(Post Updated 15th December 2025)
Are you looking for the perfect buttercream frosting? The buttercream I always use for my cakes is an American buttercream. It creates a slight crust making it perfect under fondant, as a filling or for keeping its shape on the top of cupcakes. It tastes delicious too!
My American buttercream was one of the first recipe tutorials I uploaded to the Cakes by Lynz YouTube channel over 7 years ago. Since then I have been asked so many questions about the buttercream. So I thought it was definitely time I created an updated video where I run through my recipe and try to answer some of the questions. So if you’re new to making buttercream or just can’t get it quite right this post is here to help.
The Ingredients
American Buttercream is so easy to make, it’s quick and requires no complicated steps, making it perfect for beginners. It’s made up of 2 main ingredients; icing sugar and room temperature butter in a 2:1 ratio. The only thing you must remember is to use a real block of butter, a baking spread will never firm up on your cakes.
You can then add a flavouring of your choice. Vanilla is always a classic and always tastes great paired with a vanilla sponge cake or vanilla cupcakes. I like to add a small dash of milk for the perfect consistency, but this is optional. You’ll find the FULL recipe at the bottom of this post.
Watch step by step how to make my American Buttercream
To watch how to make this creamy American buttercream just click the video below or keep scrolling for the full recipe.
How to make the buttercream
- To make the buttercream you can use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Start by sifting your icing sugar into your mixing bowl. This will remove any lumps of sugar.
- Add the rest of your ingredients, and start on a low speed, until the ingredients start to come together. This will stop any icing sugar coming out of the bowl. If you’re using a stand mixer that comes with a guard this will also help.
- Increase to a higher speed for around 4 – 5 minutes. The longer you mix the buttercream the smoother and creamier it will get. It will also lighten the longer you mix it.
- Your buttercream is then ready to add onto your cakes. You could also colour it with gel or oil based colours to match the theme of your cake.
Answering you buttercream questions
Should you use salted or unsalted butter?
This is one of my most asked questions and the answer is you can use either. The only difference you will find is how it tastes. Personally I prefer to always use salted butter as for me it tastes better, but this really is personal preference.
If you use unsalted butter you can always add a small amount of salt into your buttercream. Some people prefer to do it this way, as you are more in control to how much salt is being added. For me I find salt really brings out the flavour of the buttercream.
Why is your buttercream too runny or won’t firm up?
Do you find that your buttercream either looks wet or that it just won’t firm up when your cake is in the fridge?
The cause of this is using the wrong butter. If you use a butter / spread that comes in a tub, even if it’s specifically for baking, they are made to always remain soft. This means they will never fully firm up.
You need to use a block of real dairy butter. Think about how a block of butter is really firm when it’s in the fridge. This means when your buttercream covered cake is placed in the fridge the butter in your buttercream will go back to that solid state. Just remember to allow your butter to get to room temperature before making your buttercream.
How can you get rid of air bubbles in your buttercream?
To get a perfectly smooth covering on your cakes you need an air bubble free buttercream. As we beat buttercream this adds air bubbles. Also if buttercream is left even for a few minutes after it’s been made I find it can form air bubbles in your mixture.
Before adding it onto your cakes or popping it into your piping bag use a spatula and spread it around the side of a bowl. This will push out a lot of those air bubbles, bringing it back to the perfect creamy consistency.
Can I use this recipe for chocolate buttercream?
This buttercream works great as a base for chocolate buttercream. All you will need to do is replace some of your icing sugar for cocoa powder. For this recipe I like to use 20g of cocoa powder and replace this with 20g of your icing sugar.
Sift the cocoa powder in with your buttercream and mix as normal. This makes a deliciously, creamy chocolate buttercream.
In the video I also cover colouring your buttercream and how to lighten your buttercream, so pleased do take a look. I really hope you will find this tutorial useful and if you have any other questions please leave them below.
Plus if you haven’t already you can subscribe to my YouTube channel for more Free cake decorating video tutorials.
Creamy Vanilla American Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
- 340 g Icing Sugar (12oz)
- 170 g Room Temperature Salted Butter (6oz)
- 1.5 tbsp Milk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Favouring or favouring of your choice
Instructions
- Sift your icing sugar into your mixing bowl to get out any lumps. Then add your butter, milk, and flavouring.
- Either using a hand mixer or stand mixer, set your mixer onto a low speed until the ingredients start to combine. This will stop the icing sugar escaping from the bowl.
- Once the ingredients have started to combine, turn your mixer up to a medium / high speed and let your buttercream mix for at least 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes you should have a smooth, creamy buttercream mixture. Using food gel colours, you can now add a colour of your choice, before adding it onto your cakes.
Notes
Plus why not save this tutorial for later and pin it to Pinterest
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