The Best Fluffy Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Square image of the Best Fluffy Buttercream Frosting on cupcakes and a cake

The Best Fluffy Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Buttercream Frosting, light as air and not too sweet. Perfect topping for cupcakes, cakes, and cookies, an all-purpose frosting for your baking needs!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Traditional

Keyword buttercream, buttercream frosting, frosting

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 148kcal

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
4 cups powdered sugar sifted
pinch salt
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or clear vanilla extract* or extract flavor of your choice
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
1 cup unsalted butter
Mix at low speed until smooth and fluffy, for about a minute.
Add the sifted powdered sugar a spoonful at a time over medium-low speed. Keep doing this until all of the sugar is added, scraping down the sides as necessary.
4 cups powdered sugar
Add the salt and stir to combine.
pinch salt
Next, add in the vanilla and stir again to combine.
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or clear vanilla extract*
Lastly, add the milk and whip the frosting for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
2 tablespoons milk

Video

Notes

Make sure to use clear vanilla if you want a pure white buttercream.
Use only unsalted butter for buttercream and add actual salt in, this balances out the flavor.
Sifting your powdered sugar is a must, it helps add the air and fluffiness you want to achieve when making this recipe.
Use only real butter. No, margerine will never work!
This can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
This is an all-purpose basic buttercream recipe, it can be used for piping, frosting, filling, etc.

Nutrition