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:5minutes
Cook:10minutes
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.
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.
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:
Remove ½ a cup of buttercream to a separate bowl.
Microwave it for 10-15 seconds until softened (without melting it).
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.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Buttercream Frosting:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
3cups(375 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
2sticks(227 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
1/4teaspoonfine salt
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1 to 2tablespoonsheavy or whipping cream
Directions
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.
Add the salt, vanilla, and cream and beat on medium speed for 1 minute, adding more cream if needed.
STORAGE:
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.
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!)
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!)
This is a beautiful recipe. I have just used it….buttercream seems to be my Achilles heel! This one was masterful and so very easy!! Can’t wait to pipe it onto my 12 dozen cupcakes later this week.
Hi
I have a doubt.i have done many cakes,it come out very well soft and fluffy,after icing it,I’ll store in fridge,but when we cut it its getting hard.
How to store a buttercream cake.
How many days can I store buttercream cake and fondant cake and how to store them.
Waiting for your reply
Regards
Saranya
Laura
– 1 stick = 4oz = 113 grams of butter. Check out Tessa s measuring guide, it has all the ingredients listed and the gram and oz conversions for each ingredient… https://handletheheat.com/ultimate-guide-measuring/
I’ve never had banana milkshake powder so I really can’t say! Also, I’m not sure coconut milk would provide a whole lot of coconut flavor because you’d be using such a small amount. If you like the texture of shredded coconut, I’d add some either in the buttercream or sprinkle with toasted coconut on top.
Hi Tessa, thanks for the help, the measuring guide is really helpful! Just a couple more things: firstly what’s pumpkin pie spice? Don’t think we have anything like that in the UK, are there any spices I can mix to make my own version?
Also what about a banana buttercream? Some extracts either aren’t available in the UK or they taste nothing like what they’re supposed to… I was thinking about using banana milkshake (nesquick) to make some banana buttercream.. any idea how I’d do that? Want the buttercream to be smooth…
And also coconut… carnt seem to find coconut extract, what about coconut milk? How much do I add/ how do I change the recipe?
Hi, are the cup measures, US cups or UK cups? Also can you please provide gram amounts for the icing sugar and all the flavour variations ? It’s more accurate to measure in grams than cups.
I’m going to regret giving away my secrets. Using Crisco instead of butter will keep your frosting from melting in warm weather.Use 2 pounds of powdered sugar for each cup of shortening and beat the daylights out of it. It takes at least 5 minutes in the mixer before it’s properly incorporated.
In the video I did not see you add the salt. Is that a step to omit or did you just not show it in the video. I’m not trying to be picky, I want to make sure I get the best buttercream due to the fact yours look so delicious.
Hey Tessa! I am obsessed with your buttercream recipe. I usually make the chocolate and it is ridiculously good. Seriously amazing! However, I am curious about your cookie dough buttercream. Wouldn’t the brown sugar make the buttercream quite grainy? Thanks!
Robin @thebakingexchange
— June 22, 2015 at 7:03 pm
Hi Tessa, I once made cupcake icing with normal white sugar (not powdered sugar) and it was horrible, all grainy and gritty. I was surprised to see you list brown sugar as the sugar for the cookie dough variation. Wouldn’t that also have a gritty texture or is it different? Thanks!
This really is the best buttercream icing recipe. i’ve tried others and you can really taste the powdered sugar in them — not good. This is creamy and sweet (but not too sweet) and delicious! Also, I didn’t have any cream, so I put in a big dollop of whipped cream (haha). Worked beautifully! Can’t wait to try the variations!
@Melani
Yes! Buttermilk CAN be homemade! The recipe I’ve seen is 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and milk. What you do is you add the lemon juice to the measuring cup, then fill to the correct amount. If this is wrong, please correct me!
Yummy! I haven’t tried that, but I’d think you might need to add in a bit more cream, all depending on how much of the strawberries you add in. Let me know how it goes!
I saw your video on how to frost cupcakes and I was just wondering what you use to hold the nozzle.. I just place mine into the bag but yours looks different.
What is the weight of powdered sugar? (We don’t usually use cup measures in the UK) I assume powdered sugar is what we call icing sugar, I’ve always made buttercream with just icing sugar, butter and flavouring, does adding real cream mean that cakes have to be refridgerated once decorated?
Penny: the buttercream will crust over after a while therefore the sprinkles will not stick. it’s best to ice them at the time the kids will be making them. hope that helps.
I love this blog! I can’t believe it has everything i want to know about! I love your you tube vids and this blog! Can’t wait to try the butter cream recipe!!!
Hi there. Quick question. I’m having a cupcake decorating table at my daughters upcoming birthday. I was going to ice the cupcakes and they will just add the sprinkles etc. I will ice the cupcakes the morning of the party. Will this buttercream icing be soft enough that sprinkles will stick to it a few hours after it is piped? I have a great buttercream icing but I know that it will not go hard but certainly harden 2 or 3 hours after it is piped and sprinkles can not be applied after this. I look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks, Penny.
Made the Nutella version – outstanding! Got rave reviews at work, too! Followed the recipe to the letter. Sooooo yummy! Definitely a keeper 🙂
Thank you!
If it says 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar, then you sift and then measure 3 cups. This recipe calls for 3 cups of powdered sugar, sifted. So you measure and then sift. Hope that helps.
anxious to give this a try. do you measure the powdered sugar before or after you sift it? looks likes this pipes well??? will it crust? ……. thank you so much….. sue
Hello Tessa, thank you for all your awesome recipes!!!
I made the valentine’s cake with this butter cream, but as soon as i added the strawberry preserve to the mixture it split (i think that’s the right work for it) the oil or fat from the preserve was flooding on the top, it tasted very good. i followed the recipe just like you listed. What did i do wrong?? I had to use regular store bought butter cream. Please help.
not sure what kind of butter you are using Lei, but I have a 1 pound package of Land O Lakes butter. It has 4 sticks and it states: “1 stick equals 1/2 cup, 1 pound equals 2 cups or 4 sticks”. One pound has always been 16 ounces and if a 16 ounce package of butter has 4 sticks in it then 2 sticks equals 1 cup of butter, 4 sticks equals 2 cups. A cup is 8 ounces……or 2 sticks of butter. Each stick has 8 tablespoons…..not 8 ounces.
He…he…I had to giggle at a lot of the ‘fix your recipe’ requests:) I used to have a cupcake business and this is very similar to the recipe I used for buttercream (except I added 2 tbsp. of heavy whip cream at the end and beat on high for 2 minutes- exceptional fluffy!). Your recipe looks spot on and perfect:) Best wishes!
this recipe is awesome! I used salted butter and added the additional salt on accident. It was ok but too salty. If you use salted butter don’t add any salt! I need to pay a little bit more attention! I remade it with salted butter and no additional salt and it was amazing!
I love you blog! I’ve made many of your recipes. I think it’s completely hilarious how people want to correct you on your butter cream recipe. Lol! I’m not sure if people know this, but, butter cream isn’t meant to be low calorie/low sugar. Ha! I make my mine with the same exact measurements. And it’s delicious! Keep doing what you’re doing.
Thanks! I love your recipes and guides! I agree 3 cups is both conservative and laudable!
Almost all recipes assume posession of a standing mixer. I’ve made icings in the past without them. In your opinion, are standing mixers really necessary for frosting? Any tips to ensure one with a hand mixer doesn’t screw it up? I’m fairly conservative with my counter space, but don’t want to sacrafice good cupcakes. 🙂
I have a quick question…I’ve done a cake recipe, which calls for cool butter and the cake looks beautiful at first but them completely sinks. I’ve done it twice and the same thing happened both times. Can it be the cold butter? I’ve done a number of cakes and they always come out perfect. Thanks for your help!
It may be your that you leavener is expired (baking soda or baking powder), that the butter and sugar were over-beaten, or that the oven temperature was off (use an oven thermometer). It may also just be the recipe, some cakes are ultra moist and tend to sink a little bit (my favorite chocolate cake does this).
This is brilliant and so convenient! Now I can make butter cream with everyone’s favorite flavor on their birthday. When do I add the flavor in the beginning or at the end? Thank you!
I’m so happy I found this post!! Sounds like just the right buttery sweetness and consistency I’ve been searching for…this doesn’t sound too sweet at all. Most of my recipes call for at least 4-5 cups of powdered sugar per 2 sticks of butter, which is more sweetness than my family can handle most days. And I’m really looking forward to trying some of the flavor additions you posted as well. Thanks, Tessa 🙂
Arrgh, I was hoping it was the swiss meringue buttercream!!! 🙂 I have a problem with it, especially with the lemon one, because once it just split and I was sooooooo sad ;-(
Can I hope to see it here soon or late?
Lei- Can’t we all just get along and be nice? 2 tablespoons = 1 oz. 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup or 1 cube = 4 oz.
On a happier note, love Handle the Heat, Tessa. Your slow cooker pork carnitas are cooling in the the slow cooker as I type. Also, do you like Italian Meringue Buttercream? Less sweet, but they both definitely have their advantages.
Carol- Do you have an actual stick of butter in your fridge? If so, go look at it!
The recipe is correct – Each stick of Butter is 8oz so 2 sticks is 16 oz or 1 cup.
Other than that, the recipe looks great and I look forward to trying it.
Have a great day
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
— January 28, 2015 at 5:29 am
I LOVE all your baking how-tos! I am the worst buttercream maker. So I just never make it…which is sad because buttercream is the bomb!
Thanks for the great tutorial! Pinned!
I’m sorry but I think THREE cups of sugar and TWO sticks of butter is way too much. How can something with 3 cups of sugar NOT be really way too sweet?
Mindy – powdered sugar isn’t as dense as regular sugar so it may LOOK like more than it actually is. Some buttercream recipes actually call for 4 cups of powdered sugar so this is relatively conservative! Feel free to also adjust the sugar ratio to your preferences.
As a trained chef and cookbook author, I share trusted baking recipes your friends & family will love alongside insights into the science of sweets. I help take the luck out of baking so you *always* have delicious results! Learn more here.
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This is a beautiful recipe. I have just used it….buttercream seems to be my Achilles heel! This one was masterful and so very easy!! Can’t wait to pipe it onto my 12 dozen cupcakes later this week.
Hi
I have a doubt.i have done many cakes,it come out very well soft and fluffy,after icing it,I’ll store in fridge,but when we cut it its getting hard.
How to store a buttercream cake.
How many days can I store buttercream cake and fondant cake and how to store them.
Waiting for your reply
Regards
Saranya
If I add oreos crumbs on it, do I need to add or take other ingredients of the recipe? thanks
wats the difference between powdered sugar and normal sugar :-/
Do you need to put food coloring in the mix? If just put the strawberry preserves in, will the mixture still be as pink ?
The food coloring is totally optional, but your buttercream will definitely not be as pink without it.
Laura
– 1 stick = 4oz = 113 grams of butter. Check out Tessa s measuring guide, it has all the ingredients listed and the gram and oz conversions for each ingredient…
https://handletheheat.com/ultimate-guide-measuring/
How many grams of butter is in your butter sticks?
Sorry I meant banan milkshake powder, which I’d mix with a little milk ( so I could make it really banana-ry)
I’ve never had banana milkshake powder so I really can’t say! Also, I’m not sure coconut milk would provide a whole lot of coconut flavor because you’d be using such a small amount. If you like the texture of shredded coconut, I’d add some either in the buttercream or sprinkle with toasted coconut on top.
Hi Tessa, thanks for the help, the measuring guide is really helpful! Just a couple more things: firstly what’s pumpkin pie spice? Don’t think we have anything like that in the UK, are there any spices I can mix to make my own version?
Also what about a banana buttercream? Some extracts either aren’t available in the UK or they taste nothing like what they’re supposed to… I was thinking about using banana milkshake (nesquick) to make some banana buttercream.. any idea how I’d do that? Want the buttercream to be smooth…
And also coconut… carnt seem to find coconut extract, what about coconut milk? How much do I add/ how do I change the recipe?
Thanks!
Hi, are the cup measures, US cups or UK cups? Also can you please provide gram amounts for the icing sugar and all the flavour variations ? It’s more accurate to measure in grams than cups.
This is an American blog so all cup measurements are US. Please use my measuring guide to assist you: https://handletheheat.com/ultimate-guide-measuring/
For the chocolate chip cookie flavor idea: you say to add flour, it won’t make you sick eating the flour that way (uncooked)? Just wondering.
When you say cream do you mean whipping cream? Sorry I’m just clueless here
Do you also have this in grams?
Hopefully this will clarify the butter cube measurement question. Our hostess is correct.
Amount:
2 stick of butter
Equals:
8 ounce – oz
http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/butter_converter.html
I’m going to regret giving away my secrets. Using Crisco instead of butter will keep your frosting from melting in warm weather.Use 2 pounds of powdered sugar for each cup of shortening and beat the daylights out of it. It takes at least 5 minutes in the mixer before it’s properly incorporated.
In the video I did not see you add the salt. Is that a step to omit or did you just not show it in the video. I’m not trying to be picky, I want to make sure I get the best buttercream due to the fact yours look so delicious.
What type of cream is used?
Hey Tessa! I am obsessed with your buttercream recipe. I usually make the chocolate and it is ridiculously good. Seriously amazing! However, I am curious about your cookie dough buttercream. Wouldn’t the brown sugar make the buttercream quite grainy? Thanks!
Well cookie dough is slightly grainy. It is basically replicating the exact taste and texture of cookie dough, just without the eggs!
Hi Tessa, I once made cupcake icing with normal white sugar (not powdered sugar) and it was horrible, all grainy and gritty. I was surprised to see you list brown sugar as the sugar for the cookie dough variation. Wouldn’t that also have a gritty texture or is it different? Thanks!
This really is the best buttercream icing recipe. i’ve tried others and you can really taste the powdered sugar in them — not good. This is creamy and sweet (but not too sweet) and delicious! Also, I didn’t have any cream, so I put in a big dollop of whipped cream (haha). Worked beautifully! Can’t wait to try the variations!
Yay!
I wish I came across this webpage before St. Patrick’s Day! I made some cupcakes then and ended up having to use a glaze instead.
@Melani
Yes! Buttermilk CAN be homemade! The recipe I’ve seen is 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and milk. What you do is you add the lemon juice to the measuring cup, then fill to the correct amount. If this is wrong, please correct me!
I’m wanting to put freeze dried strawberries ground up. Would I adjust anything?!
Yummy! I haven’t tried that, but I’d think you might need to add in a bit more cream, all depending on how much of the strawberries you add in. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Tessa! I just found your blog and i love it!. I have a question, Buttermilk can be homemade?
I saw your video on how to frost cupcakes and I was just wondering what you use to hold the nozzle.. I just place mine into the bag but yours looks different.
What is the weight of powdered sugar? (We don’t usually use cup measures in the UK) I assume powdered sugar is what we call icing sugar, I’ve always made buttercream with just icing sugar, butter and flavouring, does adding real cream mean that cakes have to be refridgerated once decorated?
Can I add fruit color to this recipe
When you say cream does that mean heavy whipping cream?
Yes that works fine!
Penny: the buttercream will crust over after a while therefore the sprinkles will not stick. it’s best to ice them at the time the kids will be making them. hope that helps.
I love this blog! I can’t believe it has everything i want to know about! I love your you tube vids and this blog! Can’t wait to try the butter cream recipe!!!
Hi there. Quick question. I’m having a cupcake decorating table at my daughters upcoming birthday. I was going to ice the cupcakes and they will just add the sprinkles etc. I will ice the cupcakes the morning of the party. Will this buttercream icing be soft enough that sprinkles will stick to it a few hours after it is piped? I have a great buttercream icing but I know that it will not go hard but certainly harden 2 or 3 hours after it is piped and sprinkles can not be applied after this. I look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks, Penny.
I’m sorry Penny but I don’t know the answer to your question as I’ve never been in that particular scenario with this recipe.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to post this awesome recipe. It is very kind of you and helpful to the rest of us. Best wishes….
cream cheese version*
Hi Tessa! I think its brilliant! though! I would need a cream version as well… and thn i am going to treat this page as my frosting bible!! :D:D
what type of cream?
Hello, I really love the frosting color on the cupcakes. Would love to know what colors you used to get that result.
Thanks
Made the Nutella version – outstanding! Got rave reviews at work, too! Followed the recipe to the letter. Sooooo yummy! Definitely a keeper 🙂
Thank you!
Sue–the recipe has all the clues you need..
If it says 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar, then you sift and then measure 3 cups. This recipe calls for 3 cups of powdered sugar, sifted. So you measure and then sift. Hope that helps.
anxious to give this a try. do you measure the powdered sugar before or after you sift it? looks likes this pipes well??? will it crust? ……. thank you so much….. sue
Hello Tessa, thank you for all your awesome recipes!!!
I made the valentine’s cake with this butter cream, but as soon as i added the strawberry preserve to the mixture it split (i think that’s the right work for it) the oil or fat from the preserve was flooding on the top, it tasted very good. i followed the recipe just like you listed. What did i do wrong?? I had to use regular store bought butter cream. Please help.
not sure what kind of butter you are using Lei, but I have a 1 pound package of Land O Lakes butter. It has 4 sticks and it states: “1 stick equals 1/2 cup, 1 pound equals 2 cups or 4 sticks”. One pound has always been 16 ounces and if a 16 ounce package of butter has 4 sticks in it then 2 sticks equals 1 cup of butter, 4 sticks equals 2 cups. A cup is 8 ounces……or 2 sticks of butter. Each stick has 8 tablespoons…..not 8 ounces.
How long should I keep the butter out so it is at cold room temperature, please help!
Thank you!!!
Btw your website is awesome!!!!!!
He…he…I had to giggle at a lot of the ‘fix your recipe’ requests:) I used to have a cupcake business and this is very similar to the recipe I used for buttercream (except I added 2 tbsp. of heavy whip cream at the end and beat on high for 2 minutes- exceptional fluffy!). Your recipe looks spot on and perfect:) Best wishes!
I love all of your recipe guides, and this buttercream frosting looks perfect!
this recipe is awesome! I used salted butter and added the additional salt on accident. It was ok but too salty. If you use salted butter don’t add any salt! I need to pay a little bit more attention! I remade it with salted butter and no additional salt and it was amazing!
I love you blog! I’ve made many of your recipes. I think it’s completely hilarious how people want to correct you on your butter cream recipe. Lol! I’m not sure if people know this, but, butter cream isn’t meant to be low calorie/low sugar. Ha! I make my mine with the same exact measurements. And it’s delicious! Keep doing what you’re doing.
Thanks! I love your recipes and guides! I agree 3 cups is both conservative and laudable!
Almost all recipes assume posession of a standing mixer. I’ve made icings in the past without them. In your opinion, are standing mixers really necessary for frosting? Any tips to ensure one with a hand mixer doesn’t screw it up? I’m fairly conservative with my counter space, but don’t want to sacrafice good cupcakes. 🙂
I have a quick question…I’ve done a cake recipe, which calls for cool butter and the cake looks beautiful at first but them completely sinks. I’ve done it twice and the same thing happened both times. Can it be the cold butter? I’ve done a number of cakes and they always come out perfect. Thanks for your help!
It may be your that you leavener is expired (baking soda or baking powder), that the butter and sugar were over-beaten, or that the oven temperature was off (use an oven thermometer). It may also just be the recipe, some cakes are ultra moist and tend to sink a little bit (my favorite chocolate cake does this).
This is brilliant and so convenient! Now I can make butter cream with everyone’s favorite flavor on their birthday. When do I add the flavor in the beginning or at the end? Thank you!
You can add flavorings anytime after the butter + sugar have been beaten together.
I’m so happy I found this post!! Sounds like just the right buttery sweetness and consistency I’ve been searching for…this doesn’t sound too sweet at all. Most of my recipes call for at least 4-5 cups of powdered sugar per 2 sticks of butter, which is more sweetness than my family can handle most days. And I’m really looking forward to trying some of the flavor additions you posted as well. Thanks, Tessa 🙂
Great demo.I am going to make it for tonight. Looks so creamy. MaryAnn B
I had no idea buttercream could be made ahead! I’m sooo going to try it. Thank you!
Arrgh, I was hoping it was the swiss meringue buttercream!!! 🙂 I have a problem with it, especially with the lemon one, because once it just split and I was sooooooo sad ;-(
Can I hope to see it here soon or late?
Lei- Can’t we all just get along and be nice? 2 tablespoons = 1 oz. 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup or 1 cube = 4 oz.
On a happier note, love Handle the Heat, Tessa. Your slow cooker pork carnitas are cooling in the the slow cooker as I type. Also, do you like Italian Meringue Buttercream? Less sweet, but they both definitely have their advantages.
Carol- Do you have an actual stick of butter in your fridge? If so, go look at it!
The recipe is correct – Each stick of Butter is 8oz so 2 sticks is 16 oz or 1 cup.
Other than that, the recipe looks great and I look forward to trying it.
Have a great day
Please correct the amount of powdered sugar. Thank you.
It was never incorrect!
16oz. of butter is 4 sticks or 2 cups. 8oz. Of butter is 2 sticks or 1 cup. Which is the correct amount for recipe?
A good recipe to keep on hand. Thank you and have a great day.
Wow! Can’t wait to try your recipe! I love all the flavor variations!
I LOVE all your baking how-tos! I am the worst buttercream maker. So I just never make it…which is sad because buttercream is the bomb!
Thanks for the great tutorial! Pinned!
I’m sorry but I think THREE cups of sugar and TWO sticks of butter is way too much. How can something with 3 cups of sugar NOT be really way too sweet?
Mindy – powdered sugar isn’t as dense as regular sugar so it may LOOK like more than it actually is. Some buttercream recipes actually call for 4 cups of powdered sugar so this is relatively conservative! Feel free to also adjust the sugar ratio to your preferences.