This Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe makes the most creamy, smooth, and delicious frosting ever! With the perfect combination of butter and sugar, this amazing vanilla buttercream holds its shape beautifully so it’s perfect for piping even the craziest designs.
This easy vanilla buttercream frosting is perfect to decorate eggless cake, cupcakes, or to add a splash of fun to your sugar cookies. And don’t forget the sprinkles!
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe Highlights
It was about time I share my favorite and super Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe!
I know there are zillions of buttercream recipes on the internet, but I still receive many emails asking what recipe I used to make my eggless vanilla cake, my eggless cupcakes, or my eggless soft sugar cookies so I thought it would be a good idea to publish mine so you can have it handy anytime.
This Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe is super simple to make. No complications. No weird ingredients.
It’s creamy, smooth, and delicious! With the perfect combination of butter and sugar, this amazing vanilla buttercream holds its shape beautifully so it’s perfect for piping even the craziest designs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Sugar: To make buttercream you’ll need Confectioners’ sugar, also known as Powdered Sugar.
- Extract for Flavoring: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract. You can also play around with adding other flavors/extracts!
- Salt: Add a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness. I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Liquid to Adjust Consistency: You can use heavy cream, half and half, milk, or even water. Adding liquid is not always necessary. See recipe card for details.
STEP BY STEP RECIPE PHOTO TUTORIAL
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
1 – Cream the Butter: Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed, beat in a large bowl the unsalted butter until smooth, pale and creamy, about 5 – 8 minutes.
2 – Add Half of the Sugar: Reduce mixer speed to low. Add half of the confectioners’ sugar, and keep mixing until incorporated.
3 – Add the Other Half of Sugar: Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Once incorporated, beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4 – 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
4 – Adjust Consistency: Add the liquid (milk, heavy cream, or water) to adjust the consistency of the buttercream. It should be smooth and spreadable. Depending on how warm or cold your butter was at the beginning and your kitchen temperature, you will need to add 1 -2 tablespoons of liquid. In hot weather, I find myself not adding any liquid at all.
PRO TIP: If frosting is too thick, beat in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar.
American Buttercream Troubleshooting
Grainy Buttercream
If your buttercream looks grainy, add a little more liquid into the buttercream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not add too much liquid or it will split.
Airy Buttercream
When your buttercream is airy, you can fix it just by mixing it by hand with a rubber or silicone spatula, pressing towards the bowl’s walls to deflate the bubbles until smooth.
Broken Buttercream
When the buttercream looks split, in my experience, that means that the proportion of sugar and butter is off. To fix broken buttercream, try adding a bit more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, be sure to retest the buttercream with your spatula before adding more sugar.
Broken Buttercream vs Airy Buttercream
There is a difference between broken buttercream and airy buttercream. When your buttercream is airy, you can fix it just by mixing it by hand with a rubber or silicone spatula, pressing towards the bowl’s walls to deflate the bubbles until smooth. On the other hand, when the buttercream does not smooth after mixing it by hand, in my experience, that means that the proportion of sugar and butter is off. To fix broken buttercream, try adding a bit more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, be sure to retest the buttercream with your spatula before adding more sugar.
Variation You Can Apply to This Buttercream Recipe
The best thing about this recipe is that you can change it up to make different flavors of frosting. A few easy ways to change it up is to add different extracts like coconut, mint, almond, lemon, etc. You can also add finely grated lemon or orange zest. And of course, gel food coloring for a splash of color.
Check out my Strawberry Buttercream and Oreo Buttercream recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for 7 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Yes! Cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. To use, allow it to come back up to room temperature and beat again for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
Yes! Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
The buttercream keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
The buttercream keeps well at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To frost 12 cupcakes half this recipe. Meaning, 1 cup butter, 14 oz confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.
To frost a 2-layer cake, you need to follow this recipe exactly. Meaning, 2 cups butter, 28 oz confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
To frost a 3-layer cake, you need to increase this recipe by half. Meaning, 3 cups butter, 42 oz confectioners’ sugar, 5 tablespoons heavy cream, 3 teaspoons vanilla, and a 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
To frost 1 sheet-pan cake half this recipe. Meaning, 1 cup butter, 14 oz confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Tips To Make Smooth Buttercream
Make sure your butter is softened, but not too hot. You know it is right, when you press it, your finger makes an indent. Your finger shouldn’t look greasy or sink down into the butter.
Sieve the confectioners’ sugar to eliminate any clumps as these will not dissolve easily.
Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make it extra creamy. This also helps the buttercream to hold its shape.
If the buttercream looks too airy (bubbles), take a spatula and mix the buttercream by hand, pressing towards the bowl’s walls to deflate the bubbles until smooth.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store: Buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for 7 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Freeze: Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
How To Use Buttercream
- Swirl onto Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
- Frost onto Easy Eggless Soft Sugar Cookies
- Decorate an Eggless Vanilla Cake Recipe
- Fill Eggless Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
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Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (460 g) unsalted butter
- 28 oz (800 g – 6 1/2 cups ) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 – 3 tablespoons (30 – 45 ml) heavy cream, milk, or water
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed, beat in a large bowl the unsalted butter until smooth, pale and creamy, about 5 – 8 minutes.
- Add half of the confectioners’ sugar. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix until incorporated.
- Once incorporated, add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt; mix to incorporate.; beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4 – 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
- Test the consistency of your buttercream with a spatula. The buttercream should be smooth and spreadable. Adjust if needed: You can control the consistency at this point– If the buttercream is too thick, beat in the liquid of your choice, one tablespoon at a time. If frosting is too thin, add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar.
- If using food coloring, stir it in here at the end. Gel food coloring is my preference for vibrantly colored icing.
- Make sure your butter is softened but not too hot. You know it is right, when you press it, your finger makes an indent. Your finger shouldn’t look greasy or sink into the butter.
- Sieve the confectioners’ sugar to eliminate any clumps, as these will not dissolve easily.
- Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make it extra creamy. This also helps the buttercream to hold its shape.
- If the buttercream looks too airy (bubbles), take a spatula and mix the buttercream by hand, pressing towards the bowl’s walls to deflate the bubbles until smooth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in April 2019, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in April 2022.
It tastes amazing, although I feel a bit of sugar when I eat it.. I made sure to sieve the sugar but still I feel a bit of rough texture, any idea on how to fix this?
Hello Simran! It’s great to hear that you liked this recipe! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback. As for that slight sugary texture, I totally get where you’re coming from. Even with sieving, sometimes a bit of graininess can sneak in; that is a con with American buttercream. You can try to add more milk or reduce the amount of powdered sugar, equal parts of butter and sugar, but keep in mind that the texture will be different and won’t hold its shape as well as the full-sugar amount recipe. Hope this helps!
This recipe is one of my favourite icing recipes I’ve ever used. Just one question, how many cupcakes can you ice with this amount?
Hello Darsha! This recipe is enough to frost 24 cupcakes. I am glad this recipes is one of your fave! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
Really excited to try this recipe for my son’s (who is allergic to egg) 1st birthday! I’m planning to make your vanilla cake (as original recipe states) as his smash cake and 24 of your vanilla cupcakes for the guests. How many servings of the buttercream would you suggest for the cake and 24 cupcakes? Thanks!
Hello Channey! This recipe is enough for 24 cupcakes, in my experience. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Can I substitute vegan Butter in the frosting?
Hello Karen! Yes, you can use vegan butter. =)
This is a wonderful and versatile egg free vanilla icing recipe. I always use it for icing these days.
Hello Claire – I’m so glad you loved the frosting! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
Do you need to refrigerate the cake or cookies with this frosting on top?
Hello Sabrina, They can stay at room temperature for 2-3 days. If it’s hot and humid where you are, keep it in the fridge and bring it to room temp before serving. Hope that helps! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hi Orianna.. thx for this easy recipe. Can I use this butter cream to make design on the cake. How long can the design keep its shape at room temperature. I live in a very warm and humid environment and many a times the frosting/icing melts during transport or if kept for some time at room temperature. Seeking your advice. Rgds
Hello Priya! Yes, this buttercream is ideal to decorate cakes. If you live in hot weather, you might want to try my eggless swiss meringue buttercream (the recipe is in my cookbook, page 152) Hope that helps!