Best butter cream frosting recipe
Fluffy, bakery-style American buttercream with a less-sweet finish and a stabilizing twist for smooth spreading, clean piping, and better shape in warm rooms.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Mixing Bowl
- Paddle attachment
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons or food scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter, slightly softened (We use Salted Sweet Cream Butter)
- 2-3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 pound Powdered Sugar (or 4 cups)
- 1-2 tablespoons Milk (as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Meringue powder
Instructions
Cream the base
- Add the slightly softened butter to the mixing bowl along with the vanilla extract.
- Mix until fully combined (about 2 minutes on medium speed), until the butter looks lighter and a bit whipped (not glossy or melted).
- Add the fine sea salt and meringue powder, then mix briefly just until incorporated.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the sugar without a mess
- Measure 1 pound of powdered sugar (or 4 cups if you don’t have a food scale).
- Add the powdered sugar to the mixing bowl.
- Start the mixer on the lowest setting and mix on low until incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop and scrape down the bowl. Increase to medium-high and mix for 30–45 seconds more until the frosting starts to look light and fluffy.
Adjust, then taste for the final finish
- If the frosting is dry or crumbly, add 1 teaspoon of milk and mix again.
- Taste and adjust with a tiny bit more vanilla extract if needed. If it tastes right but is too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until the consistency is correct.
Notes
For a smoother finish, press the frosting with a spatula at the end to knock out large air bubbles. For a richer texture, swap milk for heavy cream and add it slowly.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.