The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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A great buttercream frosting recipe is a must. This is the best buttercream frosting! Let me show you how to make buttercream frosting.

A delicious homemade buttercream frosting recipe is essential for every kitchen and every baker. This is the best buttercream frosting, you can use this as a homemade cake icing, for cupcakes, and more! There’s no better frosting to eat with a spoon when the mood strikes…there’s just something so indulgent and satisfying about butter frosting. Let me show you how easy it is to make!

I like to use it on my cakes or on my favorite cut-out sugar cookies for Christmas.

Ingredients needed for my buttercream frosting recipe:

Check out my notes below on why I use these specific 4 ingredients. If you want to make changes you can, you will just need to be aware of how substitutions will impact your final result, obviously. This is the best buttercream frosting, it’s versatile and also quite forgiving so do not be afraid to give it a try!

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Is this an American buttercream frosting?

This recipe is considered an American buttercream. American buttercream recipes are typically butter, sugar, and vanilla whipped together to create a simple but flavorful topping for all of our favorite baked goods.

There are other types of buttercream recipes out there though! There’s a Swiss Meringue Buttercream which is made by cooking egg whites and sugar in a double boiler. That mixture is then whipped until stiff peaks so that it can be used in a variety of recipes.

Another type of frosting is Italian buttercream. This type of buttercream is made with simple syrup which is added to the egg whites! The heat from the sugar syrup cooks the eggs and after they’re whipped to stiff peaks the frosting is ready. I may or may not be a bit partial to anything Italian!

How to make the best buttercream frosting:

This is where the fun starts! We’re going to make some delicious buttercream frosting that will elevate every dessert that comes out of your kitchen…okay so maybe only the ones that benefit from frosting! Still, at the end of the day, everyone needs an incredible homemade frosting recipe that they can count on to come out perfectly every time, this is that recipe!

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy and smooth
2. Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl – this step is optional, although it makes the frosting smooth and easier to mix
3. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream
4. Add vanilla extract and beat well
5. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Let come to room temperature before using

Tips for making the perfect butter frosting:

My first tip is about the vanilla extract! Using clear vanilla extract will keep the buttercream super white. You can also use regular vanilla extract if you are not concerned with the tint/coloring of your homemade buttercream frosting.

Next up we have to discuss the consistency. Depending on the final consistency of your buttercream frosting you might want to adjust. It’s easy to thin or thicken this frosting recipe. Just add more powdered sugar or more heavy whipping cream until you reach the perfect piping or spreading consistency.

Do I have to use heavy whipping cream?

Using heavy whipping cream will give the buttercream frosting recipe a stiffness that is great for decorating, however, you can also use milk instead of cream!

If you don’t have heavy whipping cream on hand but you still want to make a batch of this amazing frosting, don’t let that stand in your way. Use milk instead and adjust the sugar to make it the perfect consistency.

Can I use this as a homemade cake icing?

This butter frosting can be used for just about anything! You can use it for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more. I love it on my Watermelon Cupcakes.

The thing about this frosting is that it’s so delicious you’ll be looking for reasons to use it on all your favorite baked goods.

Will I be able to pipe this frosting onto my desserts?

Absolutely, this frosting pipes nicely for cupcakes, decorating cakes, and more. You can use a wide variety of tips with this buttercream frosting; I’m partial to the 1M from Wilton and a large round tip. It just looks so perfect piled up on top of an amazing cupcake recipe!

How to flavor this buttercream:

I like to use the vanilla for a classic American buttercream frosting flavor. You can use another type of flavor or extract if you are looking for a flavored buttercream. Sometimes I make it strawberry flavored like in my Easy Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.

Citrus flavors like orange are good, another awesome idea is adding peppermint extract; it’s a fun twist for your holiday dessert recipes. I like to put a twist on it sometimes and make Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting.

Enjoy!

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