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This fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting is rich, creamy, and ready in a few minutes with a mixer. It’s an all-butter American buttercream made with salted butter, which gives the sweetness a little balance.
You can adjust the consistency to suit what you’re frosting. Add a little more milk or cream when you want it soft enough to spread over a cake, or use more powdered sugar when it needs to hold a piped swirl on cupcakes.
Spread this vanilla buttercream over my chocolate cake, keeping the cream cheese filling between the layers. You can also use it in place of the chocolate frosting on my yellow cake.
All-Butter Frosting for Piping and Spreading
Keeps like a champ: Make it ahead, stash it in the freezer, and your future self will thank you.
Rich, buttery base: Two cups of butter give this frosting its rich flavor and creamy texture.
Totally adjustable: Use more sugar when you need it stiff enough to pipe, or add a splash of milk or cream to make it easier to spread.
Time = texture: A few solid minutes with the mixer take it from smooth to light and fluffy.
Want something lighter and less sweet? Try my Italian meringue buttercream. For a tangy option, there’s cream cheese buttercream.
For another flavor variation, cherry buttercream uses the same general approach with a bright cherry flavor.
How to Make Buttercream Light and Fluffy
Softened butter and enough mixing time make the biggest difference here. Butter that’s too firm won’t blend smoothly with the powdered sugar, and stopping as soon as everything is combined leaves the frosting denser. Once it’s smooth, keep beating until it looks lighter and fluffier. Scrape the bowl so any butter and sugar caught along the sides get mixed in too.
Either a paddle or whisk attachment works. The paddle makes a smooth, creamy buttercream; the whisk works in more air for a lighter texture. A handheld mixer works as well, though it takes a little longer than a stand mixer.
Wait until the buttercream is fully blended before adding milk or cream. Then you can see how much it needs for the consistency you want.
Recipe Tips
Soften the butter: It should blend easily with the sugar but still hold its shape. Melted butter won’t whip up light and fluffy.
Add the sugar a little at a time: Start with a couple of cups, then add more once that’s mixed in. This also gives you a chance to stop when the frosting is as soft or firm as you need it.
Scrape the bowl: Check the bottom as well as the sides so you don’t leave pockets of butter or powdered sugar behind.
Give it enough time with the mixer: Keep beating after the ingredients come together. The frosting should look lighter and fluffier before you stop.
Adjust it at the end: Add more powdered sugar for piping or a little milk or cream to make it easier to spread.
Taste before frosting: If you want a stronger vanilla flavor, add a little more before it goes on the cake.
For a different flavor, try my coconut ermine buttercream.
A vanilla cake is a natural pairing when you want a simple cake-and-frosting combination.
Storing and Reusing the Buttercream
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Let the buttercream soften at room temperature, then re-whip it before using.
Freeze: Press plastic wrap against the surface and store in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let it soften at room temperature. Re-whip it to bring back the fluffy texture.
A Flexible Frosting for Cakes and Cupcakes
This recipe makes about 4½ cups of vanilla buttercream, enough to frost 24 cupcakes or a 9-inch two-layer cake. It’s a handy one to come back to whenever a cake needs a simple vanilla frosting.
If you’re in the mood for a different flavor next time, try my Biscoff buttercream.
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Fluffy American Buttercream
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Ingredients
- 2 cups salted butter, softened, 454 grams
- 6 to 8 cups powdered sugar, 678 to 904 grams
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 6 tablespoons milk, or cream, based on your desired consistency
Instructions
- Add the softened butter and about 2 cups of the powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, then add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- Gradually add more powdered sugar, mixing on low speed after each addition, until you have added a total of 6 cups (678 grams). Once the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Beat the buttercream on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes with a stand mixer or 5 to 6 minutes with a handheld mixer, until light and fluffy. For an even lighter texture and paler color, beat for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Adjust the consistency as needed. For a softer, more spreadable buttercream, add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time. For a firmer buttercream that holds its shape for piping and decorating, gradually add more powdered sugar, up to the remaining 2 cups (226 grams). If the frosting becomes thicker than you want, beat in a little milk or cream until it reaches the desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
When making this frosting (which I adore the sound of) in a stand mixer, is it the whisk attachment that you use? From 1 of the pictures, it looks like it is but want to make sure as it’s for my bday cake and there’s no time for a 2nd run. Thanks.
You can do this with either the whisk attachment or the paddle attachment but the whisk attachment will whip more air into the buttercream and give it a lighter, fluffier texture. Thanks for the question. Happy birthday!!