This quick, easy recipe for vanilla American buttercream is creamy, fluffy, and rich; it whips up in 5 minutes, and is the perfect frosting for cakes and cupcakes!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword American Buttercream, American Buttercream Recipe, Best Vanilla Frosting, Best Vanilla Frosting Recipe, Easy Buttercream Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream, Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe, Vanilla Frosting, Vanilla Frosting Recipe
Add the butter, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and salt to a large bowl, and use a handheld electric mixer to beat until well-combined. Add the powdered sugar and cream, and beat until smooth and creamy.
If the buttercream is too thick, add a splash more cream; if it’s too runny, add a little more powdered sugar.
Notes
Recipe Yield: This recipe makes about 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups of buttercream.
What Size Cake Can You Frost with This Buttercream: This makes enough frosting to frost and decorate the top and sides (not the middle) of one 3-layer 9-inch-round cake. For cupcakes, this amount will generously frost 24 cupcakes if you're piping the frosting on, and if you're using a butter knife to thinly spread the frosting on, you'll be able to frost about 48 cupcakes.
If You're Doubling the Recipe: I recommend using a stand mixer instead of a handheld mixer.