This is the best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe that you are going to find! This easy to make vanilla buttercream recipe tastes just like the frosting you get at a bakery!
Buttercream frosting recipe
This buttercream frosting recipe gives you a light, fluffy and delicious bakery style buttercream frosting that is perfect for decorating cakes or cupcakes! On top of it being delicious, you can whip this bakery buttercream frosting recipe up in just a few minutes!
If you are wondering What is the perfect recipe for buttercream frosting?, you are in luck! This is the most perfect light and fluffy frosting recipe you are going to find! And it has the perfect buttercream frosting flavor!
The BEST Buttercream Frosting
This is the only Vanilla buttercream frosting recipe I will use and have used it for years (it has been on the blog for years too!). Every time I make a cake or cupcakes with this buttercream frosting everyone is always asking me for the recipe.
Seriously this is the best buttercream frosting recipe to use if you are wanting to make cupcakes or cake. I don’t just say that – over the years the comments and repins have spoken for themselves (Over 100,000!). I just recently updated the photos for this amazing buttercream frosting recipe so they were prettier but this bakery style homemade buttercream frosting recipe hasn’t changed a bit!
This is the best buttercream frosting that you can make at home and have everyone thinking you went to a bakery because the flavor is amazing. This buttercream icing recipe is one that will remind you of that amazing bakery buttercream frosting that you love.
Uses For Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
You can use this homemade Buttercream icing on top of cakes, cupcakes, of course but it also makes an amazing filling for stuffed cookies and other desserts too!
Check out some of these tasty desserts that use buttercream frosting!
- Cookies and Cream Cookie Sandwich
- Birthday Cake Cookie Sandwiches
- Funfetti Cookie Sandwich
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich
Decorating with Homemade Buttercream Frosting
This homemade buttercream frosting is perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes. It is the perfect texture to spread on a cake and also the perfect texture to pip on cupcakes with a piping bag. You can get vibrant colors really easily also with this buttercream frosting recipe.
How to Color Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Coloring frosting is easy to do. All you need is a few drops of food coloring that you will add in to the buttercream frosting after you are done the first mixing.
I highly recommend using gel food coloring. The liquid food coloring I find adds to much liquid to the buttercream and makes it kind of soggy.
Change the Flavors of Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
The great thing about this homemade buttercream recipe is that you can easily change the flavor from Vanilla buttercream to any other flavor you want to.
All you have to do is use a different flavored extract like almond extract or peppermint extract instead of the vanilla extract. This buttercream frosting can be used as the base to make many different flavors of buttercream.
Looking for more frosting recipes? Check these out and don’t miss this awesome list of cupcake frosting recipes including:
- Chocolate Buttercream
- Blackberry Buttercream Frosting
- Pink Lemonade Frosting
- Peanutbutter Buttercream Frosting
- Mint Buttercream
- Caramel buttercream
- Raspberry buttercream
- Mocha buttercream
Why Does buttercream have shortening in it?
I know when people think of buttercream frosting they think that it is fully made with buttercream and are shocked to see shortening as an ingredient. Shortening is important to use when you are making buttercream because it is a fat and you need fat in your buttercream to make it perfect.
You need the extra fat to make the buttercream light and fluffy and useable for decorating cakes and cupcakes. If you were to only use butter you would end up with a texture that is not good to work with.
On top of that reason, if you were to only butter and not use the shortening then you are going to end up with a very greasy, very heavy buttered flavor frosting.
Shortening is a tasteless fat, that gives the extra fat needed but without giving a heavy butter flavor. We want to be eating frosting, not feel like we are eating a stick of butter. 😉
Making Cakes at Home
I love making homemade cakes and cupcakes for my family’s birthdays instead of going to the store to get one. I find that they taste so much better and they are much fresher too.
I love the ability to make them however I want to. If you are nervous about making the switch to making a homemade cake vs a store bought cake for birthdays don’t be. It really is not as scary as it sounds.
You really just need an amazing frosting and amazing cake. Both of which are really easy to make at home! When I am in the mood for quick and easy I use this trick for how to make box cake better.
Using those tricks I am able to make a boxed cake taste homemade, when I am making cupcakes and cakes. However I do normally try to make sure I have the time to make a from scratch cake because I do prefer them.
When I make a cake I like to decorate it. Sometimes I go simple and sometimes I go all out it all depends on my mood. This is my favorite cake decorating set to use when I am decorating cakes. It comes with icing bags and lots of different icing bag tips so you can pick which style you want your frosting to be when you are decorating your cakes.
To make life easier when decorating a cake, having a cake stand, will help a lot. You can easily spin the cake while you are decorating.
Looking for Cake Ideas? Check these out!
Making Cupcakes at home with Buttercream Frosting
Making cupcakes at home is super easy to do, and just like when you are making a homemade cake, the frosting is one of the most important things! This homemade frosting is also perfect for piping frosting on to cupcakes with!
Looking for awesome cupcake flavors? Check these out!
- chocolate cupcakes
- vanilla cupcakes
- strawberry cupcakes
- Peanut Butter cupcakes
- Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Cupcake Decorating Tips
If you have never decorated cupcakes, be sure to check out these posts to help you. I promise you that it is super easy to have bakery fancy cupcakes made at home in your kitchen!
- How to get a perfect cupcake swirl
- Easy Way to Fill a pastry bag
- How to Swirl multiple Flavors of Frosting
Supplies You need to Frost a Cake
- Mixer– This is the one I use
- Frosting bags
- Frosting Decorator set
- Angled Spatula
Tips for Making amazing buttercream
Make sure your butter is room temperature. Do NOT put it in the microwave to soften, put it on the kitchen counter and soften.
Use the paddle handle on your mixer when you are mixing your frosting.
Be sure you are putting the confectioners sugar in slowly, other wise you will end up with a big mess of the confectioners sugar spewing out of your mixer.
Homemade Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Butter
- Shortening
- Vanilla Extract
- Confectioners sugar
- hot water
How to make Buttercream Frosting
Making homemade buttercream frosting is SUPER Easy.
I use my kitchenAid mixer when making this easy buttercream frosting, but if you do not have a stand mixer then you can use a hand mixer . Either one will do the job, but I prefer using the stand mixer.
In your mixer’s bowl mix butter and shortening.
Then add in the confectioners sugar and mix it little bit little until the sugar is incorporated into the butter/shortening mixture.
Add in the vanilla extract and hot water.
Continue mixing the buttercream for 10 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Bakery Style Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup of shortening
- 2 pounds confectioners sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place your butter and shortening together in the bowl of your mixer. Mix them together on medium speed until they are nice and creamy.
- Turn the mixer down to the lowest setting and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar into the shortening mixture.
- Once you have added all the powdered sugar in to your mixture, add in the vanilla extract and then the hot water.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue mixing for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.
- The buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you bring it out of the refrigerator let it sit at room temperature for two hours. Then re-whip it for ten minutes to bring it back to life.
Nutrition
16 Weight Watchers SmartPoints per serving on the Freestyle Program
More Frosting Recipes you will love!
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I made this last night for some cupcakes. Easy and tasted great! Thanks!!
Does this taste like butter or like crisco? Is it overly sweet?
No its a perfect blend of the two fats so it doesn’t taste like one or the other. It is an American style buttercream so it is on the sweet side but it always seems to be a crowd pleaser.
It is on the sweet side but adding a tsp or so of salt helps to cut the sweetness.
Hello,
Is it really 2 POUNDS of confec sugar that seems like alot
yes it is 2 pounds and sounds like a lot but when you mix it in its not.
I would use the 2 pounds of p sugar but I’ve never heard of adding hot water! This is new to me
I used to make cakes and always added hot water to my buttercream.
I love this recipe and would love to add homemade toffee sauce, would I do his just prior to mixing it for the 10mins?
This is the best buttercream! This is the only recipe I use. It’s great for piping and filling. How would you recommend turning it into chocolate? I dare do nothing without your advice. Thank you:)
I use this one 🙂 https://www.midgetmomma.com/2014/08/25/chocolate-frosting/
How much does this make? I need to ice two giant cake sized cupcakes and about 2 dozen regular cupcakes. Also does this keep if i need to use it a week apart in the fridge? Or do you recommend making it fresh?
this will keep in the fridge for that long which makes it easier then making it twice and if you are doing 2 giant cakes and 2 dozen cupcakes id triple the batch (what size are the cakes?)
Can i substitute marg. In place of real butter.
It will not taste the same.
I have a kitchenaid mixer also but where did u get that plastic piece so the powdered sugar doesn’t fly everywhere! ?
mine came with it but you can get it on amazon too 🙂 http://amzn.to/1Qlw8Hx
the plastic thing looks great, but an alternative is to wet a towel, and rig it out so it is damp, then all you have to do is drape it over the mixer, make sure the towel is large enough to cover the whole mixer.
My splash guard came with the mixer, but that was 25-30 years ago. They don’t come with them anymore. Shame on them. They are wonderful. I’v ordered several mixers and none of them have come with the splash guard.
I actually just got my mixer from Kohl’s in February and it came with the splash guard too!! So I think it depends on where you buy from!
Mine came with a splash guard, but the sugar still flies out. I like better to surround it with plastic wrap.
Please don’t call it buttercream… buttercream doesn’t contain shortening. This is a 50s hybrid of buttercream that isn’t much like the real thing.
This is an an american buttercream, which can contain shorting if you would like one that doesn’t have shorting that you can look up a Italian or French butter cream.
A true buttercream doesn’t contain shortening. American buttercream uses powdered sugar. I think you are talking about Italian, French, or Swiss Meringue buttercream, that uses granulated sugar.
The Wilton method uses shortening in their buttercream. It is a stabilizer. I am a Professional baker and a senior in Pastry school. You try different methods as bakers in order to get the best results. I will try this one to see if I can decorate will it.
What is shortening? I keep seeing it in most of the recipes but herein the UK we use butter, icing sugar, & a little milk & flavouring.
American buttercream can contain shortening. I’m a baker and own a bakery.
This recipe contains shorting.
This is American Buttercream. Italian Buttercream is considered the best and is not made with powdered sugar. I know this from my baking classes in Culinary School. Italian Buttercream isn’t overly sweet either.
Hi, what is shortening?? I’m not english. Can’t find a translation.
thankx
Look up Crisco online
100% vegetable fat
There’s NOTHING better to finish up a delicious moist cake than a tasty smooth creamy Butter Cream icing! That recipe looks so easy, and the finished result looks so good, that I can actually taste it!! YUMMM!!!! 🙂
Will this icing crust after setting out for 5 to 10 mins? Im needing a buttercream recipe that crust so I can decorate a cake. But im wanting to make it smooth with the paper towel trick i seen
This is perfect for the paper towel trick.
I would love to know the paper towel trick
Watch the chef terault on youtube. He demonstrates the paper towel method on smoothing a cake
I’m trying to find a super sweet buttercream like the ones in the walmart bakeir any ideals or is this like that
Sorry this is not as sweet as that stuff.
I made icing for a cake decorating class I’m taking. I thought it tasted just like walmart icing. It was pretty much this recipe except it does not have butter. But it has the shortening, confectioners sugar, boiling water and vanilla. Make sure to use clear vanilla flavoring so your icing will be white.
If using butter in the frosting how long can a cake sit out in room temperature? I currently use a buttercream recipe that calls for shortening and meringue powder in stead of butter. So I usually will do the cake up the night before. I would really like to try this it might taste better. If I want your icing to crust up do I just ad meringue powder? I cover most of my cakes with fondant. Thanks for any advice you may have. 🙂
It can stay out for a whole week. I have never added meringue powder.
Hi there, what is the best way to make the frosting red? I’m thinking I would need quite a bit of red food coloring to keep it from being pink which may change the consistency? Also, will a hand mixer work just as well?
Thank you…
You will want to use a no taste red gel food dye like from Wilton.
Also Americolor Tulip is very good. Color takes fast too
Can you use food coloring
yes you can just add the drops in once it is mixed 🙂
HI, is this icing a white white? I would like to use it on a wedding cake.
Thanks
If you want white white, you need to use all Crisco, no butter, along with clear vanilla.
I actually make my frosting like this and it is very white. I use almond extract, instead of vanilla, though, so it has wedding cake flavor. But, it’s not a yellowish icing at all. It is very much white.
What is the paper towel trick?
Using a paper towel to smooth crusted buttercream on a cake so it looks like fondant.
I am so glad I found this recipe. My son asked me to make his wedding cake last November. I tried this and it was perfect. Easy to make, no fail, and keeps really well. Very easy to work with when icing cakes. The cake was a huge success!
I just made this recipe and it came out thick an greasy..what did I do wrong? I did half the recipe…is that way? Help!
You probably didn’t beat it long enough. Beat the butter and Crisco for several minutes, before adding the powdered sugar. And when the directions say to beat 10 minutes on med-high, they mean it. Set your timer. Makes all the difference.
Just add more sugar to cut the grease.
Can you use a hand mixer with this recipe?
Thanks
Yes, but you might smell the motor getting hot. It is taxing on a hand mixer.
Yes you may
I use milk, instead of water.
Where did you find the pink mixer and pink cups you see in the pictures? Thanks!
I would like to try this. is the point of using the hot water? 🙂
How hot is the hot water in your frosting?
I get the water as hot as it will come out of my faucet.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I’d like to know this, too!
unsalted
Is the vegatable shortening liquid or solid ?
solid like crisco
Do you think this would work on sugar cookies or should I find something else? I’m definitely going to make this for a cake but need one for cookies
this is the one i use when making cookies https://www.midgetmomma.com/royal-icing-recipe/
This is a fabulous, perfect frosting!!! It piped beautifully, and tastes great. This will be my new go-to for decorating. Thank you !
Can i use heavy cream instead of water?
Yes you may.
Why do you use hot water instead of milk and how exactly do you do the paper towel trick?
I find it works better for a crusting buttercream. If you google paper towel trick you can find some great videos on how to do it.
Hello I have question is it unsalted butter or salted butter ?? I would love to make it soon
Unsalted
Thank you
Wondering if this icing freezes well?
I have frozen it and it turned out well.
Hi! I have made this before and I love it!! It pipes so nicely and holds so well! I have tried many frosting recipes and this is the best so far!
I was wondering if I could add raspberry preserves to this recipe? Or do you think it would change the consistency? I’m making mini mouse cupcakes for my daughters 2nd birthday and wanted pink frosting but thought it would be fun to make it raspberry flavoured!
You you can but I would add the preserves before you add the water. Than just add as much water as you need for the right consistency.
ABout how much does the recipe yield and how is it for piping decorations?
It makes about 7 cups. It is my favorite recipe for piping!
Do you think this would be enough to cover a half sheet cake and leave some for piping? If not should i consider doing 1.5 of the recipe or double?
i would do 1.5 to be on the safe side
I made this frosting today. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I had to add more hot water to get the right consistency. I thought I mixed it for a long time but it was on the firm side. Made it difficult to ice the cake sides. But I loved the taste and it looked good. No one knew I had trouble icing it. What did I do wrong.
I’m not sure what you had done wrong, I’m sorry. The reason that this frosting could come out too thick is if the water wasn’t hot enough, it was not mixed long enough, there was to much sugar add. I wish I could help you more but I wasn’t there when you had made it so this would be my best guesses. I hope this might help. I’m glad no one was able to tell u had troubles.
Thank you so much for your suggestions. Will try again. It was good.
Good luck, let me know how it turns out.
I have tried different variations of frosting, but mine always comes out gritty. What am I doing wrong?? I can never seem to get the right piping consistency either. I’m about to give up 🙁
You may want to add extra mixing time when you are mixing in the sugar. Are you using a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
You may want to add extra mixing time when you are mixing in the sugar. Are you using a stand mixer or a hand mixer?
It is such a good recipe
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Just a reminder that butter is a “potentially hazardous food” and anyone ServSafe trained would not leave the completed icing out for more than a couple of hours to prevent the possibility of foodborne illness.
You are able to leave butter out on the counter for up to two weeks.
This buttercream frosting is the best ever! Mine turned out perfect. The last time I tried buttercream it was a disaster. When I made this, it was light, fluffy and creamy. Beautiful. Because I wasn’t sure if it was going to turn out, I waited to make the cupcakes. By the time I made the cupcakes and they cooled about two hours had passed before I began to frost them. The frosting didn’t seem to want to “stick” to the cupcakes.
Should I have put more hot water in the frosting because I waited? Obviously I am new to “frosting” with buttercream. Can you please advise? Thanks. Oh, I had a hard time getting it through the decorator tips too. ?
You would want to add more hot water next time to thin it out and also let it mix a little longer next time. Good luck next time, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
What would I need to do to frost cupcakes???
***10 cupcakes***
https://www.midgetmomma.com/how-to-create-a-cupcake-icing-swirl/
I made this frosting and it tasted really really buttery. It didn’t taste right.
I’m sorry it didn’t come out right for you. I surprised it tasted butter with all this sugar in it.
Best buttercream I’ve made so far!!!!
IM glad you like it~!
I am far from being a great baker tho I wish I was. I’ve tried numerous times to bake a homemade cake just to dump it in the trash lol. The one thing that always turns out is my butter cream icing. I’ve made it this way for years. I’ve even used it on my sugar cookies. Best icing!!
I made this following recipe and made a second batch using all butter, no shortening. I liked all butter best …also need to add more liquid or it is too hard to pipe with Russian tips.
I made this and it was perfect. It definitely requires the 10 minutes of mixing. I added just a bit more water to make it a little thinner in consistency.
Im so glad you liked it.
Your recipe calls for 2 lbs of confectionary sugar. How much does that convert into sifted cups?
Then does the cake go into the fridge for the icing to crust over? Thanks so much for any help.
It’s a hard conversion because one pound is about 3.63cups so it doesn’t go over easily but you can just buy the two pound bag or two of the one pound boxes and you don’t have to measure it out. If you are doing a crumb coat on your cake you can apply a thin layer of the buttercream then place the can in the fridge till it sets.
Hi,
I would like to try this…is it the same as a birthday cake where it the borders are slightly stiff? Or is it a whipped creme consistency?
This has a stiff consistency
Hi I was wondering if this would hold up in summer humid heat where it’ll probably be out for a couple hours? (Ceremony and reception is in the same outdoor space)
Or is there a better buttercream one for it?
It should hold up depending on just how hot but this was the same buttercream i used at my work and we make cakes for weddings outside.
This is my new go to buttercream! Delicious!
Is this a crusting buttercream? If it is, do you have a recipe that doesn’t crust?
yes it is
Could you use butter flavor crisco?
You could but I would not substitute the butter for this it would not give you the same flavor or texture.
I just made this for my cake for Christmas, it turned out GREAT! Just what I was looking for to put on my cake. I have done very little piping but I’m going to give it a try. Wish me luck!
Im glad you like it and watch some youtube videos they have lots of help piping tips.
Can this recipe be halved?
yes i do that all the time
How well does this recipe hold color if using for decorating?
It is the only recipe I have used for years when decorating any cakes and it holds colors really well.
Can you add cocoa powder to this?
I haven’t tried that but I always make this chocolate buttercream and it is amazing! https://www.midgetmomma.com/bakery-style-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/
This is the best frosting!!!! I added a little amaretto for flavoring.I only did 1/2 the recipe and now I wish I would of done the whole. 🙂 thank you
Halved the recipe, added 1/2 c melted chocolate instead of vanilla and it tastes amazing!!
Will this Frost and simple trim decoration on a double layer 9 inch round cake ?
yes
Could i use only have of the powdered sugar? or will it change the consistency?
You may use powder sugar and it will work
Does the butter have to be salted butter or can it be salt free butter?
I normaly use salt free but i have used salted.
This will be my first time making buttercream frosting. For the butter, should it be salted or unsalted?
I normaly use salt free but i have used salted
I just learned (from watching Duff Goldman from Charm City Cakes) that the reason he does not use shortening in his frosting is because shortening has a higher melt point than butter, so when you eat frosting with both butter and shortening, the heat of your mouth melts the butter but not the shortening, so the shortening coats your taste buds therefore reducing your ability to fully taste what you are eating. This is why I don’t use shortening in my frostings anymore. Just something to think about and make your own choices. 🙂
Your welcome to use all butter in the recipe but I like to use half and half because the flavor of all butter is just too rich for most people.
Using both shortening and butter makes it so the powdered sugar isn’t overwhelming! I have been making mine the same way for years. But I used warm milk instead of hot water.
Could you use lard? Would lard also give that greasy feeling in your mouth?
I’m sorry, I haven’t tried yet. If you try it let us know how it turns out.
I used this recipe today for my son’s birthday cake. I’ve been making all-butter buttercream for years and its always been too sweet. This recipe was perfect and held up great with gel food color. I don’t understand why people say they get a greasy feeling in their mouths, I didn’t experience that at all. This will now be my go-to recipe for all of our family’s birthday cakes. Thank You!
I made the butter cream today. It is delicious and it came out perfect! This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for sharing😀
I’ve always used 1/2 Shorting and 1/2 butter. It makes it a little sweet but not over whelming. It also makes it fluffier. Learn this from my Grandma when I was a kid. But do not use lard. It ruins the flavor
Why do you use hot water instead of cold?
it melts into the frosting to help it mix in.
This is the perfect recipe . The addition of shirrrjing actually lightens the frosting- using all butter makes a heavier frosting.
What type of shortening do you use?
crisco
Delicious, closest to bakery frosting that I have been longing for. I like the 1/2 & 1/2. I agree the all butter flavor can be overwhelming & the frosting too dense. I added a dash of salt when mixing & a bit more vanilla.
This frosting has a light texture and more to my liking.
There are very few bakeries where I live and find most Grocery store cakes frosting just tastes greasy.
Thank you for the recipe! I am making my own Birthday cake due to the Corona virus. A vegan lemon loaf cake with your frosting a center layer of raspberry preserves and I will risk going out for some fresh berries to serve with it!
The recipe is great, but I found using the vanilla which is my preference, made the frosting
Not so white, is there anything I can do to change it.?
you can get a clear vanilla at a craft store
how do I change the flavor of the frosting. I would like to do lemon and orange flavors for easter cookies
extracts
Hello will any mixer work ? Probably stupid question but wasnt sure if it has to be a stand mixer
any mixer
Mine turned out good but a little gritty can you tell me why?
Did you use confectionery sugar? Maybe you need to mix it longer didn’t I’m not sure I’ve never had it gritty
I read somewhere that I should sift the confectioners sugar first. What do you think?
But it was very good icing! Thank you!
I just this recipe at the bakery and never sifted the sugar you can but I don’t think it makes a difference with this.
Can I substitute milk for water or evaporated milk?
yes you can but hot water gives the best texture because it melts some of the fat to make it lighter.
Why is there no cream in this frosting??
This makes it so bakeries can leave it out at room temperature without it spoiling.
This is so bakeries can have it shelf-stable and leave it out on the counter without it spoiling.
Hello. I’m making two 6in with two layers each should I double or triple this? Thank you.