Being a professional cake decorator for more than 20 years, I have perfected the best homemade buttercream frosting recipe!! A cut above the rest, this vanilla buttercream frosting is fluffy, creamy and wonderfully rich!
You can make your own frosting in 5 minutes using 4 ingredients. For this reason, it is one of the best basic buttercream recipes to have on hand.
This decorator frosting crusts beautifully and can be smoothed using the Viva paper towel method. Also known as “wedding cake frosting” by many of my customers as they sit in front of me for a cake tasting and fight over the last of the frosting.
Take it from a very experienced cake decorator, you have to add this standard shortening based American buttercream recipe to your collection!!
Without a doubt, this fluffy frosting will turn your cakes, cookies, or cupcakes into a special occasion dessert. Decorate these raspberry cupcakes with my buttercream frosting and your guests will be begging for more!
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See why my Best Buttercream Frosting recipe has gotten almost 30K views! It’s a simple frosting recipe that you will make again and again.
Which Cake Frosting is the Best?
Having tied many frosting recipes over the year, I know what works and what doesn’t work. In comparison to other recipes this one is great for high temperature and high humidity climate areas.
You do not want the frosting melting off the side of the cake as it is delivered to its destination. If you are interested in exploring other frosting recipes go to allrecipes.com.
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Crisco, All-vegetable (white only)
- Powdered Sugar, Confectionery
- Water (or milk if coloring)
- Salt, Iodized
- Vanilla, Clear
- Butter Flavoring
- Almond Flavoring
How to Make the Best Buttercream Frosting
This foolproof buttercream frosting recipe offers simple, step-by-step instructions to create a professional-quality frosting right in your kitchen. Here’s how:
Prep Your Ingredients: Begin by gathering all your ingredients for easy access.
Mix the Liquid Base: In a small bowl, combine water (or milk) with salt, stirring until the salt dissolves completely. It’s essential to dissolve the salt thoroughly to avoid tiny white spots appearing in your colored frosting. Next, add all the flavorings to the liquid base and stir well.
Beat the Shortening: Using a stand mixer fitted with a flat paddle attachment, add the shortening to the mixing bowl. Beat on low speed until the shortening is smooth. Scrape the side of the bowl and mix again until no lumps appear.
Add the Powdered Sugar and Liquid Mixture: Begin by adding 1 ½ pounds of powdered sugar along with half of the liquid mixture to the shortening. Mix on low speed for a couple minute, until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate any unmixed ingredients. Mix again until smooth.
Final Mixing: Add the remaining powdered sugar and liquid, mixing until everything is fully blended. Make sure to scrape the side of the bowl. Beat again to achieve a fluffy frosting.
Adjust the Consistency: If your frosting is too thick, add a few drops of water or milk and mix again until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a little powdered sugar to thicken it up.
Can Buttercream Frosting Be Left Out?
Store buttercream icing in a covered container at room temperature. Any unused frosting can be frozen.
This recipe uses white Crisco shortening which makes storing frosting at room temperature. Buttercream frosting with Crisco is what makes this a stable icing to use in high heat climates. Using Crisco also makes this a zero trans-fat buttercream frosting.
Do You Have to Refrigerate a Cake with Buttercream Frosting?
Refrigeration is not recommended unless you have a perishable filling in the middle or on top of the cake. On this occasion, if you were to use fresh fruit and the cake was not going to be delivered until the next day refrigeration is needed, or the fruit will go bad.
How to Color Frosting
Coloring the decorating frosting might take a little practice. If you can, add the color to the prepared frosting the day before. Sometimes, when the frosting sits, it will change shades and will not be that exact color that you want.
Violet is the one color that will stay blue if you use water but depends on the icing coloring that you are using. Other colors may work just fine if water is used in the frosting. I recommend using paste colors vs a water-based color.
Perfect Frosting
Weight your powdered sugar on a scale to achieve the perfect consistency. When you purchase bags of powdered sugar the weight varies which can cause an inconsistent frosting.
Sifting your powdered sugar if lumps appear with having an old product. Lumps can ruin a frosting so it is better to sift if you are not sure about your powdered sugar.
Cupcakes to Make with Buttercream Frosting
Want a variety of different buttercream frosted cupcakes for a party or gathering? Try these orange lavender cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, and Blackstone Griddle cupcakes.
More Frosting Recipes
Are you looking for more frosting recipes? If you love experimenting with different flavors and textures, you’re in the right place.
Along with my favorite go-to frostings, I also highly recommend trying a fellow blogger’s cranberry buttercream frosting—it’s beautifully festive with the perfect balance of sweet and tart, making it a delicious option for cakes, cupcakes, and holiday desserts.
The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Being a professional cake decorator for more than 20 years, I have perfected the best homemade buttercream frosting recipe!! A cut above the rest, this vanilla buttercream frosting is fluffy, creamy and wonderfully rich! You can make your own frosting in 5 minutes using 4 ingredients. For this reason, it is one of the best basic buttercream recipes to have on hand.
Ingredients
- Crisco, All-vegetable (white only) (1 pound, 5 ounces) 3 cups
- Powdered Sugar, Confectionery 3 pounds. 10 cups
- Water (or milk if coloring) 1/2 cup
- Salt, Iodized 1 teaspoon
- Vanilla, Clear 1 1/2 tablespoons
- Butter Flavoring 1 tablespoon
- Almond Flavoring 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Gather all of your ingredients to make this easy frosting.
- First, combine the water/milk with the salt and stir to dissolve. Make sure to dissolve the salt in the liquid otherwise the salt will result in little bleached spots in your colored icing.
- Second, add the flavorings to the water/milk mixture and stir to combine. My choice of flavorings are 1 1/2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract, 1 tablespoons almond extract, and 1 tablespoons butter extract/flavor.
- Next, using a stand mixer place the shortening into the mixing bowl with a flat paddle. Beat on low speed for 1 minute to smooth out the shortening.
- Following that, add 1 ½ pounds of the powdered sugar with ½ the flavoring liquid ingredients and mix about 1 minute until all is combined.
- Then add the remaining powdered sugar and flavorings, mix until combined. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Finally, mix a couple more seconds but do not overmix.
- Take note that if your frosting is too thick, beat in a water/milk, a few drops at a time. By the same token if your frosting becomes too thin beat in a little bit of powdered sugar until desired consistancy is achieved.
Notes
Can Buttercream Frosting Be Left Out?
Store buttercream icing in a covered container at room temperature. Any unused frosting can be frozen. This recipe uses white Crisco shortening which makes storing frosting at room temperature. Buttercream frosting with Crisco is what makes this a stable icing to use in high heat climates. Using Crisco also makes this a zero trans-fat buttercream frosting.
Do You Have to Refrigerate a Cake with Buttercream Frosting?
Refrigeration is not recommended unless you have a perishable filling in the middle or on top of the cake. On this occasion, if you were to use fresh fruit and the cake was not going to be delivered until the next day refrigeration is needed, or the fruit will go bad.
How to Color Frosting
Coloring the best decorating frosting might take a little practice. If you plan to color your frosting, then you will want to use milk instead of water. Violet is the one color that will stay blue if you use water. Other colors my work just fine if water is used in the frosting. I recommend using paste colors vs a water-based color.
Perfect Frosting
Weight your powdered sugar on a scale to achieve the perfect consistency. When you purchase bags of powdered sugar the weight varies which can cause an inconsistent frosting. Sifting your powdered sugar if lumps appear with having an old product. Lumps can ruin a frosting so it is better to sift if you are not sure about your powdered sugar.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!
Nutrition Information
Yield
50Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 261Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 1mgSodium 46mgCarbohydrates 66gFiber 0gSugar 65gProtein 0g
Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline.
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If you enjoyed making this buttercream frosting recipe, you may enjoy the following recipes: Rhubarb Apple Crisp and Rice Pudding.
I have tasted Sherry’s products, they are wonderful! Her wedding cake is great.She really is a fantastic baker, decorator and I can’t wait to try this.
Thank you Beth!!
I came across this recipe a couple weeks ago while looking for a true white buttercream like my aunt made 40 yrs ago (her recipe was lost). I made a batch using the breakdown of flavorings as suggested in the recipe. It was the true white I was aiming for as well as the perfect consistency, But I did feel the almond was a tad overwhelming.
I just made another batch this morning. I cut the recipe in half using 4 tsp of clear vanilla and 1.5 tsp of butter flavoring. Perfect.
Thank you for sharing.
The wonderful thing about this recipe is you can switch up the flavorings to your liking. I am a wedding cake maker and this recipe is a staple in my bakery.
I have made a recipe very similar
1 cup crisco
3/4 cup cake flour
2 lbs powdered sugar
Flavorings
Have made this recipe for years and now I have started having problems with icing letting go from sides of layered cakes.
Any suggestions or reasons for this happening? Thanks
Sherri
Sorry to hear that you are having problems but your recipe is not like my recipe at all. I would never put cake flour into my buttercream frosting recipe. Maybe you should try my actual recipe. You will like it if done correctly.
Sherry
Do you have a smaller receipt?
Sorry, with the rise in inflation, I don’t have a smaller receipt for you.
Hello I want to make your recipe how ever I’m wondering if you can add peanut butter to a smaller portion and if so how would you do it
I have never tested this buttercream recipe with peanut butter. You could maybe try adding peanut butter to the shortening and beat together until smooth. The amount of peanut butter will depend on how strong on a peanut butter flavor you want. Then follow the recipe as normal. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
Thanks for the recipe! Feom Mason, mi. Just opened my farm stand a month ago!