Buttercream Frosting

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated October 12, 2022

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(1,215)
Comments
Read comments

American buttercream is simpler to make than its Swiss and Italian counterparts, which require cooking some of the ingredients, but it's no less tasty. Butter and confectioners’ sugar are beaten until fluffy; heavy cream softens the texture and vanilla extract gives it dimension. It’s leaner than other buttercreams, as it requires much less butter, but it’s still luscious. You’ll want to choose a flavorful butter to start, and make sure it’s at the correct temperature. Room temperature butter should be soft enough to press into with a finger without seeming greasy. It will whip up nicely with the confectioners’ sugar to create a fluffy, silky frosting.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:About 2¼ cups (enough for one 8-inch 2-layer cake, one 9- by 13-inch cake or 12 cupcakes)

  • 1 cup/227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 cups/246 grams confectioners' sugar, sifted

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

25 grams carbs; 52 milligrams cholesterol; 271 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 98 milligrams sodium; 24 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the side of the bowl, then beat on medium-high until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. The mixture will lighten in color and become glossy. Beat in the vanilla, salt and cream. (For chocolate or raspberry flavors, see Tips.)

  2. Step 2

    Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days. (If preparing in advance, you’ll want to press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent it from hardening. Bring the frosting back to room temperature to use it.)

Tips

  • To make chocolate buttercream, melt 1 cup/160 grams chopped bittersweet chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between until melted, or melt over a double boiler. Let cool to room temperature then beat into the buttercream. Makes about 3 cups.

  • For raspberry buttercream, beat ½ cup (room temperature) raspberry preserves into the buttercream. The mixture may look split. If so, heat the underside of the bowl slightly with a hair dryer, without melting the butter, and continue to mix until smooth. (Alternatively, soak a dish towel in hot water, wring it dry and use it to briefly wrap the base of the bowl.) Makes about 3 cups.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,215 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Emily R

This is an excellent buttercream recipe! So much better than the powdered sugar heavy version I used to make. The consistency is light & fluffy while the flavor is sweet but not too sweet. I also made the chocolate version with Guittard bittersweet chocolate - amazing! Note that both the butter and heavy cream need to be at room temperature before you start. Also, it takes a long time to come back to room temp if you refrigerate overnight.

RuthCraxton

This is the recipe that I followed for years but with less butter and milk. I don't like the metallic taste of raw confectionery sugar so I tried the Food 52 technique: Melt the butter, mix it with the powdered sugar, salt, and milk in a stainless steel bowl. Set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Remove the bowl from the water, add the vanilla, and beat until cool and fluffy. Set in a ice bath to cool and thicken faster. Much better!

Michelle W

I have also had really good results using freeze dried fruits to flavor buttercream frosting - freeze dried strawberries worked wonders for the pink "flavored" cake my stepson wanted for his birthday!

Monica

The absolute best frosting recipe I have ever come across! I made it as written x2 for a three tier 9” round cake and did have to panic-make a third batch to have enough for some piping, but so worth it. The piping held up after whipping the frosting pretty aggressively for 4 minutes, but it was starting to wilt in the Florida heat. If you plan to use this for a cake I just would be cautious to keep in the fridge if you want any delicate piping to hold up

kiki476

This works very well with powdered coconut sugar (thanks to a coffee grinder, granulated coconut sugar and a little arrowroot) in place of confectioners sugar. I used the raspberry preserve addin version on the easy chocolate cake recipe, and it is delicious. But the frosting has a tan color, even with the raspberry addin, due to the brown coconut sugar hue.

Robyn

This buttercream is excellent! I used it for my son's birthday cake and 26 cupcakes (4 batches of icing total). It firmed up so nicely in the fridge and held it's shape perfectly, no sliding of the cake layers.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.