Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is one of my quick, classic go-to frosting recipes that I turn to time and again.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is one of the classic frosting recipes used on so many delicious desserts! Get this favorite vanilla buttercream frosting recipe along with all the tips for making perfect buttercream frosting every time. // addapinch.com

My family absolutely adores it, it is so very simple to make, and you just can’t beat that classic vanilla buttercream for all sorts of celebratory and everyday type of desserts. It is perfect for my white cake recipe for birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations and works as a delicious, yet stark visual contrast on chocolate cake, too. It is great sandwiched between a couple of butter cookies or spread on top of a cookie cake, as well. You just can’t beat the versatility of good ole vanilla buttercream frosting. It just works.

I am consistently receiving emails asking about my vanilla buttercream frosting, so I thought I’d repost the recipe by itself instead of it being included along with my chocolate cupcake recipe where it is scaled down for just 12 cupcakes.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is one of the classic frosting recipes used on so many delicious desserts! Get this favorite vanilla buttercream frosting recipe along with all the tips for making perfect buttercream frosting every time. // addapinch.com

I also thought I’d answer a few of your questions as well.

How do you get your vanilla buttercream frosting so white? 

There are a few tricks to getting my vanilla buttercream frosting as white as I do. First, after each cup of confectioner’s sugar that I add, I turn my stand mixer on the highest speed that it will go. This not only makes the frosting extremely fluffy, it also lightens the coloring of the frosting as air is incorporated.

My second trick is to use clear vanilla extract whenever I want my vanilla buttercream as white as possible. Mind you, vanilla buttercream frosting still has butter in it, so it is virtually impossible to get it pure white. It will still have a bit of a tint of the yellow, albeit it will be faint. Most folks probably will say it is pure white. We’ll just know it isn’t exactly pure white, just as close as a vanilla buttercream can get without substituting shortening for the butter.

How do you get your vanilla buttercream frosting so fluffy? 

I skipped ahead when I answered the question above and explained how after each cup of confectioner’s sugar that I add to the buttercream, I turn my stand mixer on the highest setting that it will go. This incorporates air into the buttercream and makes it lighter and fluffier.

I also use the paddle attachment of my stand mixer as I have just found it to make a smoother, fluffier buttercream frosting than when I use the whip attachment. Also, it is easier to get all of that delicious buttercream frosting off of your paddle attachment than it is the whip attachment. And I’m all about easy. Heh.

How do I make my vanilla buttercream firmer for a prettier decoration?

The firmness of your buttercream frosting greatly depends on the amount of sugar to liquid ratio in your frosting. If you want a firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar. If you want a softer frosting, add more milk or cream.

Please know that I in no way am professing to be a professional baker, frosting maker, or anything else for that matter. These are my observations after years and years of making buttercream frosting and finding little nuances that make it easier, prettier, tastier, and more everything -er.

Here’s my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe along with a few instructions and notes.

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

4.93 from 139 votes
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is one of the classic frosting recipes used on so many delicious desserts! Get this favorite vanilla buttercream frosting recipe along with all the tips for making perfect buttercream frosting every time.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 24 (2 tablespoon) servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
  • 3 – 4 cups (340-454 g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons (9 g) vanilla extract
  • pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons (28-42 g) milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half

Instructions 

  • Place softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on a medium setting and cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
  • Add confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
  • Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until well-incorporated.
  • Add milk, heavy cream or half-and-half until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency. For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time. For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time.

Notes

If you want to make the buttercream frosting ahead, place it into an airtight container and refrigerate. When ready to use, let the frosting come to room temperature, then beat it again with the mixer until fluffy.
Makes about 3 cups frosting. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2 tablespoons | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 5mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.01mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Happy frosting making! Do you have any tips you’d like to share on how you make the perfect vanilla buttercream frosting? Please share them in the comment!

If you are looking for other buttercream frosting flavors, you might like these:

Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Nutella Buttercream Frosting

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Love ya,
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




604 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for the recipe it was my wifes 39th birthday the other day and i made her a cake….now im no shakes at baking but i love to cook, and it turned out perfect i i upsized the ingredients due to the size of my cake but worked beautifully with a hand mixer thanks again Robyn

  2. I’m going to make this today for my son’s birthday cake. I can’t wait. I’ve been looking for a better cake recipe and I’m so excited to try this one. Thanks for posting your expertise for us to use!

    1. It should work beautifully. I use it as my base and then add food coloring whenever I need a colored frosting.

  3. Hey I made this and everyone loved but me. I could taste either my vanilla or sugar too much. Could you please tell me the brand butter, sugar, and vanilla I should use as my go to? I have this problem a lot and have tried various brands but something just doesn’t taste up to par.

  4. 5 stars
    Can I frost these the night before?? Because it is butter I think I will frost and put in fridge overnight???

    1. Hi Angela,
      You absolutely can frost your cake the night before. You can store it in the refrigerator if you like and depending on your climate (if it is hot, etc), but you don’t have to do so.

  5. Sorry to leave a bad comment but I followed this recipe to a “T” and it turned out awful. It’s runny and has absolutely no consistency. Usually I can find something to do with my recipe fails but I don’t know what I’ll even do with this. I may just deal with the loss of supplies and just toss the stuff.

  6. This frosting recipe was very useful. I added some lemon juice and cinnamon to mine. Thank you so much and God bless you!

  7. I’ve made this several times now, it is a fantastic recipe and I love the taste, just right. I just use whatever butter I have lol and just follow your instructions and voila, beautiful white frosting