3-Ingredient Simple Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Silky 3-ingredient buttercream frosting is perfect for frosting cake and cookies! It’s also great for piping decorations.
This is my go-to recipe for icing. It’s a simple American buttercream with a rich flavor, and is one of the most luscious frostings I have ever made. It’s a super easy recipe — no cooking, egg whites whipping, or meringue-making involved!
This creamy texture of this perfect buttercream is a delicious complement to cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. I love it on my 4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake!
What’s in 3-ingredient vanilla frosting?
Who knew you could make delicious vanilla buttercream from 3 simple ingredients? Here they are:
- Softened Butter: You can use unsalted butter or salted butter for this recipe. Surprisingly, you can also use margarine for a pretty good result. If you use unsalted butter or margarine, add a pinch of salt to the frosting. It balances the sweet flavor.
- Powdered Sugar:Powdered sugar is necessary for the airy texture. It’s sometimes called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. Do not substitute this ingredient.
- Vanilla: This is here for the flavor. You can sub this with any flavoring — butter and almond flavorings are favorites!
Making vanilla buttercream
Step 1 | Cream the Butter
This recipe works best if you soften your butter first. Set it out a few hours before so it can come to room temperature before you get started.
Put your room-temperature butter in a large mixing bowl, and cream it with a mixer. I definitely recommend having a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment for making homemade frosting. If you don’t have an electric mixer, I hope you have some serious arm muscles!
Step 2 | Add the Powdered Sugar and Vanilla
Into your creamed sugar, you’re going to add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Mix on low speed until each cup of powdered sugar is completely mixed in. Otherwise, you’ll get a powdered sugar blizzard all over your kitchen!
Remember to stop occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Once the powdered sugar is mixed in, add the vanilla and increase to medium speed in order to get fluffy frosting!
Optional Step | Change Consistency
If you follow the recipe exactly, you’ll get a stiff buttercream. If you need medium or thin consistency, or you can thin it with a small amount of milk, water, or heavy cream to get it to the right consistency. Here’s a tutorial on icing consistency and what you should be using for different projects.
You can also add food coloring to change the color in this step. Just add your coloring and let the mixer work it in.
Step 4 | Enjoy!
Your frosting is ready to be used! This recipe makes enough to frost a 9″ two layer cake, 12 cupcakes, or 24 sugar cookies. Toss it in a piping bag and get decorating!
Variations
You can take this simple recipe to the next level with just a few simple adjustments!
- Chocolate Buttercream: Add 1/3 cup cocoa powdered and 2 tbsps water or milk to the base recipe for a decadent chocolate buttercream.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: A favorite on carrot cake and red velvet cake, you can make this by simply subbing 8 oz of full-fat cream cheese for the butter.
- Strawberry Buttercream: Add 1 tbsp strawberry jam to the buttercream. This one is so gorgeous! You get little berry flakes and a soft pink color. Raspberry jam also works for a raspberry flavor!
Ways to Use Your Buttercream
4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake 3-Ingredient Chocolate Zucchini Cake
FAQs
Clumpiness usually means your butter was too cold. Make sure you soften the butter before you begin!
Graininess can happen if the powdered sugar isn’t fully incorporated. Try sifting the sugar before mixing and beating the buttercream longer to create a smooth texture.
Yes! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let it come to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Yes, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and re-whip before using.
Store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature and re-whip to restore its smooth texture.
3-Ingredient Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter or margarine softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter using the whisk or paddle attachment.
- Add the powdered sugar to the butter 1 cup at a time. Mix until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and mix. Enjoy your frosting!
Notes
- Stiff Consistency: Make recipe as written with no adjustments.
- Medium Consistency: Add 1-2 tbsp water, milk, or heavy cream to recipe.
- Thin Consistency: Add 2-3 tbsp water, milk, or heavy cream to recipe.
