Best vanilla buttercream frosting recipe makes light & fluffy vanilla frosting! This easy homemade vanilla frosting recipe takes just 5 minutes to make.

This homemade vanilla frosting is rich and creamy while still being light and fluffy. It is sweet and rich with a nice vanilla flavor.
This easy vanilla American buttercream frosting is made with just 5 simple ingredients, and it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up! It also pairs well with chocolate cake, yellow cake, red velvet cake, and more!
Even though it’s light and fluffy, this frosting is sturdy enough to use for piping. All of which makes this the ultimate vanilla frosting!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add additional salt to taste. Also, I use butter that’s at cool room temperature. The butter should dent when pressed, but the stick shouldn’t lose its shape.
- Powdered sugar – AKA confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. If your powdered sugar is lumpy, give it a quick sift to help it mix in better.
- Vanilla extract – For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
- Salt – Don’t skip the salt! A pinch or two of salt helps to keep frosting from tasting flat.
- Heavy whipping cream – The heavy whipping cream helps to give the frosting its rich flavor and light and fluffy texture.
How to make vanilla buttercream frosting
This American buttercream frosting is really simple to make!

Step 1 Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Step 2 Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla, and mix until well-combined.

Step 3 Add enough heavy cream to make it the proper consistency, and beat until well-combined.

Recipe Tips!
- Butter – I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add additional salt to taste. Also, I use butter that’s at cool room temperature. The butter should dent when pressed, but the stick shouldn’t lose its shape.
- Powdered sugar – AKA confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. If your powdered sugar is lumpy, give it a quick sift to help it mix in better.
- Vanilla extract – For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
- Salt – Don’t skip the salt! A pinch or two of salt helps to keep frosting from tasting flat.
- Heavy whipping cream – The heavy whipping cream helps to give the frosting its rich flavor and light and fluffy texture.

FAQs
You can. However, the frosting won’t be as rich, creamy, or light and fluffy with milk.
That depends! I use pure vanilla extract for the flavor. However, if you would like the frosting to be as white as possible, you can use clear vanilla.
Adding in additional powdered sugar will give you a thicker/stiffer frosting.
Add additional cream to make the frosting thinner.
You can! I frost the cake or cupcakes then freeze.
This vanilla buttercream frosting recipe will make enough frosting for a 9×13-inch sheet cake or 24 cupcakes. If you’re going to frost the top, middle, and sides of a 2-layer 9-inch round cake, I recommend making 1.5 or 2x the batch.
You can! You can use another flavor, like almond extract, lemon, orange, or peppermint, to make a different flavor of buttercream frosting.

Storage
Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The frosting will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More frosting recipes!
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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3 – 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Pinch salt
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Beat butter with a mixer – hand or stand – on medium for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time, and beat until well-combined.
- Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and beat until well-combined.
- Add 2 tablespoons cream, and beat until combined.
- If necessary, continue adding powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time or cream 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.
Video
Notes
- Vanilla: If you want whiter frosting, use clear vanilla. For reference, I used pure vanilla extract.
- Cream: You can use milk in place of cream, but the frosting won’t be as rich and creamy.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally posted 10/10/18.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Kristen says
Does this icing stiffen once piped?
Kate says
It sets up a bit, but it doesn’t get hard. The frosting will set up quite a bit once it is refrigerated, so you can also chill it to help it harden up more.
Eyde says
So creamy and yummy and I don’t normally like butter cream frosting but this doesn’t have a strong sugary texture like most store bought
Kate says
Thank you!
Linda says
So easy. So delicious. Not too sweet. ❤️
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Paige Homan says
Is this frosting easy to tint? How many cupcakes does this frost?
Kate says
It is! It will frost 24 cupcakes. However, if you want to do extra piping, I’d recommend making a bigger batch.
Kimberly says
Just wondering about replacing butter with vegetable shortening to get an even whiter frosting. Have you tried it before?
Kate says
I haven’t tried using frosting in place of the butter in this recipe. I usually use clear vanilla for whiter frosting.
Sherry says
Wilton has a tiny for white icing but adding just the tiniest bit of violet/purple colour on the end of a toothpick once best in will brighten the frosting when using butter. I’ve also when wanted pure white used all shortening or even half and half. You get a different mouth feel and loose the buttery goodness.
Kate says
Thank you for those tips!
Susan B Rogers says
Also if I made this icing before the day I need to use it how long would it last in the refrigerator?
Kate says
The frosting will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. It does set up quite a bit once it has been in the fridge, so you may need to let it come up a bit in temperature before it is soft enough to use.