Whipped Buttercream Frosting is a light and fluffy version of the traditional buttercream you know and love. This sweet, whipped buttercream is the perfect frosting for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and brownies.
This whipped buttercream is still sweet like a traditional buttercream, but whipped until fluffy with the addition of heavy whipping cream.
Buttercream frosting is made with butter and confectioner’s sugar, and there’s no cooking involved. It’s a quick and easy option for topping your next batch of cupcakes or birthday cake.
This frosting, with the addition of more heavy whipping cream and extra whipping time, turns out light, fluffy, and perfectly sweetened. Perfect for topping you next batch of chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, or white cupcakes.
Room temperature butter
First, you’ll want to start with room temperature butter. Cold butter or melted butter will not work for this recipe. You’ll be whipping your butter and other ingredients together – this requires room temperature butter for a creamy, smooth consistency.
To speed up the process of warming cold butter, Slice your butter into smaller pieces and set out on the kitchen counter. Sliced butter will warm up faster than a whole stick of butter.
How to make whipped buttercream frosting
First, add your room temperature butter to your mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy, about a minute. Then, add your confectioner’s sugar and mix slowly until incorporated.
Once your confectioner’s sugar is incorporated, slowly increase your mixing speed and whip until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Then add your vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream.
Slowly increase your mixing speed to high and whip for another 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add more heavy cream as desired to achieve your ideal consistency. Adding more heavy cream will create a thinner frosting, which may not be pipeable.
How to store frosted baked goods
Baked goods can be frosted the day before an event and left at room temperature in a sealed container.
Keep in mind, butter melts around 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
If your location is nearing this temperature, I’d recommend refrigerating your baked goods until an hour before you’re ready to serve them. Refrigerating your frosted baked goods for a short amount of time will not hurt them. But, you will want to give them some time to come to room temperature before serving.
Here’s a fantastic article about how frosting holds up to heat: The Best Cake Frosting For Hot Weather
Almond extract in frosting
Almond extract in frostingIf I want to make a ‘fancy’ buttercream frosting, maybe for a party or wedding, add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. It adds just a hint of almond flavor, and gives your frosting a slightly elevated flavor.
I’m pretty sure if I didn’t tell anyone it was in there, they wouldn’t notice. It just tastes like an amazing, professionally made buttercream frosting.
If you are afraid of an overwhelming almond flavor, begin by adding half as much almond extract as called for – you can always add more. The almond extract is optional, so feel free to skip this step.
Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups confectioner's sugar sifted to remove lumps
- 1/3 cup heavy cream cold
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract * optional, see note below
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter, beat until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add confectioner's sugar and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Then, whip at high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract (and optional almond extract) and whip for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Pipe or spread frosting with a knife onto cupcakes and serve.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- *Almond extract is optional. It adds just a hint of almond flavor, and gives your frosting a slightly elevated flavor, which I like to call 'fancy buttercream.' Great for wedding cakes and cupcakes.
- Recipe will make enough to frost about 16 cupcakes with high, dramatic piped frosting, or 24 cupcakes spread with a knife, a 9x13 sheet cake, or an 8-9 inch two layer cake.
- Cold butter or melted butter will not work for this recipe. You'll be whipping your butter and other ingredients together. This requires room temperature butter to get that creamy, smooth consistency.
- Baked goods can be frosted the day before an event, and left at room temperature in a sealed container. If you have a fully decorated cake, or cupcakes with a fruit filling, I'd recommend refrigerating them overnight so they stay fresh longer.
- Butter melts around 90 to 95 degrees, and so will your frosting. If your location is nearing this temperature, I'd recommend refrigerating your baked goods until an hour before you're ready to serve them. Refrigerating your frosted baked goods will not hurt them, but you will want to give them some time to come to room temperature before serving.
My husband wanted a white cake with white icing for his birthday. Canned vanilla frosting gives him really bad heartburn, so I was looking for a recipe for homemade vanilla frosting. This recipe was perfect! I followed the recipe and it was simple and turned out perfectly! Light and fluffy, just the right amount of sweetness. Hubby loved his cake!
Glad to hear it turned out, Jodi!
This was delicious! I generally live the flavor of buttercream but it’s much to heavy for me. This buttercream is light, fluffy and very vanilla-y. So good. We didnt have any almond extract but I can’t wait to add it next time.
Thanks for the great review, Megan!
This was delicious! I used it on some chocolate cupcakes, and it turned out so well! The addition of the almond extract was the perfect addition to the overall flavor! My husband said to only make this for any birthdays in the future
Thank you for the great review, Leslie. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the almond extract as much as I do!
I’ll be making a two tier cake, how pipa ke is this frosting. Will it hold shape for a day or two in the refrigerator. TIA
Yes, this frosting is pipable and will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.
Can I make this by hand I don’t have an electric mixer handy
Yes you can whip this by hand, you’ll just need to use a lot of elbow grease! And it may take slightly longer.
I don’t have cream, can I use milk or full fat powdered milk?
Milk will not work because it won’t whip up into whipped cream. A traditional buttercream would call for 1-2 tablespoons of milk (instead of the heavy cream in this recipe) to thin the buttercream, which you could do instead. It just wouldn’t be as whipped as this version.
I have not tried to make buttercream with powdered milk so I can’t say for sure!
Can you make this frosting ahead of time and put this in the freezer?
Yes this frosting can be frozen! Once it comes back to room temperature you may want to whip it for a minute to make it fluffy again.
Does this buttercream crust at all? Sounds delicious!
Hi Leanne, since this recipe has less sugar and more fats, it will not crust as much (or at all) compared to a traditional buttercream. I find that it usually stays soft after piping onto cupcakes!
Can I use salted butter since you add salt to recipe? Can you whip too much? I have made frosting before and the butter seems to break or separate. Can cream of tartar help stabilize the frosting and when would you add it. Thank you
Hi Debbie, yes you can replace the butter and salt with salted butter. I haven’t had an issue overwhipping this frosting, or with breaking or separating. I haven’t used cream of tartar in this frosting before, but if you want to add it, I’d try adding it with the confectioner’s sugar since they are both dry ingredients.
I m making an Easter cake tomorrow with my kids with peeps and jelly beans. Will I need to refrigerate after we decorate?
Hi melanie, your cake should be fine at room temperature!
I want to add raspberries to the frosting. How woukd you suggest I do that?
Hi Ashley, adding fresh fruits to a buttercream frosting can be tricky because they add extra moisture, which could ruin the texture of the frosting.
I’d suggest adding 1/2 cup of jam or preserves to the frosting if you’d like to make a fruity buttercream. You may also need to add a bit of extra confectioner’s sugar to get the consistency right.
Made this today and my family loved the light rich flavor. The almond extract was perfect for added flavor ! Thank you
I lived how fluffy, light, and silky this was. I feel that it is too sweet for me. How would you suggest toning down the sweetness without loosing the fluffiness?
I’m glad you enjoyed the frosting! Unfortunately with so few ingredients, it’s difficult to make buttercream frosting less sweet without making it too buttery/greasy or too thin. I’d suggest looking for a stabilized whipped cream or a swiss meringue buttercream frosting!
I’ve been trying several different buttercream frosting recipes and this is by far the best one I’ve found ! I made an orange creamsicle cake which in itself was great but the frosting recipe that came with it was basically orange flavored butter, so I was very happy when I found this recipe ! The flavor is spot on, so ever since I found this recipe everyone asks me to make a cake with “that awesome frosting !” It is light and fluffy not heavy and gritty like most buttercream frostings. So thank you again for sharing your recipe.
Thank you Jenna, I’m so glad you enjoyed the frosting!
Finally a perfect recipe for buttercream. It was light and silky and not at all too sweet. Food gel works perfect for coloring. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Super good recipe!! Will be my go
To !! Question, how would you make it
Chcicolate?
Hi Theresa, I am actually working on making a post for a chocolate version now! I would recommend adding 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder – sifted in with the confectioner’s sugar. Up to 8 tablespoons for a stronger chocolate flavor.
Awesome thanks!!!!
Chocolate lol
This looks fantastic. Could you tell me if it would fill and coat (the top at least) a sandwich cake please? I’d like to use it on a chocolate cake for children would you recommend using the almond still for children?
Thank you in advance
Hi Ema, The almond extract is optional so you can definitely leave it out if you don’t think your audience will enjoy it. What size pans do you use to make a sandwich cake? This recipe will make enough to frost a two layer 8 or 9 inch cake.
Hi! I’m planning on making 7 mini 4×4 cakes for a few friends this weekend how many batches of frosting would you recommend I make?
Do your cakes have multiple layers? This recipe as written will frost one 8 to 9 inch two-layer cake, without extra decorations like piped flowers, etc. If your cakes have multiple layers, as written it should frost maybe four 4×4 inch cakes, so I’d say double this recipe. I’d also make more if you’d like to add piping and other decorative details.
This is the best buttercream I have ever made! The flavor and consistency is amazing!!