Easy buttercream is one of the most useful frosting recipes every cake decorator should know. This frosting is smooth, creamy, stable enough for piping, and not nearly as sweet as traditional American buttercream. If you've struggled with overly sugary frosting in the past, this easy buttercream recipe gives you a much more balanced flavor while still being incredibly simple to make.
Quick Glance: Easy Buttercream
- Recipe Name: Easy Buttercream
- Why You'll Love It: Smooth, creamy, not too sweet, and easy to make with no heating required
- Time and Difficulty: 10 minutes • Beginner
- Main Ingredients: Pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, salt
- Method: Whip pasteurized egg whites with powdered sugar, then add softened butter and whip until light and fluffy
- Texture and Flavor: Silky, creamy, stable buttercream with a light texture similar to Swiss meringue buttercream, but easier!
- Quick Tip: If your buttercream looks curdled after adding the butter, keep mixing. It will come together.
Jump to:
- Quick Glance: Easy Buttercream
- Why This is My Go-To Recipe
- Easy Buttercream Ingredients
- How to Make Easy Buttercream Step-By-Step
- Frosting Calculator
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cups of Batter Needed
- Cups of Frosting Needed
- Common Problems & How To Fix Them
- How Stable is Easy Buttercream Frosting?
- Final Thoughts
- Easy Buttercream FAQs
- Watch: How To Decorate A Cake Step-by-Step
- Recipe
Why This is My Go-To Recipe
The secret to this easy buttercream is using pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar as the base, then whipping in butter to create a silky frosting that has a texture very similar to Swiss meringue buttercream but without heating the egg whites. It pipes beautifully, spreads easily, and works perfectly for cakes, vanilla cupcakes, and even under fondant covered cakes.
This frosting is my go-to for my easy chocolate cake recipe - simple, reliable, and always a crowd-pleaser.
When I first started decorating cakes professionally, I used the traditional super-sweet American buttercream that most beginner decorators learn first. It was easy to make, but I always felt like it tasted way too sugary and heavy on my cakes. Plus, it was really hard to get smooth!
I came across this buttercream recipe from Lauren Kitchens, and it revolutionized how I make buttercream. I realized there was a way to get the smooth, silky texture of Swiss meringue buttercream without having to cook egg whites or deal with a complicated meringue process. Start with pasteurized egg whites, which are already (pre-cooked), add in the sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla, and boom! Done!
I tweaked the original recipe because I thought it was too buttery, but that's where this easy buttercream recipe came from. It's become my go-to frosting for cakes because it's simple, pipes buttercream flowers, cupcake flower bouquets, rosettes, and vintage piping beautifully.
Easy Buttercream Ingredients
This easy buttercream frosting uses just a few ingredients, but each one plays an important role in creating the smooth, creamy texture. Always make sure your cold ingredients, like the egg whites and butter, are at room temperature.
Pasteurized Egg Whites create the base for this easy buttercream. When whipped together with powdered sugar, they form a light and stable mixture that helps give the buttercream its silky texture. You can find pasteurized egg whites in the refrigerated section with the eggs.
Powdered Sugar is used in this recipe for sweetness and structure. Make sure you are using powdered sugar from cane sugar, not from beets. Beet sugar can sometimes end up tasting gritty.
Unsalted Butter is needed for this recipe. If you only have salted butter, you can still use that, but I would use half butter and half vegetable shortening so your buttercream doesn't end up being too salty. You can also replace the butter with any type of vegan butter that you like.
Vanilla Extract adds classic buttercream flavor and rounds out the sweetness of the powdered sugar. You can pretty much use any kind of extract flavor you like instead of vanilla. Just keep in mind some extracts like almond or peppermint are stronger than vanilla, so decrease or increase amounts as needed. My favorite vanilla is Nielsen Massey.
Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor without making the frosting taste salty.
How to Make Easy Buttercream Step-By-Step
- Combine pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the mixture on medium speed until it becomes thick and glossy.
This creates the base for the easy buttercream.
- Begin adding softened butter one piece at a time while mixing on medium speed.
At first, the mixture may look curdled or separated. This is completely normal.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Then whip on high until light, fluffy, and no longer tastes like butter.
- Optional: Switch to the paddle attachment. Mix the easy buttercream on low for several minutes to remove air bubbles and achieve the smoothest possible texture.
Frosting Calculator
This recipe makes about 6 cups of frosting, which is enough to fill, frost, and pipe a 3-layer 8-inch cake with a little extra for decorating. If you're working with a different pan size or need more (or less), use the calculator below to figure out how much frosting you need, then adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to scale the recipe up or down.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
BONUS TIP:
If your buttercream looks curdled and is sticking to the sides of the bowl after adding the butter and whipping, don't panic. Remove 1 cup of the frosting and heat it in the microwave until just melted but not hot. Mix it back into the frosting. The extra warmth helps the buttercream become smooth.
Common Problems & How To Fix Them
Buttercream looks curdled: This usually happens right after adding the butter. Keep mixing, and the frosting will smooth out. If it's taking a long time, the butter or the egg whites could have been too cold. Remove 1 cup of the buttercream, melt it, and mix it back in.
Buttercream is too soft: Chill the buttercream for 10-15 minutes in the fridge. Mix before using to make it smooth.
Buttercream is too stiff: Remove 1 cup of the buttercream, melt it, and mix it back in, or you can use a heat gun or blow torch on the metal mixing bowl while mixing on low to warm the buttercream up slightly.
How Stable is Easy Buttercream Frosting?
Easy buttercream frosting will not crust, but is stable enough to pipe buttercream decorations and will last at room temperature for 2 days.
It is ok at temperatures up to 85ºF but will melt in direct sunlight in about 20 minutes, so keep it in the shade! You can replace half the butter with shortening to make it more stable in high temperatures.
Easy buttercream is not as stable as American or Italian buttercream, but it is more stable than cream cheese frosting or whipped cream.
You can also make a white chocolate buttercream frosting by adding melted white chocolate to the buttercream frosting. This makes a SUPER stable buttercream frosting that is a combination of buttercream and white chocolate ganache.
Final Thoughts
Easy buttercream is one of the best frosting recipes to learn if you decorate cakes regularly. It has a silky texture similar to Swiss meringue buttercream but skips the complicated steps, making it perfect for beginner cake decorators.
Once you master this easy buttercream recipe, you'll have a reliable frosting that works for cakes, cupcakes, and piping decorations. Pairs perfectly with my easy drip cake recipe
Easy Buttercream FAQs
Easy buttercream is a frosting made from pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt that creates a smooth buttercream similar to Swiss meringue buttercream but without cooking the egg whites.
Yes. Easy buttercream tastes less sweet than traditional American buttercream because the egg whites and butter balance the powdered sugar.
Yes. Easy buttercream is excellent for piping decorations like rosettes, borders, and flowers.
Yes! Pasteurized egg whites are heat-treated (like milk), so they are safe to eat. They usually come in a box carton in the egg aisle. If you don't have pasteurized egg whites, then you can use my SMBC recipe instead. Note: undercooked egg whites are not recommended for pregnant women, just to be on the safe side.
This recipe is not very sweet, especially if you're used to American buttercream. You can add more powdered sugar if you want it to be sweeter, but you cannot reduce the sugar, or the buttercream will be too soft.
The buttercream splits because it's too cold. Take out 1 cup of the buttercream and melt it in the microwave until it's just melted, and then whip it back in. That little bit of warm butter helps it all come together again.
Buttercream is soft or firm depending on how warm it is. If it's too soft, it could be that your butter was too soft when you added it in, or the mixer warmed it up. Put the buttercream in the fridge for 20 minutes, then whip it again, and it should firm back up.
Yes. Easy buttercream is stable enough to use under fondant when properly chilled.
Watch: How To Decorate A Cake Step-by-Step
Before you start decorating, watch the video below where I show you every step of decorating a cake from start to finish. Seeing the process in action makes it much easier to follow along
- Liz Marek.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz pasteurized egg whites room temperature
- 24 oz powdered sugar sifted if not from a bag
- 24 oz unsalted butter room temperature. You can use salted butter but it will affect the taste and you need to leave out additional salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 TINY drop purple food coloring (optional) for whiter frosting
Instructions
- Place egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine ingredients on low and then whip on high for 1 minute to dissolve the powdered sugar
- Add in your salt and vanilla extract
- Add in your butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment to combine. It will look curdled at first. This is normal. It will also look pretty yellow. Keep whipping.
- If your buttercream looks curdled, remove about ⅓ cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until JUST barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
- (Optional) Add your drop of purple food coloring. Whip on high with the whisk attachment for 8-10 minutes until it's very white, light and shiny. Taste the buttercream, if it tastes like sweet ice cream then it's ready!
- Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low for 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream very smooth and remove air bubbles. This isn't required but if you want really creamy frosting, you don't want to skip it.
Lynette says
Can you substitute shortening for some of the butter like you would in an American buttercream to make it more stable?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can
Natasha lopez says
What would the butter/shortening ratio? Is high ratio shortening ok? And can you add more sugar?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can replace any amount (up to half) of the butter with shortening to increase stability and yes, you can increase the powdered sugar a little but it will make it more like an American Buttercream
Amanda says
I put the powdered sugar and the egg whites in, and I have been mixing for way more than 5 minutes and they just aren't making a meringue it's still runny. What am I doing wrong? :/
The Sugar Geek Show says
You do not wait for the egg whites and sugar to make a meringue. Please re-read the recipe instructions. You only have to mix for a few minutes then add in the butter, vanilla and salt, then whip until fluffy.
Kelli Umbstaetter says
I'm from Central Ohio. Where can I buy pasturized egg whites???
The Sugar Geek Show says
In the grocery store by the eggs 🙂
Jeanne says
How does the buttercream hold in the heat. I’m from Texas so I need a heat friendly icing
The Sugar Geek Show says
If it's air conditioned it holds up fine, if it needs to be outside probably nothing will hold up haha
Stephanie says
Big fan and love using your tutorials!
I have tried this twice and each time is comes out soft, even after leaving it in the fridge to harden up it still soft in comparison to my SMBC. In the summer I have my kitchen at 60-65 degrees due to humidity.
I really want this to work because it will save me soooooo much time.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Really? that's strange. This is the same as SMBC except that the egg whites are already pre-heated. Maybe just add a little more butter if you want it stiffer.
Freda says
Your recipe calls for 8 sticks of butter .. in my SMBC I use less... about half as much!!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Is there a question?
Teresa says
Thank God for this question! I've used this recipe a few times and never failed me. But couple days ago it's a but runny. And I made this again today and the same. Don't know what happened except that it may be a little warm. Right now, it's chilling while I'm browsing tru this comment thread. I hope !it works as I don't have time for failed buttercream right now. Cake due in like an hour and half. ?
Sarah says
I found that if my butter is too warm it will definitely be softer. Maybe that was your problem as well.
Lynne says
Hi,
How long can this be left at room temp?
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
24 hours if needed but I always refrigerate if I'm not using it
Sarah says
You said in the article 2 days ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The buttercream can be left on a cake for two days but it starts to lose its texture in a bowl after 24 hours which is why I recommend refrigerating and re-whipping if you're going to leave it out for longer.
Laura ortiz says
Good morning, is it 1 1/2 of the eggs as stated in your Instagram story? Or just 1 cup per the recipe..Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
I was making a batch and a half in my IG story
Gyosy says
So I have made this a few times and the past couple it seems to be runny. Like it definitely would slide off a cake. I'm following the recipe to the T. Do you have any idea what might cause this?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Could just be too warm. Add a little more butter and keep whipping or place it into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm it up.
Esther says
Hi Liz,
What can I use in place of pasteurised egg white which is not available here? Thanks.
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you can't find pasteurized eggs then you will need to make SMBC the old fashioned way by heating the egg whites first.
bettina says
instead of pasteurized egg white can i use meringue powder?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Not for this recipe sorry
Francesca says
I found them in every store I have been to, even Walmart and Target. They are in a carton. They don't say 'pasteurized' on the carton but they are. You have to turn it around at it will say it on the side or back.
Claudia says
Goodmorning i have tried the recipe perfect buttercream , the only thing is that i think its to sweet .... can i make of with the 123 methode also
The Sugar Geek Show says
I have never made it any other way than this so if you change up the ingredients you'll have to see if you like the results yourself 🙂
Nershell says
Can I double this recipe?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yep if your mixer is big enough 🙂
Jenn Stofferahn says
I just got done with my first batch, tastes great! I only have 1/2 of my kitchenaid mixing bowl, did I do something wrong?
Taryn Murdock says
I have the same issue, it was not nearly enough to use on my 10 in cake, only filled half of my 5 qt bowl. I used a food scale and all. I don't know what I did wrong
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you need more buttercream for larger cakes, you'll have to increase the amount of buttercream you make.
Roni says
Hello,
Do you need to have the eggs whites at food temp or straight from the fridge in the container?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Straight from the fridge is fine
Khushbu says
Can we use normal egg whites?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Only if you pre-heat them ahead of time to 110ºF over a double boiler as you would do when making a traditional SMBC buttercream.
Nickola D says
Hi Liz,
Do you have a buttercream recipe with out egg whites, also incase we don't have pasteurized egg whites, how long do they need to be cooked for over a double boiler .
how long can the cake be kept at room temperature using icing. Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
American buttercream or cream cheese buttercream does not use egg whites. SMBC is a different recipe and is made differently than easy buttercream and I currently don't have a recipe up for that but you can google SMBC recipe to find one with instructions
Sarah says
An easy Swiss meringue butter cream is one part egg whites, two parts fine sugar, and two parts butter, diced.. Heat egg whites and sugar til sugar is dissolved. Whip until cold. Add butter, one cube at a time. Mix until smbc is smooth and pipeable.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes a traditional SMBC is great but this recipe cuts the time in half because you don't have to wait for the meringue to cool 🙂
Gigi says
Yes, but you have the first step whipping for 5 minutes, then second step between 8-10 mins, then at the end, another 15-20 minutes. That’s a long time to make frosting. Still sounds delish and I’d love to try it! Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
Well that is optional 🙂 If smooth buttercream is important to you like it is to most cake decorators who need that flawless finish then I wanted to share how to achieve it but if you're covering the cake with fondant or you're a home baker then you can definitely skip that step 🙂
Jenny P. says
You can make a vegan version using aquafaba. It tastes just as good as the original recipe using egg whites.
Anna Roth says
Does this icing work well under fondant?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yep! It's all I use! Just make sure it's chilled well before covering so you can get clean lines
Stephanie says
Will this taste good of the cake needs to be refrigerated? I’m making a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling. Looking for a light frosting to decorate with.
The Sugar Geek Show says
the buttercream gets hard in the fridge so you will need to take it out a few hours before you eat it to give the butter time to soften
Nei L says
Can you freeze this icing and if so how long can you keep it for?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Freeze as long as you need, defrost and re-mix before use
Diana Aguilar says
Could I use a electric hand mixer instead and achieve the same results?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you sure can
Annette Tanco says
Can I use merengue powder instead of pasteurized eggs?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I never have tried meringue powder before 🙂
Ruth says
Just wondering if you have used the merigue powder as I can't find it in the stores here. and how much powder did you use for the recipe above?
Sharon says
Is there any substitute for the egg whites...I really dislike using eggs...I normally make crusting buttercream but I would really like to try this recipe....thanks for all your tutorials!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sorry, there isn't for this recipe. You should try the ermine buttercream recipe, no eggs and very light like this recipe. Just make sure you cool the flour mixture overnight.
Kim O says
I just made this for the first time. It was so good!! The only thing is I tried to do the choc. drip method and
melted pink choc.wafers that I had added some melted coconut oil to thin it down.
Well the choc. separated on the icing. Can this not be done on this kind of icing?
Corey says
I read that a white chocolate ganache with a 1:1 ratio of choc to cream is best. Also, the cake should be chilled for 15min before adding drip to help slow down the drip.
lynzi gonzales says
I’ve found that for a white chocolate drip a 3:1 ratio (3 parts chocolate to 1 part cream) works best. A 1:1 ratio would be much too thin.
The Sugar Geek Show says
It depends on the chocolate you are using. White chocolate yes, it is way too thin but dark chocolate is perfect.
Cynthia says
I just had a question about this. I made choc ganache frosting with a 1:1 ratio and once it was cooled enough in fridge, whipped it up. Looked way too soft. Wouldn't hold shape. So I added some sifted cocoa powder. Better but not "great". I heard that meringue powder 2-3 tbls can help stabilize buttercream. I bought it but haven't tried buttercream yet. How do you feel about adding some to whipped ganache to tighten it up? Or would just a higher ratio of choc to cream work better at tightening it up, like 2:1? It is humid here in Orlando,Fl.
Your SMBC idea gave me an idea. I do my SMBC similar to yours, but melt regular sugar into the pasteurized egg whites in microwave and while that is going on, I whip the butter til fluffy and much lighter.I add cooled sugar mixture in 2 stages and viola!! Fluffy, light, not-too-sweet frosting! But I hoped that it would crust a little bit to help hold it's shape better in Orlando. Would your SMBC crust alittle bit bc you use powdered sugar???? (please say yes)
Love Your blog and website !!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
You might want to check out the ganache recipe for all that information on how to get the proper thickness for ganache. 1:1 is way too thin, even for a drip. You'll need to add more chocolate to make it thicker, nothing else needed.
Not sure how that version is different than regular SMBC other than using a microwave right? Or am I missing something. SMBC does not crust.
Simone Sammy-Romany says
Is the mixer bowl over another bowl because I know you said that we don't have to heat the egg whites and sugar, so I was just wondering. Thanks.
The Sugar Geek Show says
No it isn't, the egg whites have already been heat treated when you buy them which is why it's such a great time-saver to do it this way!
simone sammy-romany says
Could you tell me the brand of the pasteurized egg whites. I would really like to try this because it seems so convenient.
Maryann smith says
Best icing ever, Thanks !!!!
Carolina Barbosa says
Love this frosting. Thank you for sharing.
Stacey says
Hi Liz! First off, you're awesome and I've learned SO much from you! I didn't see this question asked yet, hopefully not repeating a question already asked! Do you sift your powder sugar? I googled the question and the answer was always soft powder sugar, however, I HATE sifting! Haha! Just wondering if it's always absolutely necessary! Thank you in advance! You ROCK!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I never sift! Totally not necessary for this thank goodness! haha
Dana Van Clieaf says
Hi! I’ve made this for the second time tonite and it turned out perfectly! My question is about the ratios of butter, sugar and egg whites compared to a traditional smbc recipe; there seems to be a lot more butter in this recipe? It tastes and frosts great, I’m just wondering if there was a reason for so much butter? Also just wondering, does the icing sugar behave differently than the regular sugar? Plan on using this on the white velvet buttermilk cake which I think is the best white cake ever-so thank you for sharing your recipe!
The Sugar Geek Show says
This is not a traditional SMBC as you can see, it needs more butter to be stable. The icing sugar is needed because we aren't heating the buttercream like a traditional SMBC
Kandace Lynn Smith says
Ever try peanut butter in this????
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tried that because I don't like peanut butter flavored frosting but I'm sure you could 🙂