Skip to Content

The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipes

All the best buttercream frosting recipes you need to frost your cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or other desserts. So many flavors to choose from, your dessert options are endless!

Easy American Buttercream Frosting recipes to try for your next birthday or celebration. These frosting recipes are made with only a few ingredients and have a simple mixing method - no cooking or melting. Lots of flavors to choose from for spreading or decorating cakes and cupcakes. They’re great with brownies, bar cookies, and other desserts too! Flavors include chocolate frosting, vanilla, cream cheese, peanut butter, coconut, cookies and cream, + more. Vegan buttercream options too!

Buttercream Frosting Recipes

If you’re looking for frosting options to make and decorate your next cake or cupcakes with, look no further! These easy buttercream frosting recipes will satisfy any craving with all the flavor options you need!

Just about all of these recipes are American Buttercream style recipes that call for only a few ingredients and a simple mixing method.

What is American Buttercream?

American Buttercream is buttercream frosting that’s made with softened butter and powdered sugar. No ingredients are cooked in this type of frosting.

Chocolate buttercream frosting (ABC style) is usually flavored with cocoa powder or sometimes melted chocolate. You can flavor plain frosting with extracts to make vanilla, peppermint, orange, lemon, coconut, etc.

This creamy Homemade Chocolate Frosting recipe is easy to make and calls for simple ingredients. It’s great for spreading or piping on cupcakes, cakes, brownies, or cookies. You’ll love it! Recipe from @whattheforkblog | whattheforkfoodblog.com | easy homemade frosting recipes | how to make chocolate buttercream frosting | how to make frosting | the best chocolate frosting recipe | #buttercream #chocolate #frosting #dessert #easyrecipes


Can frosting be made ahead of time?

Yes it can. Just refrigerate it after preparing it and store it in an air-tight container. Bring it to room temperature (about an hour) before using and re-whip it before adding to your cake, cupcakes, or other baked goods.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed to Make a Buttercream Frosting Recipe

  • Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer. With a stand mixer, you can use the paddle attachment or the whisk to make buttercream. With a hand mixer, us the beaters.
  • Large Bowl
  • Fine Mesh Strainer or Sifter– optional but if you want to ensure your sugar has no lumps, sift it before adding it to the cream cheese/butter.

Key Ingredients for Homemade Frosting (American Buttercream)

  • Butter
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Extracts – such as pure vanilla extract (homemade or store-bought), peppermint, mint, lemon, coconut, orange, etc.

Make this homemade vanilla buttercream frosting recipe for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and brownies! It’s easy to spread and pipes really well too! It’s so light and creamy, it’s like a buttercream cloud. This is definitely the best vanilla buttercream frosting recipe! From @whattheforkfoodblog - visit whattheforkfoodblog.com for more! #glutenfree #buttercream #frosting #vanilla #vanillabuttercream #vanillafrosting #cake #cupcakes #cakedecorating #recipe #easyrecipes


Key Ingredients for Vegan Buttercream Frosting

  • Plant based butter – I mostly use Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread but have also used Country Crock Plant Butter sticks (with Avocado Oil) with great results.
  • ShorteningNutiva Shortening is my go-to for any recipe that calls for shortening. It has better flavor than Crisco and works really, really well in baked goods and frostings.

Tips for Making Homemade Buttercream Frosting

  • Don’t over-soften your butter. If your butter gets too soft, it will produce a buttercream that looks greasy, almost like your frosting doesn’t come together all the way.
  • Vegan Butter doesn’t need to be softened. You can use it straight from the refrigerator to prevent it from becoming too soft.
  • Add a pinch of salt to your buttercream. I always, always add a pinch of fine sea salt to my frosting recipes. Just a small amount brings out the flavor and also helps balance the sweetness.

Homemade Gluten Free Strawberry Cake on a white cake stand garnished with fresh strawberries and flowers


Be sure to follow me on Instagram and hashtag #whattheforkfoodblog or tag @whattheforkfoodblog – I love seeing what you make!
If you love these Buttercream icing recipes, be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post:
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Youtube | Newsletter |

email subscription for What The Fork Food Blog

Leave a comment

If you made this recipe, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online.

Sincerely,
Shay

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *