8:03 pm

      read your directions; when do you add the cocoa?

      • #
        Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — January 6, 2023 at 10:26 am

        Hi Marc! You can just add the cocoa powder to the powdered sugar 🙂

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