Vanilla buttercream frosting — light, fluffy, and ready in minutes. It’s the kind of frosting that tastes like a bakery-style treat and turns any cake into something special.
It’s my go-to frosting for a vanilla birthday cake or for topping these soft vanilla cupcakes.
This vanilla buttercream frosting is the easiest and most reliable frosting you can make — soft, creamy, and ready in minutes. It’s the classic American buttercream everyone goes back to.
It’s much simpler than Swiss meringue buttercream but still fluffy and smooth, with a texture that’s perfect for piping or layering on any cake.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Super smooth & fluffy – never grainy, always creamy.
- Only 4 ingredients – quick, simple, consistent.
- Perfect for cakes & cupcakes – spreads easily and pipes beautifully.
★★★★★ “I’ve made it a couple of times and get so many compliments. It’s the perfect level of sweetness!”
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Ingredients you need
- Butter – Unsalted, softened, +80% fat.
- Powdered sugar – Icing/confectioners’ sugar only. No granulated sugar or it gets grainy.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (milk works in a pinch).
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean / paste for a stronger flavor.
Tips for the Best Results
- Soft butter — take it out 30 minutes before.
- Whip the butter well — 3–5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Sift the sugar — makes the frosting instantly smoother.
- Whip again after adding the sugar for that airy, whipped texture.
How to Make Buttercream Frosting
Whip softened butter in your mixer (whisk attachment) on high for 3–5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Add the sifted powdered sugar in batches, mixing on medium speed just until smooth.
Mix in the vanilla and heavy cream, then whip on high for about 5 minutes until the buttercream is thick, fluffy, and smooth.
How to Get a Super Smooth Buttercream
For a super-smooth finish, mix on low with the paddle (or a spatula) for 1–2 minutes to push out the air bubbles and make it silky.
My favorite trick: warm a small spoonful of buttercream in the microwave until just soft, mix it back in, and bring the whole bowl close to 23°C (73°F).
>> The texture becomes extra smooth — perfect for frosting a layer cake with clean, sharp edges.
5 Ways to Use This Buttercream
- Layer cakes & birthday cakes – Smooth, fluffy, perfect for frosting and filling tall cakes.
- Cupcakes – Pipes beautifully for swirls, rosettes, and decorative toppings.
- Cookie sandwiches – Ideal between two soft cookies for a sweet, creamy filling.
- Brownies & bars – Add a swirl of frosting on top for an easy upgrade.
- Piping designs – Clean borders, simple flowers, perfect stable swirls.
Buttercream Variations
- Nutty: Add pistachio paste (pistachio buttercream).
- Fruity: Mix in strawberry puree (strawberry buttercream) or raspberry compote (raspberry buttercream).
- Cookies: Fold in crushed Oreo for my Oreo buttercream frosting.
- Caramel: Add some salted caramel sauce for a buttery caramel buttercream.
- Chocolate: Mix in cocoa powder or melted chocolate for a classic chocolate buttercream (or black cocoa for a darker version).
Looking for more flavors? Check out my full collection of Buttercream Recipes.
Recipe Questions
Can I flavor this buttercream?
Yes! Add extracts, fruit purées, lemon zest, cocoa powder, or even melted chocolate.
Can I color this frosting?
Yes—gel food coloring works best because it keeps the texture smooth.
How long can it stay at room temperature?
A few hours is fine thanks to the sugar content. If it’s warm, keep it chilled.
How do I fix buttercream that’s too stiff after the fridge?
Let it soften at room temp, then re-whip. Warm a small spoonful in the microwave and mix it back in if you’re in a rush.
Why is my buttercream grainy?
It usually comes from unsifted sugar or not enough mixing. Beat it longer and use powdered sugar for a smooth finish.
More Buttercream Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!
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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes/ Frost 6-inch cake
Description
This creamy vanilla buttercream frosting is light, fluffy, and perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and layer cakes. Ready in minutes with simple pantry ingredients. (Yields enough to frost a 6-inch layer cake or decorate about 10 - 12 cupcakes)
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 350 g (3 ¼ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) heavy cream (full-fat)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 3–5 minutes until pale, fluffy, and creamy.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the sifted powdered sugar in 3–4 additions until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream, then beat on high speed for 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, light, and voluminous.
- Switch to a rubber spatula or the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 1–2 minutes to remove air bubbles and get a perfectly smooth buttercream.
- Use immediately on cakes or cupcakes, or refrigerate covered with plastic wrap.
Notes
Storage
- Keep the buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Before using, let it come back to room temperature and re-whip 1–2 minutes until smooth.
- You can freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then mix again to bring back the fluffiness.
Tips
- Always weigh your ingredients — buttercream is much more reliable with a scale.
- Whip long enough — this is what makes it fluffy and light.
- Always sift the sugar for a smooth frosting.
- Add the heavy cream slowly to control consistency.
- For an extra-smooth finish, mix 2 minutes on low speed with the paddle.
- Use soft but not melted butter for the best texture.
Other helpful info
- If the buttercream looks too thick, add 1–2 tsp heavy cream.
- If it’s too soft, place it in the fridge for 10 minutes, then re-whip.
- This frosting holds well for piping (roses, swirls, borders).It’s stable enough for layer cakes, cupcake swirls, and simple decorations.
- For a whiter color, use clear vanilla or add a tiny touch of purple gel to neutralize yellow tones.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: frosting, icing,
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Calories: 101
- Sugar: 23
- Sodium: 15
- Fat: 1
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 23
- Cholesterol: 3
Hello,
I would like to make a chocolate buttercream, how much chocolate should I add to this recipe? Should I use powdered or melted chocolate? Thank you for your answer
Hello, yes it's possible to make it in chocolate with melted chocolate or cocoa powder.
Hello can this frosting be put under sugar paste please?
Yes, it's a stable enough cream to fill a sugar-paste cake or as a covering frosting before applying the sugar paste.
Hello, if we keep the buttercream in the fridge, the day we want to use it to make cupcakes, do we have to beat it again? Thank you for your answer.
Yes, because it will harden in the fridge and to make it smooth you'll need to whip it with a mixer.
Really excellent, I followed it to the letter and it's perfect, thank you for your explanations.
Thank you very much for your feedback
I enjoyed it a lot, thank you very much.
Thank you very much for your feedback ❤️
Can we use don dairy whipping cream?
Hello yes, considering the small amount of whipped cream you don't risk messing up the recipe by using non-dairy whipped cream, just it must have a good percentage of fat equivalent to dairy whipped cream.
very good! makes a small batch would need to double for what i normally make in a batch. i added half a teaspoon of BN extract onto of the vanilla and it elevated it! oh and I replaced 10g of sugar with corn starch
This is a great icing
Not too sweet which made it great for my dulche de leche cake! Smooth whipped icing spread easily !
This is the perfect frosting recipe came out amazing!!
Love this recipe!!!
I’m baking a wedding cake, and the cake will be standing outside of the fridge for a bit of time. What vanilla buttercream recipe do you recommend. As well as what vanilla cake recipe. I need layers. Might be a 2 tier cake.
Thanks☺️
Hi, for a wedding cake that will be out of the fridge for a while, I'd recommend using either this American buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, or a chocolate ganache—these are all stable options at room temperature and great for a wedding cake that will be on display for a long time.
For the cake itself, you could use a Molly cake, a sponge cake, or a buttermilk cake, as they all work well for layered cakes and are sturdy enough for a two-tier design. Let me know if you need any more tips!
Came out great!
So good! Not too sweet!
I use this recipe all the time. I also add a softened block of cream cheese to the butter, whip it until light and fluffy then add powered sugar by the cupful until fluffy and add your vanilla and salt. It's yummy.
Hello,
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I have used it a couple times now and get so many compliments! It’s the perfect level of sweetness! Definitely my new go to!
Hello if I add a half cup of butter to the 1 cup of butter. How much more of the other ingredients do I add? (Heavy cream, confectioners sugar, vanilla extract)
Hi! If you add ½ cup more butter (so 1½ cups total), just increase the other ingredients by 50% as well:
• 525 g powdered sugar (about 4¾ cups)
• 120 ml heavy cream (½ cup)
• 3 tsp vanilla extract.
That way, you keep the same texture and flavor balance!
Can you use coconut cream instead of heavy cream?
Yes, you can use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. As long as it’s thick and full-fat (like canned coconut cream), the texture should stay the same. Just avoid using light or watery coconut milk, as that could affect the consistency.
How do I soften it again after being in the fridge overnight? I have a party in a few hours and am panicking.
Take it out of the fridge about 1–2 hours before you need it so it can come back to room temperature. The best trick if you’re in a rush is to take a small portion of the buttercream, warm it in the microwave just until soft, and then mix it back in. Re-whip everything and it will be smooth and fluffy again. Don’t worry, it comes back perfectly!
Hi! Can I use half and half or 2% instead of heavy cream or will it not turn out whipped? Thanks.
Hi! You can use half-and-half or 2%, but the frosting won’t whip up as fluffy.
Heavy cream gives the structure and volume. With a lighter milk, the buttercream will still work — just a bit softer and less airy.