Easy American Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This easy American buttercream is thick, smooth, and creamy with a classic vanilla flavor. It uses less powdered sugar than many traditional recipes and works well for piping cupcakes, decorating mini cakes, and frosting layer or sheet cakes
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Ingredients
- 4 sticks unsalted butter softened (454 g)
- 5 cups powdered sugar 565 g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or clear vanilla
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt Omit if using salted butter
Instructions
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping several times to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. The butter should become smooth, creamy, and noticeably lighter in color.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt if using, and 1 tablespoon of whole milk. Start the mixer on low speed so the powdered sugar stays in the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are combined.
- The frosting should be thick, smooth, and able to hold its shape. If it feels too stiff, add the remaining milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach the consistency you want.
- For an extra-smooth buttercream, keep the head of an immersion blender completely submerged in the frosting and slowly work it through the buttercream until the larger air bubbles disappear.
- Use the frosting right away for cupcakes, mini cakes, layer cakes, or sheet cakes, or transfer it to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
This recipe makes approximately 1,050 g of buttercream, which is enough to generously frost about 12 mini cakes, depending on how much frosting you use.
Use properly softened butter. The butter should give slightly when you press it but should still feel cool and hold its shape. Butter that is too warm can make the frosting loose.
Salted or unsalted butter both work. I used unsalted butter in my bakery, but if salted butter is what you have on hand, use it and leave out the added salt.
Add the milk slowly. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more only if you need it. A teaspoon can make a noticeable difference in the consistency.
Don’t rush the first mixing step. Beating the butter for about 5 minutes before adding the powdered sugar is one of the keys to getting a lighter, smoother frosting.
Use an immersion blender for an extra-smooth finish. Keep the blender head completely below the surface so you remove air instead of adding more.
Use gel food coloring for the best results. Gel color lets you get stronger colors without thinning the frosting.
Keep buttercream cool in warm conditions. Because this frosting is made with real butter, it will soften as temperatures rise.
