Buttercream frosting has to be my all-time favorite frosting. It’s simple, it’s sweet, and it’s easy. It tastes good with any cake flavor, and it’s consistency is perfect for piping beautiful cakes and cupcakes.
Buttercream frosting recipes are a dime a dozen, but this buttercream frosting has a magic ingredient: bakery emulsion. For years a friend who is an expert baker who told me to use bakery emulsion in my frosting instead of typical vanilla extract. When I finally did it, I couldn’t believe what a difference it made. Something about it took the flavor of my frosting from great to outstanding, and I’ve never gone back to vanilla extract.
If you’re not familiar with bakery emulsion, it’s basically a different type of flavor extract. While typical flavor extracts are flavoring dissolved in alcohol, emulsion is based in water with an emulsifier. Water is a more neutral carrier than alcohol (so it’s great for buttercream frosting-or any frosting), and no alcohol also means that the flavor doesn’t burn off at high heat (so it’s great in baked goods). I buy it at my local gourmet kitchen supply store, and a few people have told me they’ve seen select flavors at their local grocery store. Of course every flavor is available on Amazon.
Using bakery emulsions instead of flavor extracts doesn’t reduce your flavor options either; there are still many different flavors to choose from. My go-to flavor is Butter Vanilla, but there are many possibilities. Princess Cake and Cookie, Raspberry, and Lemon are a few of my other favorites. Butter Vanilla costs a little over $5 for a 4 ounce bottle, and it’s absolutely worth it.
All that being said, yes you can use vanilla extract in this recipe and, let’s get real – it’s butter, sugar, cream and vanilla flavor. It’s going to taste good.
A lot of buttercream recipes call for unsalted butter, but I don’t always have that on hand. I use salted butter, and I think a little bit of salt is perfect to offset the sweetness of the buttercream frosting.
The method for making this buttercream frosting is simple. Whip the butter until smooth. Add one cup of powdered sugar and whip, then another cup. Add the heavy whipping cream and bakery emulsion, then whip again. Add two more cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition.
At this point, you will need to decide if the frosting is the right texture. It should be smooth and fluffy, but still hold its shape. Sometimes brands of powdered sugar vary in how much moisture they absorb. If your frosting is too stiff, add more heavy whipping cream, a half tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired texture for piping or spreading.
If you want more information about how to pipe frosting onto cupcakes, this video from CakesbyLynz is one of my favorites.
No-Fail Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Butter Vanilla Bakery Emulsion or vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter. Beat butter on medium speed with the whisk attachment for about 1 minute, until butter is smooth.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Repeat with 1 more cup.
- Add bakery emulsion and heavy whipping cream and beat until combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
- Beat for about one additional minute, until frosting is thickened, smooth, and fluffy.
- The frosting should be smooth and fluffy, but stiff enough to hold its shape. If it's too stiff, add more whipping cream, half a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired texture (2-3 tablespoons total).
Nutrition
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[…] The “secret ingredient” to this cream cheese frosting is butter vanilla bakery emulsion. I love to use bakery emulsions rather than extracts for frosting and baked goods. I always use it in my No-Fail Buttercream Frosting. […]
Adriana says
Hi! I wanted to know how much frosting this makes. To know if i should just make half 🙂
Marsha Maxwell says
Thanks for asking, Adriana! It makes about 2 1/4 cups. If you want to spread icing on cupcakes with a knife, it will frost 24 cupcakes. If you are going to pipe the frosting for a bakery style cupcake, you can frost 12 cupcakes with this recipe.
Malili says
Hi is 1 cup butter in 227g. I just want that confirmed please
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Malili, yes that’s correct. It’s 2 sticks of butter in the U.S.
Julie says
Just want to confirm. I’m using this recipe to make a tiered cake. 2-10 inch rounds (frost in between) and 2 -8 inch rounds. Frost in between. Does this mean I need to quadruple or even more this recipe?
Marsha Maxwell says
A quadruple batch would be about nine cups, which is what you will need for a cake that size. You might even want to 5x the recipe since 2 of the layers are 10 inches. Here’s a guide that might help: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/10868-how-to-divvy-up-the-frosting-for-layer-cakes
Lindsay says
Hello! Using this recipe for a wedding and it’s amazing! Do you know how far in advance I can make this?
Marsha Maxwell says
It stays fresh for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or 2 days at room temperature. So if you need to make it a few days in advance that shouldn’t be a problem.
Nicole says
What tip was used for the picture?
Allison McGee says
It’s a jumbo round pastry tip. Sadly, the exact set I have is no longer available, but searching for “jumbo round pastry tip” should get you what you need.
Lori says
Can you add cocoa powder to this for chocolate buttercream too?
Allison McGee says
Yes! I’d add 3/4 cup of cocoa powder.
KaLee says
At what step would you add the cocoa?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi KaLee – You can add the cocoa with the second or third cup of powdered sugar.
Cathy says
How well will this hold up outdoors on a warm day? Its butter so I’m wondering.
Allison McGee says
I’m trying to recall if I’ve ever served this frosting at an outdoor function and I don’t think that I have. If I had to guess I would say that it should hold up pretty well outdoors under mild to moderate temperatures, but if it gets to be 85 or 90 degrees and the frosting is under direct sunlight it could start to melt.
Ashley says
I need to make enough for a small 2 tier cake, so I doubled the recipe and used regular vanilla and it does taste yummy! Do you think doubling it will be enough?
Marsha Maxwell says
Yes, I think it will be plenty! I used a double recipe for 48 cupcakes last weekend.
Allison McGee says
I’m a little cautious to say for sure because “small” can mean different things to different people, but I’m guessing that doubling it would be plenty!
Carol says
can you put food colouring in the butter cream in ?
Marsha Maxwell says
Definitely! You can color it any way you want. Here are some cupcakes we made with colored buttercream: https://foodlove.com/cupcake-guide/
Amy says
If using unsalted butter do you recommend adding salt? If so, how much would you add?
Marsha Maxwell says
Yes, I would recommend adding a little salt. The standard amount would be 1/4 teaspoon per stick of butter, or 1/2 teaspoon for this recipe. It wouldn’t hurt to start with 1/4 teaspoon, then taste the frosting and add more according to your preference. Good luck!
Debbi Lopez says
Its delicious, but it seems to be melting a bit. What would you recommend?
Marsha Maxwell says
Your ingredients or your kitchen might be too warm. Also, make sure your cakes, cookies, etc are completely cooled before you try to frost them. If it’s summer or you live in a hot climate, you can replace half the butter with shortening, like Crisco, and that helps the frosting hold up better in the heat. Good luck!
Debbi Lopez says
Will it affect the taste? It’s so good I dont want to change the taste! Could it be refrigerated just for a short time after making? I’m trying to pipe it on cupcakes.
Marsha Maxwell says
Yes, you can put it in the fridge for 10 minutes or so. Also it could help if you put your piping bag in the fridge just for a short time. The way you’re describing the problem, it seems like your frosting might not be stiff enough to begin with. It might help to add 1/2 cup more powdered sugar, or use 1/2 tablespoon less whipping cream.
Ashley says
This is my go to frosting recipe because it’s so yummy but today I need to flavor it and I want blackberry butter cream. I found a similar recipe for berry frosting without the heavy cream and fresh blackberries instead but I’m concerned that leaving out the cream will effect the taste.
Would you recommend adding a handful af berries to this recipe or will they cause it to be to thin and runny?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Ashley – I’m so glad you are loving this recipe! We usually use bakery emulsions for flavor, like with these Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes. If you are going to use fresh fruit, I think you should cook down about a cup of fresh berries with a tablespoon of sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until it’s reduced to about 1/3 cup. Strain away the seeds. Then add that puree to the normal frosting recipe, about a tablespoon at a time, until you get the result you want. You might need extra powdered sugar to make up for the extra liquid. You could leave the heavy cream out of the recipe, but I like it for texture. P.S. These are just my thoughts, because I haven’t made it this way! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Ashley says
Thank you so much for your quick reply.
I took a chance and made your frosting recipe with the fresh blackberries. Partly because I wanted to see if it would actually work and also because I didn’t want to take the time to cook down the berries and wait for them to cool.
I added the berries in at the same time as the vanilla and heavy cream and added 1/2 cup of powder sugar. Mixed it real good and chilled it for about 30 min.
Because I used whole Barries it’s not as smooth as the original butter cream but it has a yummy hint of blackberry taste that I’m sure will enhance before it’s eaten in 3 days and the seeds add a nice texture as a filling.
All in all I feel it was a success. However if I ever were to use it for piping or surface frosting I think cooking down the berries and straining out the seeds is definitely the way to go.
Thank you so much for your recipes!
Marsha Maxwell says
That’s great to know, Ashley! I love desserts made with fresh fruit!
Lorie says
Salted butter?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Lorie – Yes, we use salted butter. If you use unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the recipe.
Mark says
Do you have a favorite brand of the emulsions?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi, Mark! LorAnn Oils is the brand we use.
Annmarie says
Does this buttercream crust?
Marsha Maxwell says
Not especially. A crusting buttercream usually is made with shortening, in my opinion. With this recipe, if you make it stiffer by adding more powdered sugar, it will crust a bit.
Sophie says
I have been making a buttercream similar to this recipe and by the morning of the event, it has hardened. Does this recipe do that, how can I keep the buttercream from getting hard?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Sophie, once a cake or cupcake is frosted, I would recommend serving within 24-48 hours.
Susan says
Hi this recipe sounds lovely and I wud love to give it a go. But I’m not sure how to translate it to grams or ounces as I live in England could you possibly help me to work it out from cups to grams or ounces thank you sue
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi, Susan! The butter would be 227 grams, powdered sugar 440 grams, bakery emulsion 4-5 grams, and whipping cream 27 grams.
Paula says
Doesn’t using the wire whisk incorporate too much air causing the BC to have air bubbles and not spreading smooth?
Marsha Maxwell says
No, we have not had that problem. If it has a lot of air bubbles, you could stir with a spatula. We usually pipe this frosting, because we use it most often for cupcakes.
Rachael says
I’m planning to make a small petal cake for my daughter’s birthday. I’ll be using 5 to 6 colors for the petals. Will one batch of this in each color be enough? The cake is for 5 to 6 people. The inside of the cake will be a layered rainbow.
Marsha Maxwell says
Wow, that sounds beautiful, Rachael! Happy Birthday to your daughter! My advice would be to make a double batch of this frosting, but don’t color it. Divide up the frosting into 5-6 smaller bowls, and then add the colors.
Harriet Fisher says
I am making 400 mini cupcakes for a wedding and have been asked to use a butter cream frosting
can I ice the cupcakes before freezing them?
Marsha Maxwell says
You can, but there is a risk the frosting will give off moisture when thawing that will slightly change the texture of both the cake and the frosting. IMO it would be better to freeze the cupcakes and frosting separately, then let the frosting thaw and re-whip it for one minute before using. You could do this the day before the wedding.
Janet says
Can you use half n half?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Janet, yes half and half will work fine!
Diane says
I use Amaretto liqueur in the same frosting recipe, for another lovely, but alcohol (like vanilla extract) based flavor. Just in case anyone wants to try it, same amount of flavoring per teaspoon.
Marsha Maxwell says
Thanks so much for the suggestion, Diane!
Kari says
Never made frosting before but this was very easy and good I added a little cream cheese to it and yum. Don’t get me wrong it was good without the cream cheese but I thought why not try it. Thank you for this easy great tasting recipe.
Marsha Maxwell says
Glad it worked out for you, Kari! Adding cream cheese is a great idea!
Jo Anna says
I’m making a three tier cake and 150 cupcakes how many batches do I need of this frosting
Marsha Maxwell says
Wow, good luck, Jo Anna! I think 8-10 batches.
Crystal says
If I wanted to add a little cream cheese to this recipe (as mentioned above), could you recommend an amount that would work well?
Marsha Maxwell says
My suggestion would be to reduce the butter to 1/2 cup, omit the whipping cream, and add 8 ounces (1 package) of cream cheese. Good luck!
Heather says
Wondering if this would hold up to being dipped in chocolate? Thought about freezing first and then dipping in chocolate but I read your post about it changing the texture?
Marsha Maxwell says
I really don’t know. I think you should try it! The frosting definitely can be frozen.
Lacey says
I have made this tecieoe before and used it for a 2 tiered unicorn cake. I had to make like 5 batches tho. Lol I was wondering if i can split the batch and make half chocolate? If so how much cocoa powder do I use?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Lacey – wow, that’s so fun that you made a unicorn cake! If you want to make a half batch of chocolate, use 1/3 cup cocoa powder, then taste and if it’s not chocolatey enough add one more tablespoon.
Sara says
Does this frosting harden after putting it on cupcakes or would it stay softer so that you could put sprinkles and such on it? I’m having an art party for my daughter’s birthday and the kids are decorating their own cupcakes, but I’m frosting them ahead of time.
Marsha Maxwell says
I’m not sure, but sprinkles have an outer shell, so I don’t think they will stick to cupcakes that were frosted the day before. Good luck with your party!
KaLee says
I was wondering if I could make this with a hand electric mixer? Would I use the regular beaters or still the whisk beater? Thanks so much!
Marsha Maxwell says
Yes, you can definitely make it with an electric hand mixer. I’ve done that before many times. Use the regular beaters.
Indi says
Hi Marsha, love this recipe for frosting I would like to add white chocolate to it but when exactly would I add the white chocolate and would I need to melt it?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Indi – I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe! White chocolate buttercream is a little different recipe and procedure. I’ve had good success with this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/chocolate-white-chocolate-cupcakes/. The changes I recommend to Sally’s recipe are to use 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and reduce the whipping cream to 2 tablespoons. I also think it’s fine to use salted butter and omit the added salt. This offsets the extreme sweetness of the white chocolate. Good luck!
Devyn says
This recipe is delicious!! Does this need to be refrigerated if it’s made a day ahead of frosting a cake?
Marsha Maxwell says
Thanks, Devyn! This frosting will keep fresh at room temperature for two days. It probably won’t spread or pipe very well if it’s been in the fridge for many hours. It will spread and pipe well if it’s cool, but not cold.
Jan says
Hi Marsha, to make a strawberry flavor would I use just the strawberry emulsion oil alone or use it along with the vanilla as well?
Marsha Maxwell says
Hi Jan – You can definitely use the strawberry emulsion to make a strawberry frosting, using the same method we used to make the raspberry frosting for these cupcakes: https://foodlove.com/raspberry-lemon-cupcakes/. Another way we like to make strawberry frosting is with freeze dried strawberries, using this recipe: https://foodlove.com/fresh-strawberry-cupcakes/.
Cindy says
I adore your frosting and plan to pu t it on my daughters lemon wedding cake I have to travel with the cake four hours Should I wait to frost it when I get there or can Ibtr Aveo with it if I pack it in a cooler and cake box? Thanks so much!Cindy
Food Love says
Wow, Cindy, and congrats to your daughter! To avoid smudges and smears when traveling, you might want to frost it when you get there. If you’re super careful, however, you can frost it first and travel with caution. Have a great time!
Cindy says
I mean can I travel with the cake frosted if I pack it in a cake box and in a cooler? It will have to travel 4 hours? Thanks
Cindy says
Hi Marsha, I plan to put your luscious frosting on my daughters wedding cake (wedding is a small ceremony and next year will be large ceremony) Therefore I wanted to make cake It is lemon snd I think vanilla gives it a nice complemented flavor. I wanted to know if I can travel with it for 4 hours if I pack it in a box in a cooler? I can touch it up once I get there. I will put it in fridge once I get there and will serve it a day later?