🎂 The BEST Vanilla Buttercream (American Style)
✨ Silky, sweet, and made with just 4 pantry staples!
🍰 Why You’ll Love It
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✅ Only 4 ingredients
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✅ Ready in 20 mins
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✅ Perfect for cakes, cupcakes & cookies
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✅ Customizable & beginner-friendly
📸 Buttercream Birthday Vibes
I made my own birthday cake… because bakers gonna bake.
I almost didn’t — Pastry School had me swamped — but my husband insisted. Grocery cake? Nope. I had frozen cake layers & this buttercream recipe. Problem solved!
🥄 What is American Buttercream?
Simple. Sweet. Satisfying.
Made with butter + powdered sugar = super fast and stable.
🥚 Compared to meringue buttercream:
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Less silky, but much easier
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Sweetness adjustable
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No egg whites or double boilers needed
🧁 Ingredients You'll Need
| 🧂 | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 🧈 | Unsalted butter (soft) | 2 cups (room temp) |
| 🍚 | Powdered sugar (sifted!) | 6 cups |
| 🍦 | Vanilla extract | 2 tsp |
| 🥛 | Heavy cream | 4 Tbsp (room temp, as needed) |
🔧 Tools
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Stand mixer or hand mixer
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Whisk attachment
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1M piping tip (for rosettes!)
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Sifter
🧑🍳 How to Make It
Step-by-step with tips for ultra-smooth frosting
1️⃣ Whip the Butter
📍 5 minutes, high speed
🧈 Start with super soft butter — beat until light & fluffy.
2️⃣ Add Powdered Sugar Slowly
📍 1 cup at a time
🍚 Sift first! Mix well between additions to avoid clumps.
3️⃣ Add Vanilla & Cream
📍 Mix well for 1–2 minutes
🍦 + 🥛 Add just enough cream to get the texture you want.
4️⃣ Whip Again
📍 Final 3-minute whip
🎈 Light and silky is the goal! Add more cream if needed.
🌹 How to Pipe Rosettes
Make your cake look bougie bakery level with this easy trick
🪄 What You Need:
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1M tip
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Piping bag
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Chilled crumb-coated cake
🎯 Pro Tips:
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Practice on parchment first
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Start from the bottom row, then offset the next row
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Work fast — frosting pipes best when slightly cool
⏱️ Decorating time: under 10 mins!
🎨 Customize Your Flavor
| 🌈 | Flavor | Add This |
|---|---|---|
| 🍫 | Chocolate | Swap ½ cup sugar for cocoa powder |
| 🍋 | Citrus | 1–2 Tbsp zest or curd (no cream needed) |
| 🍓 | Berry | 1 Tbsp freeze-dried powder, add to taste |
| 🥜 | Peanut Butter | 1 Tbsp PB powder at a time at the end |
❓ FAQs
📦 How much frosting does this make?
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Enough for one 8" two-layer cake
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Covers 18–24 cupcakes depending on your swirl game
😋 Can I reduce the sweetness?
Yes! Use less sugar (start with 4 cups), then adjust cream.
💡 Pro Tips
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☁️ Whip it well for the fluffiest texture
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🔁 Offset your rosette rows for full coverage
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🧊 Chill the cake for easier piping
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🧪 Want smoother frosting? Try Swiss Meringue Buttercream instead
📋 Full Recipe:
🍦 Simple Vanilla Buttercream (American Style)
⏱️ Prep: 20 mins
🍽️ Yields: 5 cups
🌟 4.78 from 79 votes
Ingredients:
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6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
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2 cups unsalted butter (room temp)
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2 tsp vanilla
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4 Tbsp cream (room temp)
Instructions:
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🧈 Whip butter until fluffy (5 mins)
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🍚 Add sifted sugar 1 cup at a time, beating between additions
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🍦 Add vanilla + 2 Tbsp cream, beat 1 minute
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🥄 Adjust cream for consistency, whip again until smooth
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🌹 Use 1M tip to decorate with rosettes (optional)
🔢 Nutrition (Per Serving):
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🧁 Calories: 1257 kcal
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🍬 Sugar: 141g
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🧈 Fat: 78g
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❤️ Not health food. But it's cake time.
💬 Final Thoughts
This might not be exactly the dreamy buttercream from our wedding cake — but it’s incredibly close. Fast, easy, and totally addictive. Whether it’s your first time or your 500th, this vanilla buttercream delivers every single time.
Want to see more buttercream styles?
✨ Check out: [Swiss Meringue Buttercream Tutorial]
✨ Or: [Easy Chocolate Buttercream Recipe]
🎉 Happy baking — and even happier decorating!