This easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is smooth, creamy, and ready in 10 minutes. Made with real butter, powdered sugar, and a little cream, it’s the kind of frosting that makes any dessert so much better.
Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
There’s something magical about watching butter and sugar turn into frosting. It’s like your back in chemistry class again, five simple ingredients, one mixer, and somehow you’ve made something that makes any cake, cupcake, or cookie even better.
This frosting is that recipe. It’s creamy, fluffy, and just the right amount of sweet. It takes 10 minutes, no fancy steps, and all you need is a mixer. Once you’ve made this recipe, you’ll never reach for store-bought frosting again. You’ll just reach for one of my homemade frostings for your cakes and cupcakes.
You can swirl it onto soft vanilla cupcakes, smooth it over a colorful sprinkle cake, or spread it on sugar cookies. It’s the kind of frosting that makes everything look (and taste) like it came from a bakery case.
Ingredients for Homemade Vanilla Buttercream
How It’s Made
Step One: Make the Frosting
Using a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until it’s light and fluffy. Make sure there are no lumps.
Mix in vanilla and salt, then gradually add powdered sugar, blending until smooth and thick.
Step Two: Adjust Consistency
Slowly mix in cream until the frosting is light, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Chill briefly if needed before decorating.
Troubleshooting Buttercream Frosting
- Overmixing: Whipping buttercream at high speed for too long incorporates too much air, causing unwanted air bubbles and a rough texture. To fix this, mix on low speed at the end to smooth it out.
- Cold butter: If the butter is too cold when mixing, it won’t blend properly with the sugar, which can result in a grainy texture. Let your butter soften until it’s soft but still holds its shape for the smoothest consistency.
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Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temp
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 6 tablespoons cream
Instructions
- Use an electric mixer to cream the butter. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add powdered sugar until it is combined. Add the cream a tablespoon a time until it reaches the consistency you want. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Notes
- If piping the frosting, refrigerate it for a few minutes to make it easier to pipe.
- Makes enough frosting to frost 12-15 cupcakes or a 2 layer cake.
