Easy Vanilla Buttercream
Homemade buttercream is easier than you think! You’ll never go back to storebought once you get a taste of this easy vanilla buttercream recipe.
If you’re looking for a homemade, easy vanilla buttercream recipe, this is it! Don’t be intimidated at the thought of buttercream from scratch. It’s easier than you think, and once you taste the sweet, buttery vanilla flavor, you’ll never go back to the store-bought frostings again.
We like to use salted butter, which adds the perfect amount of salt to keep the sweetness of the frosting in check. If you have unsalted butter, add a pinch or two of salt to the frosting until it is the perfect flavor for you.
I highly recommend using heavy cream to make frosting. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use milk…the higher the fat content the better to get that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Love the flavor of coconut? We use the base of this vanilla buttercream recipe to create Coconut Buttercream.


Easy Vanilla Buttercream
Homemade buttercream is easier than you think! You'll never go back to store bought once you get a taste of this easy vanilla buttercream recipe.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream*
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, with the mixer on medium speed, whip the butter for 2 minutes until it is almost white in color.
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Beat on low speed for 2-3 minutes, adding in the last tablespoon of milk if the buttercream needs to be thinner.
Notes
*I usually use heavy cream. If the milk has a higher fat content (such as heavy cream as compared to 2% milk), you may need to add more because it is thicker.
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 4mg | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Calcium: 7mg
This recipe is originally from Tastes of Lizzy T.