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.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: With so many customization options, your cakes and cupcakes are about to be more delicious than ever.
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This is my go-to best buttercream recipe for layer cakes and cupcakes: smooth, creamy, and easy to pipe without being overly sweet or gritty.
It’s a classic American buttercream frosting recipe made with simple ingredients, a carefully balanced ratio, and kitchen tested troubleshooting tips so it works every single time.
American buttercream gets a bad reputation for being too cloying or hard to pipe. But that’s usually a ratio or technique problem.
After testing multiple batches with different butters, brands of sugar, and mixing methods, my version consistently produces a smooth, pipeable frosting that tastes balanced instead of sugary.
Reader Love
Made this buttercream for my niece’s fifth birthday–it was perfect. Tripled it and was able to frost 50 cupcakes! Didn’t realize how important sifting the powdered sugar was–texture was so smooth! Definitely my go-to recipe!
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Sprinkle of Science
Buttercream Types: Which One Should You Use?
Before diving in, it helps to know not all buttercream is the same.
- American Buttercream (this recipe): Made with butter and powdered sugar. Sweet, quick, and sturdy. Best for beginners and decorative piping.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Egg whites + sugar cooked and whipped, then butter added. Silky and less sweet, but more technical.
- Italian Buttercream: Hot sugar syrup whipped into egg whites, then butter. Very stable, great for warm conditions.
- French Buttercream: Uses egg yolks for richness. Softer and custard-like.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Not exactly a buttercream, but made of rich dairy product and sugar all the same.
If you want the easiest, fastest option, American buttercream is the best place to start.
Ingredient Notes
There’s only a handful of ingredients, so each one matters!
Powdered sugar: Also called confectioners’ sugar. For the smoothest texture, choose an organic powdered sugar with tapioca starch instead of cornstarch, which can add a gritty texture. Sifting is essential for a smooth texture!
Unsalted butter: Use butter that’s cool but pliable (about 67°F). Too warm = greasy frosting; too cold = dense instead of fluffy. If using salted butter, cut the salt in the recipe in half.
Salt: Don’t skip! It balances flavor.
Vanilla extract: Use real vanilla for the best flavor. For an upgrade, try using vanilla bean paste!
Heavy cream or milk: Cream creates a richer mouthfeel, while milk makes a slightly lighter frosting. Either will help smooth out the buttercream for easier spreadability.
How to Make the Best Buttercream (Step-by-Step)
- Cream the butter. Beat the butter on medium speed with the paddle attachment (not the whisk — that’ll create more air bubbles!) until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. It should look pale and spreadable, not shiny or greasy.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually. Add the sugar on low speed in batches to prevent is from making a mess.
- Adjust the consistency. Add cream or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and pipeable. The frosting should form soft peaks that hold their shape.
- Flavor and finish. Add vanilla and salt, then beat on low to medium speed until fluffy.
Storage & Make Ahead
Room temperature:
Buttercream can sit out safely for up to a day, if your kitchen is cold.
Refrigerator:
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Freezer:
Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then beat until smooth.
Flavor Variations
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.
- Pumpkin: Add 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, remove cream.
- Salted Caramel: Add 1/3 cup caramel sauce, remove cream, and increase salt to 1 teaspoon (if your caramel sauce isn’t salted).
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Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
More Recipes You’ll Love:
This post was published in 2021 and updated in 2023 with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
I love this buttercream, so nice and smooth! But I hate having to use so much butter. Bite Sized Kitchen has a recipe for a buttercream like frosting without the butter! https://bitesizedkitchen.com/powdered-sugar-vanilla-frosting/ Do yo think this will work as a faux buttercream for those limiting their butter intake?
Hi. The brown sugar variation say flour is in it. When do I add the flour?
What if we don’t have any heavy whipping cream can we use whipped cream?
Always turns out perfect!
Hi, thanks for the recipe.
do i need to re whip it if i store it in the fridge and for how long??
Thank you
Hi, I have to make a blue (darker blue) train for my son’s party (it’s 3D) and I’m concerned about the food coloring taste (my husband declares it as soapy). Would a chocolate buttercream help cover the taste or is there another trick? It’s for a bunch of 3 year olds so negotiating a different color is out of the question.
Also – does this recipe pipe well? I’m decorating with hundreds and hundreds of tiny stars….It will be decorated 2 days before the party.
Chocolate buttercream is really hard to color. I have to say… most kids don’t notice the taste of food coloring 😉 You can try using vanilla paste to help improve the flavor. You can make any recipe pipe well – just be sure the butter is not too warm and add extra powdered sugar for more stiffness for more intricate designs 🙂
Hi Tessa how much is 1/2 cup cocoa in grams please and at what point do you add it in? Thanks!
This recipe sounds great! I have a question though, sorry if this sounds silly. I’m wanting to make the chocolate buttercream for my son’s birthday cake this weekend. But I don’t want the color of the frosting to be too dark because of how I’m going to be decorating the cake. Would you say the chocolate buttercream is a fairly dark brown? Or is there any way to lighten the color while still getting the good chocolate flavor? Help! TIA!
Nothing special here. Another tooth achingly sweet American buttercream. Any other type of buttercream- Swiss Meringue, Italian Meringue, French, Creme Anglaise, Ermine, etc. is well worth learning how to make.
I have made this recipe many, many times and it’s the best recipe I have come across. People always tell me how good it is with just the right amount of sweetness. The only thing I do a bit differently is I don’t add the cream right away. I mix it up, store it in the fridge and then when I go to use it I whip the cream in.
I have been using this recipe for years and it works perfectly every time! I have tried it with all different flavors and combinations and everyone always enjjoys it. Thank you!
This is my go to frosting for when I make the chocolate cake recipe on the Hershey’s baking cocoa container.
I never fail to receive raving compliments when I bring a cake to meals at church or work. There are never any leftovers.