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.
Looking for a chocolate version? Try my whipped chocolate buttercream frosting! Looking for an even less sweet frosting option? Try my recipe for Homemade Whipped Cream.
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 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 ¼ 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.
How much frosting do I need?
This recipe makes enough frosting to frost the following cupcake quantities and cake sizes:
- 6-inch three layer cake
- 18 cupcakes with piped frosting
- 24 cupcakes spread with a knife
- 9x13 sheet cake
- 13x18 sheet cake
- 8-inch or 9-inch two layer cake (filling and top of cake, leaving the sides bare). To cover the sides of your layer cake, make an additional half batch of frosting.
In the recipe card below, hover over the serving size. Use the sliding bar to change the serving size and measurements.
Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups confectioner's sugar sifted to remove lumps
- ⅓ cup heavy cream cold
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract * optional, see note below
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) 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 Recommendations
Notes
- *Almond extract is optional. It gives your frosting a slightly elevated flavor, which I like to call 'fancy buttercream.' Great for wedding cakes and cupcakes.
- Frosting will keep for 1 week in a sealed container in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before spreading onto baked goods.
- Recipe will make enough to frost up to 18 cupcakes with piped frosting, 24 cupcakes spread with a knife, a 9x13 sheet cake, a 13x18 sheet cake, or the top and middle of a round 8 or 9 inch 2-layer cake (leaving the sides bare). To frost the sides of a 2-layer cake, make an additional half batch of frosting.
- 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.
Chelsea
Patience is the key to this recipe. The butter has to be totally room temperature. This was far less sweet than the average buttercream, the texture was smooth, and it held up better in higher heat than others might. This is my new go to for my cakes.
Marguerite
is this buttercream stable enough to pipe consistent flowers with?
Heather
Yes, this frosting is great for piping flowers - many readers have used it for piping detailed borders and decorations.
Here are a few pins where readers have shared their photos:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/160863017929906477/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/41587996546501439/
Alix
Can I turn this into chocolate frosting?
Heather
Hi Alix, readers have had success adding 6-8 tablespoons of cocoa powder in with the confectioner's sugar to make this into a chocolate frosting!
*edit* I now have a chocolate version here: https://thetoastykitchen.com/whipped-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/
Christina Floyd
Can I freeze my cupcakes after decorating with this frosting?
Heather
yes you can!
melissa
Hi, thank you for this recipe. I´ll try it tomorow, but i´ll like to know if it´s absolutelly necesary to add the heavy cream or if i can replace it for milk. Ask this since i´ve read some other recipes with no heavy cream.
Tnaks
Heather
Heavy cream is added to this frosting to give it a lighter, whipped texture. If you'd like to substitute with milk it will be more dense like a traditional buttercream frosting. I'd recommend substituting 1/3 cup of heavy cream with 1/4 cup of milk, similar to this recipe: https://thetoastykitchen.com/classic-american-buttercream-frosting/
melissa
Thank you soooo much!! Yesss... looking for the traditional one!
Jennifer A. Reynolds
Way too sweet.
Heather
Hi Jennifer, I'm sorry to hear the frosting was too sweet for you - buttercream frosting is one of the sweetest types of frostings. I'd suggest maybe a swiss meringue buttercream or a stabilized whipped cream for a less sweet flavor.