Perfect American Buttercream Frosting
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Elevate your desserts with the perfect American buttercream frosting recipe!
This classic frosting is a staple in bakeries and home kitchens alike, known for its rich flavor, creamy texture, and versatility. Whether you’re piping intricate designs or simply spreading a smooth layer on your favorite cake, this recipe will deliver flawless results every time!
Our most requested recipe finally has its own post: our signature American buttercream frosting!
We’ve been getting so many recipe requests about our go-to frosting recipe, and we’re so excited to finally share it with you. This creamy, delicious buttercream is perfect for any occasion, from birthdays to weddings. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this homemade frosting! 😉🧁
Gather Your Ingredients
When it comes to the ingredients found in buttercream frosting, each recipe will hardly be any different. The real difference? Well, that’s found in the ratio of ingredients (the amounts used!). After literal years of testing and development, I’m here to tell you that this formula works EVERY time!
- Butter: You can’t have buttercream without butter! We recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, sweetens and adds stability.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds just the right amount of sweet vanilla flavor.
- Whole Milk Makes the frosting oh-so smooth, spreadable, and pipable.
- Salt: Offsets some of the sweetness and adds an extra depth of flavor.
This recipe also is the starting point for SO many of our flavored frostings. Our most popular is definitely our strawberry buttercream frosting!
But if you’re looking for something lighter and less sweet, I recommend making our Chantilly cream.
⊹ Quick Tip! ⊹
Remember to use room temperature butter for this recipe.
How to Make American Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
American buttercream is much easier to make than almost any other frosting recipe. Here’s how to make it:
- Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Use a stand mixer and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add milk and vanilla extract. Start one a low speed and gradually increase to medium-high until the mixture is light and fluffy. If your frosting seems too thick, you can add a splash of milk to help loosen it. If it’s a bit too runny, add a little bit of confectioners sugar until desired consistency is achieved.
- Mix in salt. Add a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness!
From mixing to decorating in less than 10 minutes. So quick and SO simple!
Decorating With American Buttercream
American buttercream is such a versatile frosting that lends itself to countless decorating techniques! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this creamy frosting can be piped, spread, or eaten right off the spoon. 😉
Here are a few ideas on how to use this frosting:
- Piping: American buttercream is ideal for piping simple swirls, intricate designs, and even patterns. These Ateco piping tips are some of my absolute favorites!
- Coloring: American buttercream can be easily tinted with food coloring to create any desired hue.
- Spreading: For a clean, polished look, use an offset spatula to smooth the buttercream onto your cake or cupcakes.
Remember, the key to successful decorating is practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun with different techniques. With a little patience and creativity, you can create stunning desserts that are sure to impress!
Ways To Use Buttercream (And Fun Flavors!)
This recipe can be used to frost a variety of baked goods and can be infused with countless flavors to suit any taste!
- Classic Cakes: Vanilla buttercream is the perfect companion for classic cakes like vanilla, chocolate, or even red velvet.
- Cupcakes: Dress up your vanilla cupcakes with a swirl of homemade buttercream or try spreading it on some chocolate cupcakes.
- Cookies: Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top of these lofthouse-style cookies for a delicious and indulgent treat.
- Donuts: Who doesn’t love a frosted donut? Whether they are fried vanilla doughnuts or baked cinnamon donuts, this frosting will always be delicious.
Need something a little more flavorful than just vanilla? Here are some of our favorites:
More Frosting Recipes:
When you make this American Buttercream Frosting recipe, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy baking!
x, Caylie
Perfect American Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
- ⅝ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the flat beater (k beater, paddle attachment), combine butter and powdered sugar.
- Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Add vanilla and milk.
- Beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Notes + Tips!
- Important Note: Use room temperature butter (about 70℉/21℃).
- Quantity: This recipe should make enough to frost 10-14 cupcakes, depending on how much frosting you pipe/spread onto each cupcake. This recipe should also be enough to frost a thin layer onto a 9×13 sheet cake.
- Powdered Sugar: If your sugar is lumpy, we recommend sifting it 1-2x before using.
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
– Still Hungry? –
Here are a few recipes may like!
If using this for your funfetti layer birthday cake, should I double the recipe?
Hi Joyce! Thanks for asking. Doubling this recipe will give you roughly an extra 3/4 cup of buttercream. If you would like extra frosting to decorate your cake, go ahead and double it! But, if you’re just looking to fill + frost the cake, the recipe for the amount of buttercream we used is in the recipe card for our funfetti cake. Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions 😊 x, Caylie