Our Favorite Buttercream Frosting Recipe Will Change Your Baked Goods Forever (2024)

Nothing compares to a homemade buttercream—the simple frosting is light, fluffy, and ideal for piping pretty swirls atop cupcakes, decorating sugar cookies and cakes, or just eating straight from the bowl. If you've ever attempted making homemade buttercream, you know it can be surprisingly tricky to get just right. We've included all of our top tips and tricks with this easy recipe so you can achieve buttercream perfection every time:

It’s all about the butter.
The most important ingredient in buttercream is, naturally, the butter. We find that unsalted works best—adding a pinch of salt and adjusting to taste will give you more control over the flavor and keep your frosting from being cloyingly sweet.

One of the most important factors in how well your frosting will turn out is the temperature of your butter. If your butter is too cold, it will clump with the confectioners’ sugar, causing a grainy consistency that’s unpleasant to eat and to frost with. On the other hand, a butter too warm will most likely "break" and leave you with a frosting that's sweaty and won't hold its shape. For the perfect temperature, leave your butter out at room temperature until it's easy to press your thumb into it with only slight pressure.

Not all confectioners’ (or powdered) sugar is created equal.
Unfortunately for frosting, some brands of confectioners’ sugar will be distinctly lumpier than others. Because of this, it’s always a good idea to sift it out before using, especially if you’re planning to use piping tips or frosting a cake with an offset spatula. A little lump can clog the tip, which can create drag that’ll ruin the smooth surface of your frosting and result in an overall grainy texture, so don’t skip this step!

A smooth and spreadable consistency.
If you’re looking for a very spreadable and very smooth icing for something like a sheet cake, cookies, or to make your life easier when using a piping bag, add a bit more cream until the desired consistency is reached. Start slow! A tiny amount (we’re talking 1 teaspoon) can make all the difference, so only add a little at a time until it’s just right.

Change up the flavor.
The best thing about this recipe is how customizable it is. For a simple flavor change, try subbing out the vanilla extract for others like mint, almond, or maple (use a light hand to start). For a bright refreshing flavor, add citrus zest when beating the butter and some freshly squeezed juice with the heavy cream. You could even turn this into a chocolate buttercream by adding in 1/2 cup cocoa powder with the confectioners’ sugar (add in some espresso powder too to make the chocolate flavor really stand out!).

Storage & freezing instructions.
Though you can make frosting ahead of time and either refrigerate it (up to 2 days) or freeze it (up to 1 month), we live by the adage “freeze your cake, not your frosting,” and really recommend just making it day-of. If you do choose to make it ahead, let it come to room temperature before using and then re-whip it to bring it back to a fluffy consistency, adding a little extra cream if needed.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!