BEST EVER American Buttercream Frosting
This American buttercream frosting is light, fluffy, silky smooth, and surprisingly not too sweet. Unlike traditional American buttercream that can sometimes taste gritty or heavy, this newer whipped method creates a glossy bakery-style frosting with an incredibly smooth texture.
The secret is whipping the butter until very light and airy, then adding hot heavy cream before the powdered sugar. The warmth helps soften the sugar while the long whipping time creates a mousse-like buttercream that pipes beautifully and spreads like a dream.
I used to make large batches of buttercream every week when I ran my cake business from home. Back then, I relied on meringue powder and decorator-style methods because most of my cakes needed to survive transport, heat, and hours of decorating. Over time, though, I simplified the recipe for everyday baking — and honestly, I prefer this version now. It’s easier, silkier, and tastes more like real buttercream instead of pure sugar.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Silky smooth texture with no gritty mouthfeel
- Light and fluffy despite being an American buttercream
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Perfect for cakes, cupcakes, layer cakes, and piping swirls
- Stable enough for decorating while still soft and creamy
- Pipes beautifully and crusts lightly
- Much less sweet tasting than traditional American buttercream
Why This Buttercream Is So Smooth
Most American buttercream recipes are made by simply beating butter with powdered sugar. While easy, that method can leave the frosting dense, overly sweet, or slightly gritty.
This whipped buttercream method works differently:
- the butter is whipped first until extremely light,
- hot cream helps soften the powdered sugar,
- and the frosting is whipped for much longer than traditional recipes.
The result is a silky smooth buttercream with a glossy finish and a texture closer to bakery frosting or Swiss meringue buttercream — but without cooking egg whites.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Unsalted butter – Use softened butter but not greasy or melted. Good-quality butter gives the best flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Sift if lumpy. Use less for a softer frosting or more for a firmer piping consistency.
- Heavy cream – Hot heavy cream is the secret to the silky texture. Whole milk works too, but cream gives a richer result.
- Vanilla extract – Use clear vanilla if you want bright white buttercream.
- Almond extract – Just a tiny dash adds bakery-style flavor without overpowering the vanilla.
- Salt – Essential for balancing the sweetness.
Step-by-step: How to make the best American Buttercream
Cream the butter
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the softened butter on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes until very pale, light, and fluffy.
Pro tip — Don’t rush this step. The butter should almost look whipped before adding anything else.
Add the hot cream
Warm the heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Slowly pour it into the butter while mixing on medium speed.
Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.
Continue whipping for another 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Pro tip — The buttercream may look slightly loose at first. Keep mixing and it will become silky smooth.
Add the powdered sugar
Add the powdered sugar in two batches on low speed.
Once incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip for another 8 to 10 minutes until very light and fluffy.
Pro tip — Long whipping creates the smooth glossy texture and removes the heavy sugary feel common in traditional buttercream.
Consistency Guide
This buttercream is very versatile and can easily be adjusted depending on how you plan to use it.
- For frosting cakes – Use the recipe exactly as written for smooth frosting and filling layer cakes.
- For cupcakes – Perfect for piping swirls and rosettes.
- For stiffer piping – Add an extra ½ to 1 cup powdered sugar.
- For softer buttercream – Add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm cream and whip again.
- For hot climates – Replace part of the butter with vegetable shortening if needed.
Can I make chocolate buttercream?
Yes. Add cooled melted chocolate or cocoa powder after the buttercream is fully whipped.
American Buttercream Frosting
My American buttercream has a glossy sheen due to the unique method I use in making it. This simple and easy recipe makes a delicious velvety smooth texture, not grainy buttercream. This will soon become your favorite frosting recipe.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb) Unsalted butter softened
- 1 kg (2 cups) Powdered sugar
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) Hot heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Almond extract
- ½ tsp Salt
Method
- Cream the Butter – In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 10 minutes until pale and fluffy.1 kg Unsalted butter
- Add the Hot Cream – Heat the heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Slowly pour the hot cream into the whipped butter while mixing on medium speed. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Continue mixing for 5 minutes until smooth.60 ml Hot heavy cream, 2 tsp Vanilla extract, ¼ tsp Almond extract, ½ tsp Salt
- Add Powdered Sugar – Add the powdered sugar in two batches on low speed until fully incorporated. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and whip for another 8 to 10 minutes until light, fluffy, and silky smooth.1 kg Powdered sugar
- Use or Store – Use immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use less powdered sugar for a softer, creamier frosting.
- Add more powdered sugar for stiff piping consistency.
- The buttercream will lighten in color significantly as it whips.
- If refrigerated, bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
- Clear vanilla extract keeps the frosting bright white.
- This frosting works beautifully for cakes, cupcakes, layer cakes, and simple piping work.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Tips for Success
- Use room temperature butter
- Whip the butter long enough before adding sugar
- Add powdered sugar slowly to avoid lumps
- Don’t skip the final whipping time
- Use the paddle attachment instead of the whisk for smoother frosting
- Gel food coloring works best without thinning the frosting
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Buttercream feels gritty | Sugar not whipped enough | Continue whipping several more minutes |
| Frosting too soft | Butter too warm | Chill 10–15 minutes then whip again |
| Buttercream too stiff | Too much powdered sugar | Add warm cream 1 tbsp at a time |
| Buttercream looks curdled | Temperature imbalance | Keep mixing — it usually comes together |
Frequently asked questions
A buttercream frosted cake can be left at room temperature for up to 3 days unless it has a perishable filling.
And, beyond that, you can keep it in the fridge. In fact, I like to place it in the fridge for an hour until the buttercream firms up slightly, then wrap plastic around it to protect it from other food odors.
Yes. Store in the fridge for up to one week. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
No. This recipe uses less powdered sugar than traditional American buttercream, which gives it a lighter texture and less sugary taste.
Yes, absolutely. And, the trick to covering a buttercream cake with fondant is to make sure you chill the cake really well, for more than a few hours. In fact, I like to keep my cakes overnight, so when it’s ready for fondant the cake is chilled completely, and I have a nice firm surface to work with.
Yes. Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Yes, lightly. Enough for smoother decorating but still soft and creamy when eaten.
Absolutely. Gel food coloring works best.
This is a general guide I use. Also note, I have given you the filling and frosting separately so you can choose another filling with your buttercream. If you choose to fill and frost the cake with buttercream, you can use the last column/total.
The amount is in cups – 1 kgs frosting makes about 8 cups
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I love this buttercream. It is my go to buttercream now. Thank you so much for sharing. We love it
Thank you Lucina
hi veena i really wanna try this recipe but we dont have meringue powder here in the philippines, can i use egg whites as a substitute? if so how many egg whites? i dont like the taste of so buttery frosting so i wanna try half butter and the remaining half is shorteming. will it be ok. im gonna use this recipe on saturday. can i make it two days before or earlier? if so what will i do the.? thank you. i hope you’ll answer all my questions… i just made your fondant recipe just yesterday and i really love it.
Lani. you can omit the meringue powder but do not use egg whites. If you want to use egg whites try Swiss or Italian Meringue recipe.
You can definitely make this frosting a few days ahead of time. Just remix well after you thaw to bring back to consistency.
YOu can use half butter and half shortening. I would recommend reducing the liquid if you live in high humidity like the Philippines
Feel free to ask any questions.
Hi Veena, I want to try your ABC for my son’s birthday cake . I don’t have a stand mixer, just an electric hand mixer. Can it give me the same results? How long should it take approximately to reach the finish quality that one gets using a stand mixer?
Thanks in advance
Runa
Yes, Ruma you can use an electric hand mixer too! Just takes a few minutes longer. The best is to go by what you see not by time. Read the recipe and see the video that should help. Feel free to ask any more questions Thanks
Thanks for your reply Veena. Just one more query. Since Non dairy creamer is not available here in India, I would be using Amul whipping cream which is a 30% cream. Is there any difference in the step where you mix creamer and sugar? I presume the creamer is more liquid than the whipping cream. Also we don’t get meringue powder here. Please let me know if absence of both the creamer and the meringue powder will make a huge difference to the final product.
Thanks for your reply Veena. I posted this query earlier today but don’t think it was posted. If I use whipping cream (Amul) instead of creamer and skip the meringue completely, do I have to make any changes in the process? Whipping cream is not as much liquid like creamer and hence my question. Will the sugar and cream be as glossy as you got with the creamer?
Yes Runa. You would not need to initial process of creaming the meringue and cream. So just add cream the butter with the cream and then add powder sugar. I think the Amul creamer is more liquid so perhaps you may need less than the quantity mentioned in the recipe
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Thanks!
Doron the option is only available to you not to me. I think it should give you the option to change notification or subscription. Sorry about that. Free fee to ask any more questions. Thanks
Hello veena, we dont get meringue powder here in my country. What if I skip it or if theres an alternate. Thanks
Yes, you can skip the meringue powder if you want kanwal. Thanks
This is my favorite buttercream recipe so far, and I’ve used it many many times with great success for filling cakes but never to cover with fondant, as it would always be too soft, no matter how little liquid I’d use, or if I’d put the cake in the freezer to harden. So I usually use Ganache to coat my cakes pre-fondant. Lately I started experimenting with SMBC and I liked it but the same thing happened and even worse when coating a cake, so I only used it to fill my cakes. One day I mixed it with ganache to make chocolate buttercream, just like I do with this recipe and it was a complete disaster.. actually that’s an understatement! My buttercream turned into mouse and it was so soft my cake was about to collapse and I needed to put it in the fridge even after it was covered with fondant. So here’s my question, because I know this beautiful ABC of yours works perfectly with ganache, and keeps its consistency; do you think a mix of 50% ganache and 50% ABC would work well for coating a cake?. What are your thoughts about that?. Thanks in advance!
Lizy – why can’t you cover a cake with fondant using this buttercream? It is not too soft? I’m not sure what weather you have but I am in Israel and I use this buttercream under my fondant cakes very successfully. In fact if you see my video how to get sharp edges on buttercream cakes I am using this buttercream under fondant. I do use more ganache cakes in summer because the weather can be really hot and my cakes travel far.
And yes, you can make Ganache buttercream – I think many cake decorators do it often to make chocolate buttercream. It’s does taste delicious
Lizy, I’m just thinking out loud here, but I’m wondering what type of liquid you are using. I found when I use the heavy whipping cream this recipe turns out perfect every time, but when I use a non-dairy creamer it seems to have too much moisture and the icing breaks down a bit. I used almond creamer when that happened, it was just too moist for me to use with fondant. Could that be the issue?
I do love using whipping cream and milk as well as non dairy creamer. It all depends on the weather – In summer I often have to use very little liquid but in winter I can use more and it will still be quite stable. The icing will usually break down if you try to use too much liquid and over whip it sometimes. SO try using less liquid. Hope this helps.
You know, I don’t know why it doesn’t set as firm as I’d need to be able to use it under fondant and get sharp edges; it would also bulge a bit and sometimes create big air bubble. I lived in Israel for a short time a few years ago, it was the year of the big snow on Dec. 13th. so the weather back then was pretty cold, and very dry as I remember. I know it gets super hot during the rest of the year but I’d assume it stays as dry maybe?. Over here, in Copenhagen it is very humid and mostly cold even during summer, we’re surrounded by ocean, there’s rarely any sun, it rains a lot… maybe that has something to do, who knows. The times I’ve tried it does crust when I put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes, and then it would start getting soft after a few minutes out, which is when I’d apply the fondant. I’ve tried leaving it in the refrigerator fr a longer time instead, and then the problem would be that the cake sweats, then the fondant gets tacky. I will try again during the colder months to see what happens, but for now I’ll keep on using it to fill all my cakes cause I love the taste 🙂
Grace, I’ve used heavy whipping cream and it turns out delicious! I’ve been using plain water last couple of times too.
Lizy sounds you like you have monsoon weather!! I suggest you use my Stiff Buttercream Recipe for Sugar Flowers – you will find it more easier to work. As for the bulges on the side, refer back to the basics! you need to make sure you level the cake properly. Not too high. See my post – how to level torte and fill cakes. As well as my Tip Thursday – Budges around the cakes – might help understand better.
Hi, can I use this to pipe lines etc- I need to make ‘henna’ type patterns on my pistachio & rosewater cupcakes for a bridesmaid party this weekend?
Thanks
Debbie
Yes Debbie you can use it to pipe line. Add less liquid in the buttercream and then bring to the right consistency when piping
Hello Veena,
I love your recipes and tutorials.
Just a question can I use egg white powder instead of meringue powder?
Thank you.
Michellex
Yes Michelle you can use egg white powder as well. Thanks
Thank you. Is this buttercream stable enough for hot summer days?? I had a couple of disasters last week, my buttercream cakes were melting under the fondant! Thank you
Michelle.. Not sure where you are located but I am in Israel and summer here is HOT! I use this buttercream under my fondant cakes. Having said that I do more Ganache cakes because butter will do what butter does in summer lol .. Melt. So depends on how hot and where you keep it.
I came across this recipe last year and it is my go to recipe for my buttercream cakes. Love how easy it is and love how awesome it taste!
Thank you so much Julie. I am so thrilled to hear you say that. It’s my go to recipe as well. I love it very much .Thank you.
Veena, thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes. What is a substitute that can be used instead of liquid non-dairy creamer in your buttercream recipe and what is the quantity to be used for the same? I live in India and I don’t think we get the creamer out here.
Roshini – In India I believe you get Amul whipping cream? You can use that! You can also use just plain milk or water. The reason I suggest you use non dairy so you can keep the frosting out on the counter longer without any fear.
Hi Veena, I wanted to ask if you use water instead of milk, as I don’t know where I can buy Liquid non-dairy coffee creamer where I live in Australia in two days time.
Will the water be ok with consistency. I want to pipe with the Russian piping tips I have. Also will the cake need to be refrigerated once iced? If I use water instead will it be ok to not refrigerate? It is winter here however I want to make sure it is ok and I don’t give anyone food poisioning if not stored correctly.
Thanks
Merle yes you can use water instead of milk or cream for sure. The consistency depends on the amount of liquid you add. I have used this recipe for piping flowers but you can use my Best Stiff Buttercream recipe for flowers as well
Hi! To this recipe if I wanted to make it lemon flavour so o just add 1/4 lemon juice and zest? Or would it be too liquid. I want to pipe on to cupcakes
Carlyn you would need to replace the liquid in the recipe with the lemon juice and zest in the beginning so you can keep a stiff consistency of the buttercream for piping