This is THE original salted buttercream frosting recipe that went viral and has been shared by hundreds of thousands of people – and this recipe has been read tens of millions of times!
Millions Have Enjoyed this Recipe
This was my very first viral recipe here on The Kitchen Magpie! If you like this, you should try my Lemon Buttercream Frosting recipe. This recipe is the best thanks to sweet and salty mixing together!
When I first wrote this recipe 9 years ago, no one was using salted butter in their frostings – or at least there weren’t any posted online that I could find.This recipe made it in to my cookbook, that’s how amazing it is! This recipe was one of the first on my website and has been viewed by tens of millions of people over the years! Isn’t that crazy?
This buttercream icing is still is amazing, melt in your mouth, whippy, ultimate swirly cupcake worthy. It was fantastic on the homemade chocolate cake I made to go with it the very first time I whipped it up. The cake was dense and moist, and paired with a light as air buttercream icing… heaven. Angels dancing on your taste buds. I’ve tried it on every cupcake that you can imagine and it’s even amazing on vanilla. Salty vanilla icing on a vanilla cupcake is heaven for vanilla lovers!
Please go and have a read of my Buttercream Icing FAQ which answers a lot of the questions about this recipe asked in the hundreds of comments on this post below!
The most important is How to Fix Broken Buttercream, that’s a whole post in itself!
Frosting Ingredients
There are four basic ingredients for this buttercream frosting and I have kept it simple and straightforward for years now:
- Salted butter – a good quality, tastes-good-off-the-spoon butter is important!
- Vanilla – You need that classic vanilla taste
- Icing sugar – This is also known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
- Coffee cream – This is literally called coffee cream here in Canada but what it is is a cream that is 18% milk fat and up
Commonly Asked Frosting/Icing Questions and Answers
Do I have to refrigerate a cake with buttercream?
This buttercream has butter and it has whipping cream in it. I personally leave it out all day and it’s fine ( butter is always fine at room temperature) but the whipping cream? That’s a personal call for you. I have left it out overnight, but I honestly have to tell you to refrigerate it instead of leaving it out. But it’s really a personal decision. Apparently because of all the sugar you can leave a cake with buttercream frosting out for 2-3 days.
How long can you leave a cake with buttercream icing out?
I leave mine out for a day, not in the hot sun at all and it’s fine. According to the US food and inspection agency, you can leave a cake with buttercream frosting out for 2-3 days.
What is the best butter to use?
Salted and organic butter is literally the best butter that you can use. It is the salt that really makes this the best buttercream frosting ever. It’s actually a myth that salted butter is an inferior quality – it’s not. It’s the same quality.
How do I make the frosting stiffer?
You will want to use less cream in order to make the frosting stiffer. Start out with only a small amount of cream and add it until you get the consistency that you want.
How do you thicken up frosting?
This buttercream frosting is thick to start without adding in the cream! To start, beat in the icing sugar and see what the thickness of the frosting is. Then you can add a little bit of cream, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. IF you go too far, you then can add more icing sugar/powdered sugar to thicken it back up.
How do you soften buttercream?
This one is easy, leave it out on the counter at room temperature for 45-60 minutes and it will be soft! If that doesn’t work and your frosting is too thick, then you might have to beat it again and add some more cream.
Can you store butter based frostings in the refrigerator?
You bet! Buttercream frosting/icing can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or two, as long as the whipping cream that you use wasn’t going to expire soon.
Can you freeze butter based icings?
I freeze it all the time! Simply defrost, mix and use as normal.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Buttercream Frosting
- Always use salted butter. When I first wrote this recipe in 2010 there weren’t many people that were food blogging compared to today, so I literally couldn’t find a SINGLE buttercream frosting recipe on the internet that used salted butter! Now I am sure that if I looked there would be tons of recipes similar to this one. Oh, how times have changed! So I had discovered that salt and sweet are a match made in heaven for icing and I never looked back. You can also read about the difference between salted and unsalted butter.
- Whip that butter, with a paddle beater if you have it, if not, don’t worry. You can also use the beaters on your handheld mixer just fine to beat the buttercream frosting! You want the butter to be smooth and creamy before you add the icing sugar.
- Fresh icing sugar makes all the difference. Icing sugar/powdered sugar/confectioners sugar goes stale, and you can sure taste it when it does! Crack open a fresh bag for icings, you won’t be sorry! Over the years many people have agreed that this is another trick to making great buttercream frosting.
- You can make this frosting as light or as heavy as you want by adjusting the amount of heavy cream that you use.
- Read this if you are looking for piping techniques.
Some More Frosting Recipes:
- Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate Buttercream Icing
- Pistachio Pudding Buttercream Icing
- Vegan Buttercream Icing
- Candy Bar Buttercream Icing
Happy baking everyone!
Love,
Karlynn
The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of salted butter
- 3 teaspoons of vanilla
- 4 cups of icing sugar
- 4-5 tablespoons of coffee cream 18% and up
Instructions
- Get out the salted butter! Trust me and use salted butter, it’s the secret ingredient!
- Beat the butter until it is light and creamy. This is important as you are adding the icing sugar next. If the butter isn’t creamy you can get lumps in the icing.
- Add in the icing sugar. Again, if you are like me and can taste stale icing sugar, you will need a fresh bag.
- Add in the cream.. I used 4 tablespoons for my preference, you adjust to what you want.
- Stiffer icing = less cream. Lighter icing = more cream. Adjust the amount to your liking by adding one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add the vanilla then keep mixing it until fluffy and thoroughly combined.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Jessbear02 says
I usually use half butter, half shortening… But can you pipe roses or other decorations with this all butter recipe and if so, will they hold up?
TinaR says
i am pretty sure you have seen or perhaps used the Russian Icing tips by now..
is this buttercream good for use with the Russian tips??
seems a “good” firm but not crusty frosting is needed along with technique…..
CrystalDay says
I love this recipie, but need a strawberry buttercream. How would you suggest getting that flavor? I feel like extract will taste artificial and a puree will leave it too thin. Help??
AidanDevlon says
Preserves or jams are great for frosting – just add it a tablespoon at a time until you achieve your desired result.
Ashley says
Buy a bag of freeze dried strawberries from Target. Use a rolling pin to smash in the bag until dusty then sift through sifter/strainer. Put large pieces back into bag and smash /soft again. Repeat process until almost all the pieces have been sifted through. You want to use a 12 oz bag and basically just add the powdered strawberries to the buttercream with same amount of vanilla and add 1-2 tsp of lemon juice (I prefer fresh but pre-juiced is just fine). I get tons of compliments every time I make my “real” strawberry buttercream ! Hope this helps ! It also turns the frosting a nice pink color and you can pipe roses and other designs as usual. I’ve used on cupcakes and cakes and it always keeps shape even after being out of the fridge . Enjoy!
Menna says
Hi, I’m new to baking 🙂 can I use this recipe to cover the cake before covering it with fondant ?
Thanks 🙂
Melissa says
Yes, I’ve used this as the thin layer of buttercream under fondant, and it works beautifully.
Heirloom Girl says
Used a recipe like this for over 35 years, it is the best and can be altered such as milk if you don’t have cream, may not be exactly the same. I have added a touch of peppermint, crushed candy canes on top, food coloring depending what the icing is for. There are so many things you can do with this recipe. It was pass to me and i have passed it to my tow oldest children and friends. Better than any store bought poor substitute.Great sharing and teaching, old simple recipes are the best.
Brittany says
I know it says serves six but does that mean six cups of icing?
Feli360 says
AMAZING and DELICIOUS. Thank you
Charleee says
I did not have the same success as everyone else, I found it to be to liquidy even tho I was careful with my measurements. Dang!
TWROX says
Totally agree with you on the stale icing sugar – I’ve started buying it in bulk, just a cup or two at a time, since I was throwing away half a bag each time I bought one. I buy it just before I’m going to make icing, so it is always good and fresh.
gordhuebert says
Hi, I’m a first timer when it comes to baking and was just going to try your buttercream icing recipe for a cake I just baked. I don’t have coffee cream, is there something I can substitute it with?
BobbiMoy says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/99166041/" ns="true">gordhuebert You can use regular cream or I have even used plain milk in a pinch.
MOWA says
Can I add creamy peanut butter and if so how much?
Cookinmama says
Been a housewife, mother, cook, baker for 33 years and this is by far the best butter cream frosting. Made it last night for a birthday cake and it is amazing. Far better than any others I have used! Thank you for sharing!!
Jcookie says
Do you need to refrigerate the cake once is had the buttercream frosting on it??
mommaof3 says
This may be a silly question but will adding food dyes alter this at all?
Bob says
No
Sophia says
@mommaof3 I don’t think it would make a difference, you’d only have to use a couple of drops of food dye. Buttercream has liquid in it already (coffee cream) so adding 3 drops of liquid dye wouldn’t damage the texture. If you are concerned, or if it turns out that I am wrong, there are spray-on food dyes – they are kinda specialized so you can’t really find them at superstores like liquid food dye – that you spray on the outside of the finished product. It only colours the outside though.
7ducksinarow says
@Sophia You can purchase gel coloring. Doesn’t change to consistency of icing. Wilton makes it in a variety of colors. More pricey than liquid but you only need small amount and lasts a long time
Jacqueline Sheila Kemi says
Hi Karlynn,
I am very green in these things, my family loves cakes and cookies alot, I thought I should learn how to make them plus icing a cake so that we are able to make them ourselves more often, at a less cost. I like the humour that you use as you give the instructions, that way, you create a relaxed environment which in turn stimulates the medulla oblongata to register and remember them.
God bless you from Jacqueline Sheila Kemigisha- Uganda- East Africa.
AzleAlfalfa says
I made this and loved it.
Angroe says
Great minds think alike!! I thought I was the only one that was granted the ability to understand that buttercream NEEDS salted butter!!! I used unsalted once and never again. Coffee creamer??? That’s my other secret ingredient an yes you descibed it well- “Angela dancing on your tounge”! I use different flavors depending on flavor of cake!!
anitah says
what if you do not have a paddle better.what can you use.what can replace cream
Bob says
Wisk
Bob says
And milk
Dj says
Well….mmmm….mmmm….mmmm!!!! You just made my day!! I had decided to make my son’s cupcakes for his birthday instead of buying an expensive store cake. I did a trial run of another buttercream earlier this week and it was ok, very over powering butter taste and did not pipe well. I found yours and hoped it would be good as the party is tomorrow. It was perfect!! Not overly sweet, not overly butter tasting, piped awesome! And being absolutely delicious is just the “icing” on top! Lol This is going in my keeper file! Thank you so much!!!
JeannetteKantzalis says
Oh good gawd that’s GOOD!!!! I’ve made my own buttercream frosting for years and the little tweaks she teaches here make all the difference in the world.
Kiran says
Only have vanilla flavoured coffee creamer . Will that work ?
Sophia says
@Kiran Coffee cream is not the same as coffee creamer. Coffee cream is similar to half-and-half cream except higher fat, usually 15-18% milk fat, whereas coffee creamer is artificial powdered “cream” for putting in coffee.
Sophia says
@Kiran Coffee cream is completely different from coffee creamer. Coffee cream is another name for half-and-half: it’s 10% milk fat cream. Coffee creamer is artificial powdered “cream” for putting in coffee.
TheDook says
We made it with premium eggnog for xmas icing. Yumma!
Julie says
This turned out great but I guess salted butter doesn’t work for me…I found it just too salty 🙁 Defintely going to try this with unsalted butter!
SonjaMarieFischerLeVan says
@Julie Try half salted and 1/2 unsalted….worked for me!
Kelsey says
I’ve been using your recipe for a long time now, and it’s ALWAYS a crowd pleaser. Thank you from Sylvan Lake, Alberta!
kf2015 says
Can you use half and half instead of coffee cream? I’m not a coffee drinker, and not sure what coffee cream is…??
AidanDevlon says
Coffee cream and half & half are pretty much the same thing. 🙂
Jane says
do you use pure icing sugar or soft icing sugar?
Erin233 says
Hi Everyone, how many days in advance, if any, do you think this could be made? Thanks!
thekitchenmagpie says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/94652688/" ns="true">Erin233 You’re good with a couple of days for sure!
eormonde says
I wanna make cupcakes for my sons birthday but wanna do the icing the day before.. so that’s fine? once I am done the icing just refrigerate it until I am ready to ice the cupcakes .. I will need to add food colouring as well but can do that the day of.. ??
eormonde says
also how many cupcakes does it ice??
JoshHernandez1 says
What is coffee cream?? Can I use the whipping cream?
thekitchenmagpie says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/94651593/" ns="true">JoshHernandez1 Yes, you can use whipping cream!
Motherof2 says
If you do not have salted butter, could you use a non dairy spread or add salt to the recipe?
thekitchenmagpie says
@Motherof2 You can, but it won’t spread though as nicely as using salted butter will. You DO need the salt though!
emmalinerose19 says
How much salt should I add to my unsalted butter?
chattanookee says
Tried it just as you wrote it and it turned out fantastic! The salted sweet butter cream and coffee cream (evaporated milk) turned out wonderful tasting and the consistency was good enough to not only do the crumb layer but also as the frosting underneath the fondant. I just can’t understand other folks here though, nitpicking something to death when someone takes time to write out a recipe with photos.
thekitchenmagpie says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/94459000/" ns="true">chattanookee Awesome! Glad that you liked it!
Mery042309 says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/94459000/" ns="true">chattanookee Hi, coffee cream is evaporated milk, like Carnation?
yanogator says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/96374697/" ns="true">Mery042309 _u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/94459000/" ns="true">chattanookee No, coffee cream is a fresh cream, not a canned product. It is lighter than whipping cream, but heavier than half-and-half.
Sandyj says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/94459000/" ns="true">chattanookee I was thinking the exact same thing, if you don’t have what is asked for in the recipe, either work it out, or try another recipe. I can’t wait to try this, it sounds amazing. I have a recipe but it is just too sweet and doesn’t set up well. Very excited to try this one.
Ludachriis says
This was amazing! thanks so much!.