Looking for the best buttercream icing recipe? Look no further. This easy buttercream frosting is light, fluffy, simple, delicious, and perfect on cupcakes, birthday cakes, and any type of cakes. Learn how to make buttercream icing from scratch.
Buttercream icing is the first frosting I learned to make because of its simplicity and versatility. It's the easiest frosting to make, goes with most types of cakes, and it's inexpensive.
This easy buttercream frosting recipe is what I've used for many years for piping on cupcakes, in sponge cake, filling birthday cakes, for crumb coating and covering before putting fondant on a cake, and much more. It's just so versatile.
It's my most-used type of icing, next to cream cheese frosting, which I'll be giving you the recipe for soon.
I have never used store bought buttercream as I always make mine at home, and I get light, fluffy, perfect buttercream that holds up even in hot weather.
This smooth buttercream recipe is very simple, and any beginner baker or professional should learn how to make it. It's suitable for homemade cakes like madeira cake, coconut cake, pound cake, and any other type of cake. It's egg-free and suitable for vegetarians.
Easy Buttercream Icing Recipe (Buttercream Frosting)
This Vanilla buttercream frosting recipe is easy, quick, and failproof. It's one you can use as a home baker or a professional baker.
I can confidently say this is the best buttercream icing recipe because it has never failed me. Here are other reasons why I think it's the best:
- You only need 3 simple ingredients plus any flavoring of choice.
- Cheap homemade frosting that won't break the bank. Inexpensive and delicious.
- It's quick, easy, and you can whip it up in just 10 minutes.
- Made with ingredients you can pronounce, you know what goes in it, and no artificial preservatives or sweeteners in it.
- You don't need heavy or expensive equipment to make it.
- You can make ahead and store for later.
Tools You'll Need
Weighing Scale- To measure the ingredients for accuracy.
Mixing bowl - Use deep one big enough to fit the frosting.
Electric mixer - Hand or stand mixer.
Spatula- To scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
Ingredients
The detailed ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Butter - Salted or unsalted. Bring it to room temperature before use, as soft butter makes the buttercream come out nice and fluffy.
Icing Sugar - Also called powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar. Caster or granulated sugar will not work for this recipe unless made into powdered sugar first.
Flavoring - You can use vanilla extract, lemon, strawberry extract or any flavoring of your choice.
Milk or heavy cream (optional) - Either of the two works fine. When I am not using heavy cream, I like to use whole milk.
How To Make Buttercream Icing
It takes less than 10 minutes to make this simple buttercream frosting. Here's how:
Measure out all the ingredients and leave the butter to soften or bring it to room temperature.
Add the butter in a mixing bowl, then usea hand or stand mixer to whip on high speed for about 1 minute or till the butter is light.
Add half of the icing sugar and mix on low speed for a minute till it comes together then add the remaining icing sugar.
Mix at low speed till it comes together, then add flavoring and milk. Whip on high speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
It's ready to use.
Variation
Lemon buttercream icing - Use lemon extract instead of vanilla extract. You can also add a teaspoon of lemon zest for citrusy lemon frosting.
Strawberry buttercream icing - Substitute strawberry extract for vanilla extract. For colour, add pink food coloring.
How to use buttercream
This frosting can be used on cupcakes and cakes such as
You can use for crumb coating, filling, and covering cakes before applying fondant.
How to store
Buttercream keeps well in the fridge and in the freezer. If you make it ahead or have leftover, put in a freezer bag, label, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, bring to room temperature, add to a mixing bowl and mix with a hand or stand mixer for 3 minutes or until it's fluffy.
If you put in the freezer, put in the fridge to thaw first before re whipping.
Tips
- If the icing sugar is lumpy, sift it before use.
- Use a deep mixing bowl that is big enough to fit in the buttercream.
- Whip the butter till light before adding the icing sugar.
- Use a bowl cover guard or towel to cover the bowl to trap in the icing dust and prevent it from going all over the place.
- Start mixing on low speed then increase to high speed after all ingredients are in the bowl.
- To make it lighter, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and whip till you get the consistency you desire.
- If you add too much milk to the buttercream and it gets runny, add a bit more icing sugar to thicken it.
- Adding food color? add it before adding milk especially if using liquid coloring.
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING FOR HOT WEATHER
To make stiff buttercream icing that will hold up in hot weather, this is the recipe I use and it works. I use this under fondant when I need stable buttercream to work with in hot weather and I get sharp fondant edges.
What I do is use a mix of Trex and butter at ratio 1:1. So if the recipe calls for 100g butter, I do 50g butter and 50g Trex.
Add Trex into the mixing bowl, mix with a hand or stand mixer for a minute then add butter, mix for another minute or two before adding powdered sugar and flavoring. Mix till fluffy and it's ready to use.
FAQ
Can I use margarine
Butter will produce the best buttercream because of its low water content and high fat however you can use margarine but do not use reduced fat margarine as it has more water content.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. You can double or triple this recipe to get the quantity you want.
How to thicken buttercream?
If you want a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar, add a little at a time till you get the consistency you desire.
How much buttercream for 8 inch cake?
This recipe will cover 8 inch cake that is 4 inch tall.
More Simple Recipes on the Blog
Chocolate buttercream frosting
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Recipe
Easy Buttercream Icing Recipe
Equipment
- Weighing Scale
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 220 g Butter
- 455 g Icing sugar powdered sugar or confectioners
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract lemon, strawberry or flavoring of choice
- 1.5 tablespoon Milk or heavy cream optional
Instructions
- Measure out all the ingredients and leave the butter to soften or bring to room temperature.
- Add the butter in a mixing bowl then use hand or stand mixer to whip on high speed for about 1 minute or till butter is light.
- Add half of the icing sugar and mix on low speed for a minute till it comes together then add the remaining icing sugar. Mix at low speed till it comes together then add flavoring and milk.
- Whip on high speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy then it's ready to use.
Video
Notes
- If the icing sugar is lumpy, sift it before use.
- Use a deep mixing bowl that is big enough to fit in the buttercream.
- Whip the butter till light before adding the icing sugar.
- Use a bowl cover guard or towel to cover the bowl to trap in the icing dust and prevent it from going all over the place.
- Start mixing on low speed then increase to high speed after all ingredients are combined in the bowl.
- If you want the buttercream lighter, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and whip till you get the consistency you desire.
- If you add too much milk to the buttercream and it gets runny, add a bit more icing sugar to thicken it.
- If adding food color, add before adding milk especially if using liquid coloring.
I was looking for a perfect lemon cake and I definitely was not disappointed. This recipe is truly as described light and delicious. I was lucky to find it. I bought a pattiserie book - used the recipe for a lime cake which was disappointing I looked for a lemon cake on line and found this. Please try it / it’s fabulous.
I find it helpful, thanks
Been watching the Great British Baking Show lately and felt inspired! First time making buttercream, made it blue with food coloring! It is delicious!
Well done and thanks for the feedback:)
Have a problem here in America, don't know metric system! So how many sticks is 220 g? And how many cups is 455 g?
This recipe was very helpful because it was my first time, thank you very much 🥰🤩
Glad to know this. You're welcome:)