This homemade fluffy Vanilla Frosting recipe is tried-and-true! With just 4 ingredients, this bakery-style buttercream is a fan favorite thanks to its foolproof method and delicious flavor. It spreads and pipes like a dream, making it perfect for cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.
I spent half of my career as a food editor at magazines, creating recipes for millions, and this frosting was a staple in my repertoire. Since developing this homemade vanilla buttercream frosting recipe, I've used it more times than I can count!
This is my go-to frosting for cookies, layer and sheet cakes, and cupcakes. I even use leftover frosting to make classic graham cracker cookies! Over the years, I learned this buttercream takes color well (I like using gel paste food coloring), and it tastes fresh for days.
It's oh-so flavorful, pipes designs well, spreads beautifully, and readers love it! Out of all my frosting recipes, it's the most popular. Close seconds are my Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Easy Cream Cheese Frosting.
In this article you'll learn:
- This fluffy vanilla frosting is a classic American buttercream made with butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla, and it comes out smooth, and easy to work with.
- The frosting spreads easily on cakes and pipes cleanly, holding its shape without feeling stiff.
- One batch makes enough frosting for covering a layer cake, a sheet cake, or piping generous swirls on cupcakes.
- You can make it thicker for piping or softer for spreading with small adjustments.
- The frosting takes food coloring and flavor extracts well, so you can customize it.
- It can be made ahead and stored until you’re ready to use it, which makes it great for parties and busy baking days.
- With the right mixing and butter temperature, this frosting stays smooth and fluffy instead of grainy, greasy, or runny.
Generated with AI and experts from the Tara Teaspoon team.
American buttercream that's delicious
When it comes to frosting, the taste is key — and this fluffy vanilla frosting recipe is delicious. It's a soft, homemade American buttercream frosting made with powdered sugar and butter that tastes better than anything you can buy in a store.
It's a classic childhood frosting and much like what you'd find on top of the cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery in New York. Here's what makes it so special:
- Incredible flavor: This vanilla icing recipe combines 4 simple ingredients into a sweet, buttery vanilla frosting that you'll be tempted to eat by the spoonful.
- Foolproof method: The key to making ultra-fluffy, lump-free vanilla frosting is eliminating milk from the recipe and beating the butter until light, smooth, and — fluffy! Once you try this method, you'll never go back.
- Holds its shape: The thick milk-free consistency of this frosting is ideal for piping out of a decorating bag. The piped decorations will hold their shape, but still taste light and smooth in your mouth.
- Versatile: You can use it to frost cakes, cookies, and cupcakes! It's also very easy to color, flavor, and adjust for special diets.
Jump to:
- In this article you'll learn:
- American buttercream that's delicious
- Ingredients for fluffy frosting
- How to make vanilla frosting
- Tara's top frosting tips
- Variations for homemade vanilla frosting
- Tara's piping tips
- Desserts using vanilla frosting
- Equipment
- Storage and make-ahead
- Tara's stacking tips
- FAQ
- More frosting recipes
- 📖 Full Recipe
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
So glad I found this recipe! The icing came out great – I love the fluffy consistency. Very easy to spread over cake. After icing the cake, I saved a bit of it overnight (with plastic wrap over the bowl on the counter) to use for piping. Added just a touch of milk and it was very easy to pipe. My guests thought it tasted delicious too. Thank you Tara!
- Randi
Ingredients for fluffy frosting
You can make this easy vanilla frosting with just four basic ingredients. Check out these tips to help you select everything you'll need. See recipe card for quantities.
- Unsalted butter and salt: I recommend using just-barely-room-temperature unsalted butter for this recipe because it creams easily and allows you to fine-tune the flavor by adding salt independently. If you decide to use salted butter, omit the additional salt.
- Confectioners' sugar: Helps to sweeten and thicken the frosting. For extra smooth frosting, make sure to sift the sugar to break up any lumps.
- Vanilla extract: Use a pure vanilla flavoring or vanilla bean paste that you love. For bright white frosting, use a clear vanilla extract. I'd recommend using this clear Casa Bella Vida Mexican vanilla extract; it's my favorite!
How to make vanilla frosting
Make this recipe like a pro by following these easy step-by-step instructions. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Start by beating the butter on medium-high speed until smooth and lump-free, about 2 minutes.
- Step 2: With the mixer on low, begin adding the confectioners' sugar a half cup at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
- Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all the sugar has been incorporated.
- Step 4: Finish the buttercream by stirring in the vanilla and salt. This is also the time to add additional flavoring(s) or coloring. See variations below.
- Step 5: For piping, the consistency should be thick and fluffy.
- Step 6: If you want a looser frosting for spreading or swooping on cupcakes and cookies, add a very small amount of milk or heavy cream until you achieve the desired consistency.
Tara's top frosting tips
Use a paddle attachment: If you're using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment instead of the whisk. I find the whisk incorporates too much air into the frosting.
Remove air bubbles: Air bubbles often form in the frosting during the mixing process and can affect the smoothness of the frosting. If you want a smoother texture, beat the frosting on a lower speed for several minutes after all the sugar has been incorporated; this slow churning will release the air trapped in the frosting. Adding a tiny bit of milk can help as well.
Use cool butter: Make sure your butter is soft but not warm. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, sometimes room temperature butter is too soft. If you accidentally use butter that is too warm and your frosting seems too soft/loose, just chill it in the fridge until if firms up enough to pipe decorations.
Make it looser: If you want a frosting that is a bit looser for swooping or spreading on cookies, just add a tiny bit of milk (or heavy cream) at the end. Mix it up and check the texture as you go. Keep in mind that designs piped with looser icings can sometimes droop and fall.
Stir refrigerated frosting: Your vanilla frosting will pipe better if it has uniform temperature. If it's been refrigerated, stir/mix it well before adding it to your piping bags so there are no cold lumps.
This is the best fluffy non dairy icing! I’ve not tried other recipes, this was my first one and I’ve stuck to it! My grandson has dairy allergies, and when I was asked to make his bday cake, I went on the search for a non dairy icing and found this one. It was a hit! No one believed it was non dairy. I used the new Country Crock plant base butter made with avacado oil. I’ve made this icing 10 + times, starting Aug 2019 through 2020. I’ve been put in charge in making my 7 grandkiddos bday cakes.
Thank you Tara for your work on formulating this icing recipe. So easy, and perfect ever time!
- Rose
Variations for homemade vanilla frosting
This fluffy frosting recipe is incredibly versatile. Here are some of my favorite ways to change it:
- Dairy-free: You can easily make this recipe dairy-free by using vegan butter. I recommend using Miyokos vegan butter. It is a cashew butter with live cultures mixed in.
- Chocolate: For a chocolatey version of this recipe, mix ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder in with the butter before adding the confectioners' sugar. Or, mix in 4 ounces of melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate into the prepared frosting. It's delicious on chocolate cupcakes!
- Add citrus flavor: You can also add a little citrus zest to the frosting. Start with a teaspoon, taste, and add more to reach desired flavor.
- Other extracts: It's easy to adjust the flavor of the frosting by incorporating other extracts into the frosting. Mix in ½ to ¾ teaspoon of your desired flavoring like almond, mint, or lemon. Taste the frosting and add more flavoring if needed.
- Add coloring: This fluffy frosting takes color perfectly. You can use liquid food coloring drops for pastel tints and gel paste food coloring for darker colors. Gel paste food coloring is highly concentrated, so it will create intense tint without adding too much liquid to your thick, pipe-able frosting.
Tara's piping tips
Ensure the right color when mixing colors: Blend a small spoonful of frosting in a bowl with your desired color drops to make an intense color base. Then stir parts of the color base into your larger batch to get the exact color you want.
Need super white frosting? Some brands of butter will tint your frosting a yellow cream color. To color-correct and make the frosting appear more white, add a tiny drop (a toothpick-tip-full) of purple or violet food coloring. Blend well on low speed until fully incorporated. If needed, repeat this process until the frosting looks bright white.
Easily fill a piping bag: Set your piping bag inside a tall glass and fold the top of the bag down over the rim like a cuff. This turns the glass into a holder and keeps the bag steady so you can use both hands to fill it. Spoon the frosting into the bag, filling it only about halfway. Overfilling makes the bag hard to control and pushes frosting out the top. Unfold the cuff, twist the top of the bag to seal it, and gently squeeze to push the frosting down toward the tip to pipe.
Desserts using vanilla frosting
This fluffy icing recipe is perfect for decorating your favorite cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cookie bars, and more! Here are some desserts I've paired with this easy vanilla frosting:
Equipment
I recommend mixing the frosting in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for the best texture. You can also use a powerful hand mixer, but keep in mind it will take a bit more time to blend the frosting.
Use disposable piping bags for easy cleanup.
If you are new to piping, this set of basic piping tips is a great place to start. These large tips are also nice for piping frosting onto cupcakes.
Storage and make-ahead
This frosting will keep in an airtight container or ziptop bag at room temperature for several days or refrigerated for about two weeks. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Frozen frosting should be thawed in the fridge.
Bring refrigerated frosting to room temperature and give it a good stir to even out the temperature before using.
Tara's stacking tips
This frosting is a soft American buttercream. Although it does form a light crust at room temperature, it's too soft for stacking. If you use it to frost cookies, make sure to store them in a single layer.
If you are looking for icing recipes to flood and decorate stackable sugar cookies, try my Easy Royal Icing and Lemon Royal Icing! Both recipes are easy to work with and form a hard crust that's perfect for stacking.
FAQ
Frosting can become grainy when the sugar isn't well incorporated into the butter or you have used a poor quality confectioners' sugar. Make sure to add the sugar a half cup at a time and mix well after each addition to allow the sugar to mix evenly. Use C&H or Domino brand confectioners' sugar for best results.
Lumps will form when the butter is too cold and hasn't been mixed long enough. The purpose of mixing the butter at the beginning of the recipe is to make sure your frosting turns out super smooth. Don't skimp on the creaming time. It can also become lumpy if the sugar isn't fully incorporated. Make sure to add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.
If your butter was too warm (or melted) it will make the frosting runny, especially if you try to cut back on the amount of powdered sugar. The sugar has cornstarch in it which helps to thicken the frosting. If your vanilla frosting seems runny, refrigerate it until it feels firmer. If needed, mix in additional confectioners' sugar a little at a time until the texture thickens.
This recipe yields five cups of frosting and will comfortably frost:
- an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake, with filling between the layers and a full outer coat. Keep the finish simple and you may have a little extra.
- one 9-by-13-inch sheet cake, pan of brownies, or bar cookies with a nice, even layer of frosting.
- 24 lightly frosted cupcakes or cookies, or 12 to 15 generously frosted cupcakes with bakery-style swirls on top.
When it's hot and humid, I keep frosted treats cool until it’s time to serve, and I never let them sit in direct sun or a warm room. Too much heat can destabilize the frosting and cause it to melt.
To make this frosting more stable for an outdoor party or a hot summer day, I swap up to ¼ of the butter for shortening. It helps the frosting hold its shape better in the heat.
More frosting recipes
I love great frosting recipes! Here are a few more fan-favorites you won't want to miss:
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📖 Full Recipe
Fluffy Vanilla Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter (softened, just barely to room temperature)
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 1 pinch fine salt (about 1/16 teaspoon)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Tip: If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, not the whisk. I find the whisk incorporates too much air into the frosting.
- With the mixer on low, begin adding confectioners' sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
- Beat in vanilla and salt; stir until smooth.
- Keep in an airtight container or ziptop bag for several days at room temperature, 2 weeks in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Frozen frosting should be thawed in the refrigerator. Bring refrigerated frosting to room temperature and stir well to even out the temperature before using.
Notes
Variations:
Dairy-free: Replace the butter with vegan butter. Chocolate: Mix ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder in with the butter before adding the confectioners' sugar. Or, mix in 4 ounces of melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate into the prepared frosting. Add citrus flavor: Add citrus zest to the frosting. Start with a teaspoon, taste, and add more if needed. Other extracts: Mix in ½ to ¾ teaspoon of your desired flavoring extract, taste the flavor, and add more if needed. Add coloring: Use liquid food coloring drops for pastel tints and gel paste food coloring for darker colors.How much frosting will you need:
This recipe can frost an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake or generously one 9-by-13-inch sheet cake/pan of brownies or bar cookies. It can also frost 24 standard frosted cupcakes or cookies, or 12 to 15 generously frosted cupcakes.Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Cadence Mistsea says
This did not work for me.
Tara says
Let me know what happened and I can walk you through some tips. It's pretty failsafe!
Abby says
Me neither. But you can easily make some changes
Stephanie says
This I can sub coconut oil for butter? Maybe you mentioned it! Pinterest makes scrolling hard sometimes
Tara T. says
Hi Stephanie,
I haven't tried making the frosting with coconut oil, so I can't say how that would turn out. My guess is the coconut oil may be too soft and the texture would be different. If you are looking to make the frosting vegan, I do recommend using Miyokos vegan butter, as the texture of the frosting will be similar to that of a batch made with butter. Enjoy!
Tara
Laura says
Will gel coloring change the consistency of this frosting?
Tara says
Hi! No it won't! I love using gel coloring. And unless you are adding a lot (like a tablespoon) the consistency won't change.
Annonymaos says
How much butter and sugar do I add
Tara says
The amounts are up in the recipe!
A says
Um. This sucked... there wasn’t any moisture in my mix, so i had to dump it. Back to store bought frosting...
Tara says
Hey negative Nelly! It's frosting! There's no mix, it's confectioners' sugar and butter. Plus I included a tip for adding milk to make it softer if you like.
Melissa says
This looks amazing!! I'm excited to try it. Do you have piping bags you recommend? I have some big ones I got, but they often break and explode all over the place and it drives me crazy! I'd love any advice you have. Thanks!
Tara says
There are definitely flimsy piping bags out there. I use Ateco or Wilson ( https://amzn.to/2nQmskW )that I buy in the boxes for everyday jobs. For thicker frostings and mashed potatoes try these sturdy disposable bags: https://amzn.to/2oE5syD . I also buy in bulk because it's so much more economical. For around $10 I have a supply that won't run out for a long time!
Brianna Mejia says
hi!! I know that a lot of recipes add whipping cream to the frosting, is there a reason why you didn’t?
Tara says
This recipe is great without cream or milk. If you'd like to add cream you can. It will make the frosting a bit looser and it won't pipe as well. I also don't prefer cream because it changes the texture when air is beaten in.
Emma says
That’s really rude I’ve made this 2 times and its always worked out and I’m only 10 !!
Carrie says
I’m planning on using this recipe today for a cake I’m making. I only have salted butter though.........can I still make it without it tasting too salty? I hate to waste ingredients if it won’t taste good.
Tara says
Sent you an email! So glad you are trying it. My mom actually uses salted butter and loves it! It's still delish, just leave out the pinch of salt!
Trish says
I tried this recipe I used salted butter and left out the salt and used whipping cream instead of regular milk and it was so good it was just perfect thank you for sharing this recipe
Diane says
Same here- only have salted butter around! Any suggestions?
Tara says
Feel free to make it with salted butter! My mom actually prefers it with salted butter! Just leave out the pinch of salt in the recipe.
Mary Bench says
This is a keeper! Love it!
Brittany Smart says
Oh yum!! I'm afraid I'd eat the whole batch haha
Cara says
This is perfect. My daughter used it on cupcakes at her lemonade stand and they were a hit! Thanks for the recipe.
Tara says
Oh fantastic. I'm so glad you liked it. It's my go-to!
Debby says
This worked really well! I made cupcakes for my best friends birthday, and it was so good, they made me go back home and make some more! Great job, Tara! Two thumbs up!
Christina says
I liked the recipe a little bit and it was easy to follow, but I would recommend something to make it more light and fluffier. I would recommend this recipe as a cake frosting to a friend.
Tara says
Glad you liked it a bit! I find as I continue to beat in the sugar it creates a fluffy frosting. For a less fluffy frosting simply beat it less. Thanks for recommending this!
Malika says
Amazing! Thanks so much. Turned out great for my chocolate cake. Great easy last minute recipe.
Tara says
Oh I'm thrilled. Fantastic.
Arlene says
mine came out a little watery sos😞
Taylor says
Im making this today and your chick cupcakes!! The only thing that Im concerned with...is my piping the frosting will never look like yours!! lol, I always think it looks so easy..."NO PROBLEM"...but I must practice more! I know this is a little late to ask this, but I really love a fluffy marshmallow frosting (like 7 minute icing), I would love to use something like that, but am worried that I won't be able to have the same look. Maybe for a future cupcake, you could recommend something? Wish me luck!!! And Happy Easter...
Cara says
Hi, Tara, I was planning on using the frosting to ice a cake but I was wondering if this frosting has to be refrigerated or is it safe to leave out for a couple of days.
Tara says
Sugar acts as a preservative. You would be just fine to leave this frosting out for several days.
Melissa says
Loved this! I added the bit of milk at the end and was perfect!
Tara says
Oh fantastic!! I’m glad you adjusted it as needed!
KAt says
I am planning to use this to cover 2 large cakes, each twice the size of a 9x13. How many batches of this should I make do you think?
Tara says
Hi Kathryn! Twice the size of a 9x13 would be a half sheet pan (sheet cake) size, correct? Depending on how thick you want the frosting it will take about 2 1/2 to 3 cups to frost a half sheet pan sized cake with one layer. This recipe makes about 5 cups. I think you would just have enough with one recipe. But, I like to have extra frosting rather than not enough. My suggestion would be to 1 1/2 times the recipe to get about 7 1/2 cups total. Use 6 sticks butter, 9 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 tsp vanilla and two pinches of salt.
CHELSI MILLER says
I have a happy little boy! Whipped this up to drizzle over the little piggy shaped pancakes I made, didnt want to bother with a mixer this morning so I used a fork! My butter sits on my counter and we were out of milk and this worked perfect! Wasn't hard to make smooth with the fork for what I needed!
CHELSI MILLER says
I dont think I did the stars! 5 for sure!
Danielle says
Can I leave out the vanilla extract if I don’t have it?
Tara says
Yes for sure. It simply gives a lovely essence. Not necessary for success.
Rebecca says
How do I make strawberry frosting and Chocolate?
Tara says
Hi Rebecca! I have several great chocolate frostings. This one is fantastic and easy. For strawberry frosting, I suggest using freeze dried strawberries and crushing them to a fine powder. Add the powder to the Fluffy Vanilla Frosting to taste. You can add a little red food coloring if you want more red color.
shayna says
can I half the recipe?
Tara says
Absolutely! Everything divides quite easily and it turns out really well!
Briana says
If I only have 3 sticks how much of the other ingredients will I use?
Tara says
Hi Briana, You're taking out 1/4 of the butter. So take out 1/4 of the confectioners' sugar. Use 5 1/2 cups with 3 sticks of butter. Use as much vanilla as you'd like. 1/2 teaspoon should be fine for flavor. I always add a pinch of salt.
LovesFudge says
Hello! Do you need to sift the powdered sugar? I use another recipe where you do.
Tara says
I actually don't. Because you add it a little at a time, it has a chance to blend in well. That being said, if your confectioners' sugar is particularly lumpy or a bit dry and the lumps don't fall apart easily, this is when you'd want to sift before stirring in.
Deepanvita says
Hi, please help! I made this frosting but it is grainy and now it seems to be sitting. What can I add to make it fluffy again?? I want to use it on cake.
Deepanvita says
I used icing sugar and normal butter. I let it sit out and I live in warm place. I think that killed it's fluffiness.. 🙁 any help would be appreciated.
Deepanvita says
Okay I stuck it in freezer for some time so it looks fine again. But it's grainy. What can I do to make it smoother??
Tara says
Hi! Yes, if the frosting sits at room temperature the butter will get warm and the frosting will almost look like its separating. I find that just chilling it a bit, then re-beating it in the mixer helps. It will bring it back to the texture you want. Because of the confectioners' sugar (icing sugar), the frosting is inherently grainy, but immediately melts on your tongue. I do not recommend using Trader Joes confectioners' sugar because it is not as smooth as other brands. If you are in the UK, find the most fine, powdery icing sugar you can. •Beating the icing on a medium-low speed should smooth it out as well, rather than incorporating air on a high speed. You can also add a tiny bit of milk if you need it to be a softer consistency.
Vikki says
My grandson is allergic to dairy. Can I substitute the butter with crisco?
Tara says
Hi! Absolutely. You will not get the same flavor and may want to use half butter-flavor crisco and half regular to get a bit of butter flavor in there. I would also strongly suggest a vegan butter alternative like Earth Balance or Miyoko's. My favorite is Miyoko's for flavor.
Juanita says
Hi there,
I am probably one of the least creative people I know, but I would love to be able to decorate a cake, nothing fancy, just basic and cute. I have tried several different piping recipes, but am finding them really, really stodgy. I have a big sweet tooth, but man oh man, these toppings are just too sweet and heavy. Have you got any suggestions for one that is less sweet and yet lasts for a few days at a time? Would love to keep trying. Many thanks.
Tara says
Hi! I totally get it! When you have an entire cake, frosted and then decorated with frosting piping, it can sometimes be too much, and too sweet. This Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream is made with confectioners', or powdered sugar. It also has a ton of delicious butter that helps cut the intense sugar. However, I have just the frosting for you if you want something not too sweet and heavy! https://tarateaspoon.com/meringue-buttercream/ My Swiss Meringue Buttercream is an cooked egg white and sugar based icing, also with lots of butter. But the meringue creates a light, silky frosting and the taste becomes less cloying. It pipes beautifully. I think you'll really like it.
Breanna says
Hi there, I’m looking to decorate sugar cookies with this recipe but am wondering if I stack cookies on top of decorated cookies will I mess up the decorated cookies underneath? Thanks!
Tara Teaspoon says
Great question Breanna. Fluffy Vanilla Frosting will develop a thin crust after decorating the cookies, but it will not be enough to withstand stacking and yes, I'm afraid the decorated cookies would be get smushed. Laying the cookies out single layer will be best. Happy decorating! Tara
Sally says
I just ran out of butter and all I have left is margarine. Can I use that instead 😟
Jordyn says
This frosting made my mixer thing brake and it was not fluffy we had it add milk
Tara says
I'm sorry your mixer broke. Sounds like your butter may have been quite cold, or your confectioners' sugar was dense and needed to be sifted. It's a straight forward recipe, so I hope you enjoyed ithe taste and used it once you got the milk in there.
Tara says
Margarine will produce a frosting with the same texture, but the flavor will be completely different. I do not care for the flavor of margarine and so I don't recommend it. However if you are ok with the taste, you can substitute it.
Alexanne says
I added lemon zest and a bit of lemon juice and it was perfect for my ( of course) lemon cake ! Everyone loved it. I will definitely do it again. Thank you for the recipe
Tracy says
Hi Tara, this looks delicious! Can I substitute a non-dairy "butter"? If so, can you suggest any? I've used Fleischmann's unsalted and I've recently started to use Country Crock Plant "Butter".
Thanks!
Tara says
Hi! Yes!! I have tried both of those substitutes and don’t like the flavor, even though the frosting texture was great. I like MIYOKO’S brand of cultured non dairy butter. It does get soft fast. Use it chilled and keep the frosting on the cooler side when working with it!
Nadine says
This is my go-to frosting from now on. I got so many compliments on it and have passed your recipe on to others. Side note: I had a little left from frosting cupcakes and two soft sugar cookies calling for attention. I sandwiched the frosting between them and ohmigod, yes! I will be making stuffed cookies in the near future with your frosting in the middle. Thank you!
Tara says
Love to hear it!!!! Sandwich cookies for the win! Thanks for the note.
Samantha says
I have never successfully made buttercream frosting before but this one turned out perfect! I halved the recipe since I was only icing a dozen cupcakes but it turned out great anyways.
Tara Teaspoon says
Great to hear Samantha! This recipe wis easily halved and turns out great either way. Tara
Tina Edwards says
I made this tonight, it turned out delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Addie says
How many cupcakes will this cover? 12 or 24?
Tara says
This will cover 24 cupcakes easily. If you are piping on a lot of frosting it will be tight for 24, but just spreading about 3/8-inch thick on top is great.
Brandi says
Oh my gosh! Best vanilla icing ever! I cut the recipe in half because I did not need quite that much. I used 1 stick of salted butter and 1 stick unsalted butter and nixed the pinch of salt. It came out perfect. So light and fluffy and spread on my very delicious banana cake very easily. Thanks for the recipe! I will be using again and again.
Tara says
I'm thrilled you liked it. And great idea using the two kinds of butter! Genius!
ariel says
The recipe worked great! It made my cake! It was super simple and easy, I used a little less icing sugar than it called for but it worked great. It even worked for piping "Happy Birthday" on it using just a a ziplock witha poked hole in it.
Tara Teaspoon says
Thank you for sharing Ariel and I'm so glad to hear you found ways to make it work for your recipe. Tara
Ellie June says
This icing was awful. It tasted like straight up butter. We had people complaining about the taste. The only good thing about it was the texture.
Also I thought that the recipe was not specific enough. How much is a pinch?
Tara says
I'm sad you didn't like my highest rated recipe. I would hope it tasted like butter--it's a buttercream frosting! A pinch is pretty standard and has been written in recipes since the 1800s. If you'd like a measurement, many people use 1/16 teaspoon as a measurement for "a pinch." Some people use 1/8 teaspoon. Calling for a pinch of an ingredient in a recipe means the difference between that 1/16 and 1/8 doesn't matter. I'm happy to hear you liked the texture though.
Brittan says
Hi! I was wondering if I could add carmeal to the frosting? Or would it ruin it?
Emma says
Hi there Tara, I am just wondering if this recipe will cover a 3 layer 6 inch cake? Thanks in advance
rose says
This is the best fluffy non dairy icing! I’ve not tried other recipes, this was my first one and I’ve stuck to it! My grandson has dairy allergies, and when I was asked to make his bday cake, I went on the search for a non dairy icing and found this one. It was a hit! No one believed it was non dairy. I used the new Country Crock plant base butter made with avacado oil. I’ve made this icing 10 + times, starting Aug 2019 through 2020. I’ve been put in charge in making my 7 grandkiddos bday cakes.
Thank you Tara for your work on formulating this icing recipe. So easy, and perfect ever time!
Tara Teaspoon says
Rose, thank you for sharing your experience! I am thrilled you and your family have enjoyed the recipe so many times. Tara
Neha says
What would the ingredients amount be for 1 cup of frosting?
Tara says
Hi Neha, You can divide the recipe by 5 to get the amounts. I suggest simply cutting it in half though. Making just 1 cup of frosting is tedius and the leftover frosting freezes well if you'd like. Half a recipe would be: 2 sticks of unsalted butter, 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt.
Sarathebaker says
Would it do anything to the frosting if I warmed the butter in the microwave a little bit? Just to soften it faster?
Tara says
Hi Sara,
I think that's a great technique, but you don't want it too soft. Just BARELY soften it. Honestly, if you are using a stand mixer you can let the mixer do a lot of the work before you add the sugar. Just a few seconds in the micro, and then let the paddle attachment soften it a bit longer than usual.
Sarathebaker says
Ok thx. I didnt do it. turns out my butter was soft enough. But I might do it next time. I tried the recipe but when it was finished and on the cupcakes it was a little too sweet. But overall great frosting recipe.😁
Tara says
Oh I'm glad it worked out!! Yes, it's a sweet frosting. Totally sugar! I love it for cupcakes and cookies. If you want to try one that is less cloying, try my Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It's a hit. https://tarateaspoon.com/meringue-buttercream/
Karina says
Really surprised at some of the negative comments, this is my go-to frosting! It's been a hit with everyone thats tasted it, people always ask for the recipe.
Tara T. says
Love to hear it! It's a great recipe!
Karen says
Nice generous amount and covered my layer cake with some to spare. I did set some aside to use for piping, then added a tiny bit a milk to make it a little looser for on the cake.
Tara Teaspoon says
Perfect! I'm so happy it worked well for you!
Randi Wolf says
So glad I found this recipe! The icing came out great – I love the fluffy consistency. Very easy to spread over cake. After icing the cake, I saved a bit of it overnight (with plastic wrap over the bowl on the counter) to use for piping. Added just a touch of milk and it was very easy to pipe. My guests thought it tasted delicious too. Thank you Tara!
Tara Teaspoon says
So happy to hear it! It's definitely a crowd-pleaser!
karen connors says
Came out perfect! Thanks.
Jeff says
I am using this recipe for the second time and I absolutely love it......Thank you...... This recipe is a KEEPER and my new FAVORITE. 👍👍
Renate Hoekman says
I have been looking for this receipt for a long time. Glad to have found it. We enjoy fluffy frosting. I like to bake for my family.
Debbie says
I’m a rebel I guess😉 I used a hand mixer, salted butter and even made one fourth of the recipe for 12 cupcakes and it was delicious! Who knew that whipping the butter would create such a light fluffy frosting?! Loved it and thank you! This is my new go to frosting. Tastes like you went to so much effort.
Michelle says
I just made this frosting and it was a huge hit. My daughter has a friend who is a baker and my daughter said it tastes just like her baker friend.
Heather says
This is delicious! I'm so pleased with the outcome of this frosting. It's delicious and it's a beautiful white color. My search for a delicious vanilla frosting is done. Thank you!
Tara Teaspoon says
Fantastic to hear! I feel the same! It's an easy and versatile frosting.
Meepbeepfrogs says
I added some cocoa powder and made it chocolatey, and it's amazing with or without it, thank you.
Arielle Skillman says
Where is the measurements? As a beginner, I don't want to use this recipe without any clear measurements because then I'll probably get it wrong and I won't have any frosting to use
Tara T. says
Arielle, This is a great recipe you'll enjoy for years to come. The recipe is at the bottom of the article and the measurements are all listed. Good luck!
Tara
Lucy Y. says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I appreciate that it tastes great without a million ingredients needed! Also, the paddle attachment you suggested worked amazingly! The only reason this is 4 stars is bc I think it is SOOOO sweet! If you like it like that then it's good, perf consistency. I cut down on the sugar and it tasted great!
Tara Teaspoon Admin says
Hi Lucy! Thanks for sharing your review. I'm sure it will help others. Merry Christmas!
Jill McGill says
Oh my goodness! This frosting is so incredibly delicious! I love that it's not as sweet as other buttercream recipes I've tried. It was really creamy and worked great for frosting my cookies. Will definitely be making this again!
Tara Teaspoon Admin says
Thanks Jill! So glad you were able to enjoy this recipe. It's one of my favorites.