I love easy buttercream frosting (technically a mock Swiss meringue buttercream) because you don't have to heat any egg whites (thanks to pasteurized eggs), it tastes super creamy and not too sweet and only takes 10 minutes to make! You can pipe with this, use it under fondant and it tastes SO much better than store-bought! I promise anyone can make this!
This buttercream frosting is the recipe I WISH I had when I was making 5 wedding cakes a weekend. Now it's the only buttercream frosting I use and my clients love it. Way better than the super sweet frosting I was used to seeing on cakes.
EASY BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS
You might be like, egg whites... in frosting? What? It wasn't until I went to pastry school in 2010 that I first heard about different types of buttercream. Many types of buttercream, like Swiss, Italian, and French have eggs in them. The egg is often whipped into a light and fluffy meringue and then softened butter is whipped in. When you use meringue as your base for buttercream, you don't have to use as much sugar resulting in a light, fluffy, and less sweet buttercream that tastes a lot like ice cream. YUM!
Easy buttercream is similar to Swiss Meringue Buttercream except that you do not have to heat egg whites and sugar, whip to a meringue, let cool, etc. Thanks to pasteurized egg whites, you can skip to the whipping stage and no need to mix to a meringue! The taste and texture of easy buttercream is nearly identical to traditional SMBC. Did I mention this was easy?
WHAT ARE PASTEURIZED EGG WHITES?
Depending on the country you are in, you may or may not have access to pasteurized egg whites. In most places, they are found in a box in the egg section. The word "pasteurized" will be on the box somewhere, usually very small.
Pasteurizing is the process of gentle heating to kill food born illnesses and make a product safe to drink or eat. Many things are pasteurized, such as orange juice, milk, and wine. Pasteurized egg whites are safe for anyone to eat.
If you can't find pasteurized egg whites you can pasteurize them yourself and just use the egg whites or you can use my Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe instead.
EASY BUTTERCREAM STEP-BY-STEP
Step 1– Place pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine ingredients on low, then whip on high for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the powdered sugar. You do NOT need to whip to a meringue.
Pro-tip – In traditional SMBC, fresh egg whites and granulated sugar are cooked together to dissolve the sugar and cook the eggs. We skip this step by using pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar.
Step 2 – Add in your salt and vanilla extract. You can also substitute any other extract flavoring that you like, I love lemon or orange extract. Using clear vanilla extract will result in a whiter finished buttercream.
Step 3 – Add in your softened butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment on high. If you are using pasteurized egg whites from the fridge then you might notice this rim of cold butter forming. This is normal and can easily be fixed.
Simple stop your mixer and remove about ⅓ cup of the buttercream. Melt this in the microwave for about 20 seconds or until it's just barely melted. You don't want it hot!
Pour the mixture back into your whipping buttercream and the warmth from the melted buttercream will cause it all to come together and get creamy. This is honestly easier than taking out the egg whites ahead of time and trying to bring them to room temperature (at least for me).
Step 4 - Now let the buttercream whip until white and fluffy. This will take 8-10 minutes with a KitchenAid, but taste it to see when it's done. When it no longer tastes like butter and is sweet like ice cream, it's done!
Pro-tip – If you want your buttercream super smooth, double the recipe so that the buttercream level is above the whisk attachment. As the buttercream whips, it works out all the bubbles so you get a super smooth buttercream with no bubbles.
Step 5 – (Optional) To make your buttercream extra white, use the end of a toothpick to add in a TINY drop of purple food coloring and about 1 tablespoon of white food coloring. The purple will counteract the yellow in the butter and make it super white. Mix together.
TIPS & FAQ
BUTTER SUBSTITUTES
Using good quality, real butter is best, but you can substitute it with margarine, vegan butter, or vegetable shortening. I can't guarantee the taste will be the same, but you can use whatever is your preference!
WHY IS MY BUTTERCREAM SPLITTING?
The buttercream splits because it's too cold. Take out ⅓ 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.
MY BUTTERCREAM IS TOO SOFT, WHAT CAN I DO?
Buttercream is soft or firm depending on how warm it is. If it's too soft, it could be 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.
WHY IS MY EASY BUTTERCREAM GRITTY?
Some people have said their buttercream has a grainy consistency, but I have never experienced this before. If you have this issue, try sifting your powdered sugar before adding in the pasteurized egg whites and mixing the egg whites with the powdered sugar on medium for 5 minutes to dissolve the powdered sugar.
IS THIS GOOD TO USE UNDER FONDANT?
YES! I do all the time, just make sure to chill your cakes until the buttercream is firm to the touch before applying fondant. It goes great with my homemade marshmallow fondant too! Check out my video on how to cover a cake in fondant.
HOW STABLE IS THIS FROSTING?
This frosting will not crust, but is stable enough to pipe buttercream flowers 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 is more stable than cream cheese frosting or whipped cream.
You can also make a white chocolate buttercream frosting by adding melted white chocolate into the buttercream frosting. This makes a SUPER stable buttercream frosting that is a combination of buttercream and white chocolate ganache.
HOW LONG DOES THIS BUTTERCREAM LAST?
Easy buttercream will last for 2 days at room temperature, 2 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. If your buttercream is cold, make sure to whip it up again before using it. Bring your buttercream to room temperature and begin whipping it. Then remove ⅓ cup of the buttercream and microwave it until it's just barely melted, then pour it back in while whipping to make it smooth again.
If you're going to frost your cake tomorrow, just leave the buttercream on the countertop. You don't have to refrigerate it within 2 days because the butter and sugar act as its own preservation.
If your buttercream frosting has been sitting at room temperature for more than a day, mix it with the paddle attachment before using it to make it smooth again. Buttercream tends to get spongy after 24 hours and loses its creamy texture.
HOW TO COLOR EASY BUTTERCREAM
You can add a few drops of gel food coloring to this buttercream to color it. It holds color well and gets darker overnight. Just be sure to not add too much food coloring or you'll be able to taste it.
If you want to make darker colors, check out my neon buttercream blog post for more information.
ARE PASTEURIZED EGG WHITES SAFE TO EAT?
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.
CAN I ADD MORE/LESS SUGAR?
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.
HOW MUCH FROSTING DO I NEED?
This easy buttercream frosting recipe makes about 6 cups which is enough to frost and fill a three-layer, 8" round cake. You can use the frosting and cake batter calculator below to adjust the amount of frosting you will need depending on the size cake you want to make.
RELATED RECIPES:
How to make buttercream flowers
Ermine frosting (similar taste to easy buttercream but no eggs)
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.
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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.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 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
- 24 oz powdered sugar sifted if not from a bag
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 oz pasteurized egg whites room temperature
- 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.
Cindy says
Hi, I just want to double check, you state that this makes 12 cups, but the recipe says 6 cups.
I'm checking because I am looking to frost a 6" cake so only need about 2 cups, so want to be sure I calculate correctly 🙂
Elizabeth Marek says
I halved this recipe from the original so it makes 6 cups now. I would have it again for your cake
Ellie says
I love this recipe and have used it quite a bit- but I've had some trouble with it splitting(?) after being refrigerated and brought back to room temp. I usually hand mix with a spatula, but should I put it back in the mixer?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes, definitely put it back in the mixer and whip it like crazy until it's fluffy again 🙂
Chloe says
This is it, everybody. You will never need another buttercream recipe in your life.
I’m only a hobby baker, but I’ve tried multiple versions of American, Swiss meringue, ermine, and Italian buttercream and THIS is the only one I will ever make again! It’s SO EASY and fast! I’ve used it 12+ times and it never fails, is flexible/fixable, and freaking delicious every time - better than the buttercreams I slaved over for an hour +, carefully monitoring temperatures and sugar crystals and washing a dozen dishes and on and on. Never again.
I recommend this recipe to everyone who has ever liked cake, and some people who don’t, because this will change their mind. My home’s hot, humid climate does not ruin it. My teenage sister can make it. It gets compliments, smooths and pipes beautifully - literally everything you could ever want from a buttercream. Run, don’t walk, to your kitchen and make this recipe immediately!
Hobby Baker says
Hi,
I tried this recipe the other night and it was fine initially (I only had salted butter so that's what I used). That was fine too. I colored the frosting using what I had on hand (reg. store colors) and it still looked fine (waiting for my gel colors to arrive). I stored it in the fridge for the next morning. I remixed it slight the next day (still fine). I did the crumb coat and put it in the freezer. When I took the cake out and tried to do the first layer of frosting, it started to sweat. I stopped frosting, patched the cake up the best I could, and ended up with a semi-naked looking cake. At the end, the frosting looked all curdled up. I got a bit frustrated and threw the frosting out, instead of trying to save it and maybe practicing my piping technique of something.
Should I have done the crumb coat as soon as I was finished with the frosting the night before? Thank you!
Elizabeth Marek says
Hi there. I'm sorry you got frustrated. The reason your frosting is curdled is because it's cold. All you had to do was whip it until it was creamy again and it would have been fine. Shame to waste all that butter 🙁 You only need to freeze the cake for 15 minutes until the crumb coat is firm and then do the final coat of buttercream. I hope that helps.
Hobby Baker says
I worked extra hard to stick to your measurements. It worked well, I will definitely try it again because I don't know how to make traditional SMBC. Do you see any value in me learning the traditional way as well?
Elizabeth Marek says
There's nothing wrong with SMBC. I used to use it all the time but prefer the ease of easy buttercream. They are very similar in taste and texture.
Wynona says
Thank you thank you thank you! I love your site & how much info you provide, as well as the light-hearted way you present everything! Most of my questions are asked by other users, & your answers are always helpful!! I'm teaching my daughter to bake (I'm a better cook than a baker to be honest) & after looking at soooo many other websites, & just not getting enough info & always having to search some more, you're now my favorite go-to and even gave my sister your website info!
Soo, I'm having trouble with the buttercream splitting, same as another user asked about. Why is this happening? And will it happen after I frost the cake? Like if I gave a cake to someone and the frosting splits while sitting on their table! The horror! 😉
Elizabeth Marek says
Hey there! Thank you so much for those kind words. Means a lot! Anyway, the buttercream splits because it's too cold. Take out 1/4 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 🙂
Cindy says
Ah thank you! I was also getting worried that maybe the quantities had scaled incorrectly because someone suggested another similar recipe to me and it uses 2:1 butter:icing, whereas yours is 1:1. I'm a complete newbie so I have no idea 😁 but if you're saying equal parts works than I'm going to try it as soon as I get my hands on cartoned eggs!!
Teena J says
Thank you Elizabeth! I'm so glad found your recipe. It was super easy to make and was so delicious, people who said they normally don't like butter cream said this was the best they had. I can't wait to make more of your recipes. I just started baking last week and have learned so much from you already.
suzette says
This is my go-to recipe now. Thank you so much!! I've been using my same ABC recipe from high school cooking class (30 years) and I've wanted to switch things up but was too intimidated until now
Denise says
I made this and loved it! Served it to my friends who said they had never tasted anything so good. But I have a couple of questions.
I mixed for 20 minutes to get out the air bubbles, then stored it in the refridgerator overnight and mixed in on low to get it creamy again but the bubbles returned. Do I have to mix for 20 minutes again?
Also I noticed you said it kept on a cake for 2 days at room temperature; I used it on a small 2 tier cake for my grandaughter's birthday that did not fit in the fridge. She wanted to eat on it for a week. I noticed it got spongy, but is it still safe?
Thank you.
Elizabeth Marek says
Hi Denise, to make the buttercream smooth after 24 hours you will always have to mix it again with the paddle because the buttercream "sets" as you may have noticed. One week is definitely not safe to be eating the buttercream outside of the fridge. Maximum of two days unless it is refrigerated. The sponginess is normal and happens when the buttercream sets.
Amanda Brown says
Hi Liz!
I was wondering if it’s possible to airbrush a cake that’s covered in Easy Buttercream or would I need to use American Buttercream?
Elizabeth Marek says
It needs to be American. Easy buttercream repels water.
Tina says
I'm making the unicorn cake using your easy buttercream recipe to frost the cake. I'll be frosting and putting it all together on Friday for my granddaughters first birthday on Sunday... Do I leave the finished cake out at room temperature or do I refrigerate till it's needed for the party? I read others saying things like cracking... What steps do I take to ensure the cake stays looking nice?
Elizabeth Marek says
I would refrigerate and then take it out either Saturday night or early Sunday morning because it needs a few hours to warm up before serving.
Brianna says
My FAVORITE by far, but what would you suggest to bring it to room temp after freezer storage? Just set on the counter for awhile then whip it crazy?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yep! I usually freeze mine in bags so I just take them out of the freezer the day before and leave them on the countertop.
Allison says
I made the recipe and it looked super bad. It was very chunky and watery. What could I have done wrong?
Elizabeth Marek says
That is normal. The buttercream is just cold. Keep mixing or take out 1/4 cup, melt it until its barely melted and whip it back in. Very common problem.
Mariam H. says
Absolutely love this recipe! Truly makes the silkiest buttercream ever. Question, can I add cocoa powder to make a chocolate version? If so, how much and when should that be added? Thank you!
Elizabeth Marek says
Sure can! Check out my chocolate easy buttercream recipe
Alina says
I would like to make this but I don’t have a paddle attachment. I just have a stand mixer with whisks. Will this still work?
Thank you 😊
Elizabeth Marek says
Definitely, you just won't be able to do that final step of removing bubbles but the bubbles do not affect the taste 😀
Marie says
Hi Liz! I’m a COMPLETE novice here from the UK... I tried your easy buttercream recipe yesterday and it worked perfectly:) So Thankyou! I was wondering, if I wanted to colour the buttercream, at what stage should I add the green colour paste? I’m going to brave making my son a birthday cake for the first time. You’ve inspired me 🙂
Elizabeth Marek says
Add it at the end once it's whipped up and tasting good 😀
Nuha says
Which buttercream do you recommend for high humidity
Elizabeth Marek says
White chocolate ganache or Italian buttercream is the most stable.
Christi Brooks says
Hi there. I’m from the UK. Where or what brand of pasteurise do you used. I Google but can’t find any. Thanks x
Elizabeth Marek says
Hey there, from what I have read, all eggs are pasteurized in the UK so you can use the egg whites of any egg.
Jenn says
It is extremly hard for me not to just sit and eat this icing with a spoon... I have cake pops and cakes and cupcakes to frost with it but I literally just want to eat it like ice cream.... while my dogs sit and beg because I let them like the beater 😜seriously, though this is the best recipe. Easy to make, SUPER smooth, beautifully silky, perfectly (not too) sweet.... absolute perfection. Triple snap in z formation 👍🏼👍🏼
Caitlin says
I’d like to make this frosting and the chocolate version for cakes I’ve got coming up! Finally trying to leave the ABC world! Would a cake frosted with this travel well? I’m in Texas but if the AC is on in the car and it’s out of the sun would it hold up? I’m so used to crusting buttercream so I’m just nervous about changing ☺️
Elizabeth Marek says
As long as it's not too hot it holds up great 🙂
Fara says
Which buttercream do you recommend in winters?
Elizabeth Marek says
This is a good one!
Maribeth says
Hi Liz ,
I have made this buttercream many times and I absolutely love it. I was just wondering if I could add melted chocolate to it instead of cocoa powder for the chocolate version?
Let me know!
Thank you so much!
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you could but ganache is better to use so you don't get hard chunks of unmelted chocolate in the frosting
Teri says
Seriously came out awesome with first attempt. I have been eating it straight out of the container. Will never go back to pre made again!
Erika says
My batch came out too runny. How to I thicken it up to get it more stable?
Elizabeth Marek says
Put it in the fridge for 20 minutes then whip again