Classic Buttercream Frosting is rich and creamy, made with ONLY 4 ingredients, and ready in 10 minutes! Try this easy frosting recipe today!
Frosting is the perfect addition to your favorite cakes and cupcakes. Along with my buttercream flavor, be sure to check out my collection of frosting recipes that includes classic Cream Cheese Frosting, Rich Chocolate Frosting, tangy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, Peanut Butter Frosting and more!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Classic Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Classic Buttercream Frosting is the PERFECT creamy 4 ingredient topping for any dessert, made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. This is a go-to frosting recipe perfect for piping onto cupcakes and also works great for making layer cakes or even cookies. You can also use this buttercream frosting for a crumb layer before wrapping a cake in fondant!
Chef’s Note: Great Base Recipe
The reason I love this frosting recipe so much is it’s an easy basic recipe that is delicious on its own but you quickly customize it by adding different flavors to match any cake or frosted dessert. A little dried strawberry powder, cocoa powder, or lemon extract instantly transforms it from a basic frosting into something special. For some of my favorite ideas, check out my Variations section at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter: Butter gives a creamy and smooth texture to the frosting. You can use salted butter if that’s what’s available.
- 6 cups Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens the frosting. Regular sugar won’t work. You can make your own powdered sugar by simply adding a cup or two (depending on the size of your blender) of regular sugar to a blender or food processor and blending until powdered. Use a fine-meshed sifter to ensure no larger sugar crystals get through.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Vanilla is essential in the flavor of buttercream frosting. Try to use real vanilla extract for the best taste.
- 2-4 tablespoons Heavy Cream: Heavy cream helps make it into frosting. You can use half and half or whole milk for the recipe but the consistency will be a bit different. Another option is to make your own cream by mixing ¼ cup butter with ¾ cup milk to create your own heavy cream. Be sure to mix it well and use it right away.
How to Make
Time needed: 10 minutes.
- Cream Butter and Sugar
Add the butter to the stand mixer (electric mixer) on low speed and slowly add the sugar in ½ cup increments until well combined. You can use a paddle or a whisk, whichever you prefer. Once all the sugar is in, let it cream together on medium speed to medium-high speed for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add Vanilla and Cream
After two minutes is up, add in the vanilla to the cream base. Then add in the actual cream and beat it for one more minute until light and fluffy. Enjoy!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar , about 2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- To your stand mixer on low speed cream the butter then start adding in the powdered sugar in ½ cup increments until fully combined, then raise the speed to medium-high for 2 additional minutes.
- Add in the vanilla and heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy for an additional minute.
Video
Notes
- Change Serving Size: Click on the yield amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Conversion: To convert measurements to grams, click on the Metric option next to Ingredients in the recipe card.
- Kitchen Timer: Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
Nutrition
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Can This Be Made Ahead?
Yes, you can make this up to a week in advance as long as you store it in the fridge in an airtight container. It can last up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container as well. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature before applying.
Nutritional Facts
Frosting Tips & Tricks
- It’s very important to cream the butter before adding the powdered sugar, or you might end up with lumpy frosting. Once the frosting is lumpy, it’s really hard to get it smooth again.
- You can use salted or unsalted butter to make this buttercream recipe, but it’s best to use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt going into the recipe.
- If you’re frosting a cake or cupcakes, make sure that the buttercream frosting is the same temperature, or it will pull crumbs off of your cupcakes and look messy.
- If your frosting turns out too sweet, add a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of lemon juice to balance out the flavor.
- It’s easy to make this buttercream frosting recipe in the stand mixer with a paddle attachment, but you can use an electric hand mixer if that’s what you have.
- Make sure you set the stand mixer for low speed while you’re adding the powdered sugar or the sugar will fly out of the top when you’re trying to mix it.
- You can substitute the heavy cream with half and half or whole milk in this Buttercream Frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Store
- Store: It’s not recommended to leave Buttercream out for longer than 2 hours for food safety. Buttercream can last in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Freeze: You can freeze buttercream for later or to save leftovers for another dessert, for up to 3 months. Seal it in a plastic bag, then wrap it tightly with tinfoil. Defrost in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature before using.
Storing a Cake with Buttercream Frosting
If you have a cake frosted with buttercream, you can refrigerate it for about a week. You can also make the cake ahead of time and freeze it, already frosted with the buttercream. Just put the cake in the freezer until it’s frozen, about an hour, then wrap it in plastic wrap (so the buttercream stays in place).
Then you can just defrost in the refrigerator, and finally bring the cake back to room temperature before serving. When a cake is cold, it might be mistaken for stale, so make sure you take it out of the refrigerator for about an hour to let it warm up before slicing into it.
Frequent Questions
Buttercream should have a slightly stiff but creamy texture, and shouldn’t melt at room temperature unless it’s more hot or humid than normal. Try to store the finished cake in a cool, dry place while you’re serving it, then refrigerate.
If your buttercream didn’t stiffen up like it was supposed to, you can add powdered sugar one tablespoon or two at a time. Don’t add this too fast, because you can go in the opposite direction if you add too much powdered sugar. You can also add a tablespoon of cornstarch to help thicken it.
If it’s not runny and it’s just too soft, refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes to an hour to see if it helps the texture, because the butter might have melted too much from over-mixing or if the temperature in the kitchen is too warm.
If your frosting turns out too thick, you can thin it out by adding a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Be careful not to add too much, or the frosting might get too thin.
This recipe makes enough to cover a small two-layer or a full cake in a 9X13-inch pan. Slide the adjuster in the recipe if you’d like to make more!
Variations
- Flavor Extracts: Instead of vanilla extract, try this frosting with almond extract, peppermint extract, lemon extract, or rum extract. For bolder flavors, like citrus and mint, I would add half the amount, taste, then add a ¼ teaspoon at a time until you get a flavor you like.
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: You can make a chocolate version by replacing ¼ cup of the powdered sugar with cocoa powder.
- Strawberry Buttercream: Add a few teaspoons of strawberry powder to add a delicious berry flavor. To make the powder, blend freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. You can also do this with other freeze-dried fruit and berries too!
- Coffee Buttercream Frosting: You can enjoy this with coffee flavor by substituting 2 tablespoons of heavy cream for two tablespoons of strongly brewed coffee that has cooled. Alternatively, you can also add two tablespoons of instant coffee to the butter when mixing.
- Spices: Give your frosted desserts some warmth through the holidays by adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice to the frosting.
- Color It Up: Add a few drops of food coloring to your Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and top with sprinkles for birthday cakes or cupcakes. The best food coloring to use is gel food coloring because it will give you a bolder color and won’t water down your frosting at all.
Ideas to Use Buttercream Frosting
- Try using this Vanilla Buttercream Frosting in a Swiss Roll or make a layer cake with Classic Yellow Cake.
- Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to this buttercream frosting recipe and spread over baked Chocolate Brownies. Top with crushed peppermint candies to make easy festive holiday brownies!
- This Vanilla Buttercream Frosting goes just as perfectly with my Red Velvet Cupcakes as the classic cream cheese frosting.
- Add a bowl of softened frosting to a dessert platter for a sweet dip for snacks and treats pretzel sticks, vanilla wafer cookies, Oreos, Teddy Grahams, and more.
Related Recipes
More Amazing Easy Frosting Recipes
Photos used in a previous version of this post.
Made per recipe with 5 tablespoons of heavy cream a couple days before my son’s bday and set it in the fridge. It was very thick and sweet. The following day, I let it come to room temperature, added another teaspoon of vanilla, and another stick of butter. It
was perfect after that! Made this to go on a boxed yellow cake prepared using your box cake mix hack. My son loved his bday cake and it was gone the next day. Thanks for sharing!
Do you think half n half would work in place of heavy cream, or would that be too thin of a replacement?
You’re right Jess, it is not the ideal substitute and will affect the Creamy factor in the frosting BUT it will work when heavy cream is not available. Let us know how it turns out for you.
Correction: 2 lb bag is 7.5 cups, sorry. Typo.
Original comment:
This recipe says 6 cups (about 2 Ibs), but a 2 lb bag of powdered sugar is 8.6 cups. Do I go with 6 cups or the entire bag?
Go with 6 cups! Let us know how it turned out!
Do you leave butter out till room temp or just from fridge to bowl
It can be fridge to bowl.
is it possible to mix it by hand? i dont have an electric mixer
Once again a recipe of yours has become a new family favorite
Thank you Sabrina- I can finally make frosting ? yay
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah.
Hey there! Could I use a table spoon of brewed coffee to my butter cream frosting? Will the consistency of the frosting differ if I do so ?
You could definitely add it to make Coffee Buttercream. You might need to add additional powdered sugar to thicken it back up a little. Enjoy!
Hi! I have tried to make traditional buttercream frosting for years. Years. It either turns out too buttery, or too sugary – you know that cool sensation that confectioner sugar has? It’s that. I find this to be frustrating and like I am missing something. Any ideas?
Have you tried this recipe yet?
You say you like to make this frosting with a stand mixer and paddle but it shows a whisk in the pictures. Do you use a paddle or whisk? I am usually confused as to whether to use paddle or whisk. thank you
I used the whisk attachments for this frosting. Enjoy!
Hi…can you please tell what would cause my cakes to fall when they were so big and fluffy in the oven? I followed the recipe to a “T”
It can be hard to pinpoint at times what exactly could have caused this but over-mixing the batter causes air pockets that eventually fall. When you beat the eggs and butter together, do so on a more moderate speed vs high. I hope this helps for next time.
Great recipe. I don’t have any cream though. Any substitutes? Thanks!
You can try mixing butter with milk to create your own heavy cream. Good luck!
Once again I made this cake, I enjoyed making it. I made This cake today for tomorrow’s desert after dinner with friends on St. Patrick’s Day. I wanted to cut a piece for myself and try but it would not be the right thing to do ? .
I also made the buttermilk frosting I did try after frosting the entire ? cake very good.
Thank you for another great desert recipe.
Laurna C.
It’s truly a test in restraint to hold off having a piece, haha! So glad you enjoy the recipe so much.
This frosting is amazing! I made it on your Easy Vanilla Cake! Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Carla.
Does the butter need to be room temperature?
Yes
This was my first time making my own icing for my cupcakes and it was the the best decision ever! I love how easy and flavorful this icing was and it piped beautifully on my cupcakes. I did add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness and added food color to make mine pink. Everyone in my family loves them! Thanks!
Yay! So glad you decided to give it a try, Lori.
Hi, can I omit the sugar?
Thanks!
Hi Dana, I want to be helpful here, but I’m unsure of how you want to make the frosting without sugar. Can you tell me more about what you hope to substitute?
What type cake will this cover – two layer and/or 9X13 inch pan?
Yes 🙂
Love this! Could coffee be added to it? Im making chocolate cake and think itd make it way better 🙂 Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Sounds delicious!
Can we make it less sweet?
You can cut back on the sugar but you might need to cut back a bit on the liquid too. Hold back on adding the liquid to test the consistency. Hope this helps!
Hi, can I cut the buttercream recipe in half?
Absolutely. If you hover over the servings amount, a slider appears and you can adjust it and it will reduce or increase the ingredients.
I love a good classic recipe! Cannot wait to try it!
Enjoy!
Buttercream is my absolute favorite! Love how rich and creamy this is!
Thanks, Taylor!
Looks heavenly! I’m totally drooling over this goodness, gotta make this!
I hope you enjoy it!
This frosting is so perfect. This will be my new favorite!
Woohoo!
Absolutely love how easy this is! As someone who likes cakes this is a must-have
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This frosting is perfect for so many delicious desserts! So delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Steph!
This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!
Yay! You’re welcome, Kimberly!