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Buttercream frosting recipe cupcakes topped with colorful sprinkles and pink animal-shaped cookies on a white plate.
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Homemade Vanilla Frosting Recipe

This buttercream frosting recipe makes smooth, fluffy vanilla frosting that’s SO good on cupcakes and cakes. It pipes beautifully, making it an easy choice for decorating cupcakes, cakes, and special treats.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Keyword: buttercream frosting recipe, frosting recipe, vanilla frosting recipe
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Author: Melissa Johnson
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 7 cups powdered sugar divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk

Instructions

  • Mix two sticks of softened butter with three cups of powdered sugar in a mixer.
    Powdered sugar added for a buttercream frosting recipe in a mixing bowl.
  • Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and ½ cup of milk and mix.
    Mixing buttercream frosting recipe ingredients in a bowl.
  • Gradually add four more cups of powdered sugar as you continue mixing until your frosting is smooth.
    Smooth buttercream frosting recipe in a mixing bowl.

Notes

Adjust Consistency: Use milk to thin the frosting if it's too thick. Add more powdered sugar if it's your frosting is too thin.
A paddle attachment is generally best for buttercream.
This vanilla frosting recipe makes about 5½ to 6 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost around 24 cupcakes with generous swirls, a 2-layer 8″ or 9″ cake, or a large sheet cake with a thin layer of frosting (or a super thick layer on a 9×13 cake).
If you don’t need quite that much, you can easily divide the recipe in half to make a small batch, too! 💕