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.
Audrey says
I used liquid egg whites from a carton and it turned out soupy. The next time I separated my eggs and it turned out great! Now I'm trying to figure out if shelled eggs are pasteurized or not ? Regardless, it tasted great! After refrigerating can I put it in the microwave or does it need to come to room temperature naturally before whipping back up?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No, shelled eggs are not pasteurized. That buttercream is not food safe. Pasteurization is when eggs are treated with heat to kill bacteria. If you can't use pasteurized eggs then try the SMBC recipe which uses fresh egg whites. Make sure you're using a scale for everything
Ann Austin says
Gosh, did you whip it with the powdered sugar for the right amount of time? Be sure to measure out the powdered sugar to make sure you used enough. This is such a great recipe -- I used the printed version below that included Crisco since it's hot here in Texas.
Jenny says
5 stars!! I’ve only made ABC until today. I’ve been so skeptical, because I see so many people commenting online that SMBC tastes too buttery. I made this today with coconut flavoring, and it’s completely amazing!! Like a fluffy cloud in my mouth. Haha And so much easier to spread and smooth than ABC. Thank you so much for this recipe. You ROCK!!
Sarah says
Wow! So many comments. I made this and having never made it the original way I had nothing to compare it to. But it didn’t fill up but half of my 5 quart bowl on my KitchenAid mixer even though the article says it will fill it to the top. And it tasted weird. Like whipped cream but off. I used unsalted butter and pasteurized egg whites and followed the directions exactly. So I brought some to my baker friend to taste and she said it definitely wasn’t right so I admitted to her that I used pasteurized whites and she swears that’s why. I ended up tossing it.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sorry you didn't like the buttercream. Definitely nothing wrong with using pasteurized egg whites, traditional swiss meringue buttercream is made with fresh egg whites which are then heated with sugar. Pasteurized egg whites are already heat treated so you get to skip that step. Maybe you're just not used to the taste of a not too sweet buttercream which is understandable. As far as how much buttercream the recipe makes, the ingredients have been halved because when I first started blogging, all my recipes were for cake decorators so the recipe made a ton of buttercream. Now my blog is for everyone, and most people just want a little buttercream to cover their cake. I will update the article to reflect that info.
Sana Cheema says
i have officially switched to his recipe! love it!
i have a question though, do you think it'll hold its shape if I add cream cheese or Cookie butter into this frosting?
and will it be stable enough to use under fondant?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it can be used under fondant, I don't know what cookie butter is 😀
sonny says
hi liz!!! can’t wait to try this!!! i wanted to know if this buttercream comes out as sweet as american? the only difference i see is the addition of egg whites. thank you 😉
The Sugar Geek Show says
No this is very different than American buttercream. It doesn't crust and the butter is whipped into a meringue.
Beth Stophel says
Hi Liz,
I am making 700 cupcakes for an event on Friday and wanted to use this recipe, but I had an issue the last time I made it. I don't know if the butter was too soft or what happened but the buttercream just separated and ran off the cake? This makes a lot of buttercream and that's why I wanted to use it. I posted a question last weekend but never hear back. Thank you in advance.
The Sugar Geek Show says
It may have been your buttercream was too color or your egg whites were too cold and they separated or you didn't whip for long enough. its hard to say without actually seeing the buttercream or knowing how you made it to know for sure
Jeannie says
I'm planning on using this to frost a two tier cake. Can I do my final frosting the night before, chill, and stack and leave to chill in fridge overnight. Then decorate with more buttercream the next morning? Will the buttercream decorations stick to the frosting I put on the night before or do I need to frost and decorate all at once? Should I bring the stacked cake out of the fridge in the morning and let it warm up to room temperature first before applying decorations (I will be applying buttercream frosting on the sides of the cake too). Thank you so much!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can chill and frost and decorate the next day. Easy buttercream does not crust so it stays sticky
Kristin Bell says
I have made this recipe on 3 occasions now. 24 gender reveal cupcakes for co-workers that everyone loved, a 2 year old birthday cake for about 30 party guests that people raved about and just yesterday for my baby's first birthday smash cake (which he devoured). This has become my go-to recipe. I find ABC too sweet and I have tried IMBC before which I found okay but a little too buttery. This frosting is a wonderful hybrid with just the right amt of buttery taste and sweetness and creamy consistency that pipes, colors and smooths beautifully. AND I don't have to mess with cooking egg whites! It's honestly a crowd-pleaser. Thank you so much for this recipe.
I'm seeing a lot of reviews about people getting soupy results so I'll add that I live in a very cold most-of-year environment.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Thank you for sharing your experience Kristin. I'm so glad you like the recipe
Beth Stophel says
Hi Liz, so first I just love your channel it has saved me many times. I made this recipe last week and it turned out FANTASTIC, I made it yesterday and it was a disaster twice. I followed the recipe exactly as before, but the buttercream was soft. I put it in the fridge thinking it would harden a bit and then mixed it with my paddle attachment and it completely separated. I am making 700 cupcakes this week for an event on Friday and thought I would use this recipe but now I am freaking out that it won't work. I read through the comments and I live in North Florida so the temperature is in the mid 60's and my house stays about 72 inside, not warm at all. I measured using the scale and mixing just as the recipe called for. I don't know if my butter was too soft, I am at a loss. I would really love your help or suggestions. Thank you so much for all your hard work!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Im not sure what causes it to be soft like that. I've made this recipe literally hundreds of times and have never had a problem with it being soft so it's hard to give advice when I cannot re-create the problem. I'm using pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar and room temperature butter. I use the whisk first and then add in the butter, then finish on low with the paddle attachment.
Angelica says
Hi liz! One quick question should the egg whites be room temperature???
The Sugar Geek Show says
They do not need to be
Dee says
Hi Liz,
I’ve tried your recipe a bunch of times and had great success every time!! I wondered how I could make this a coconut buttercream? Would it be with flavouring or coconut milk?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Use coconut emulsion in place of vanilla
Angelica says
Hi liz do u recommend the butter being at room temperature or a little cold for a perfect consistency frosting? I dnt want it too loose
The Sugar Geek Show says
Room temperature, if it's too cold then the buttercream will curdle
M Steel says
I absolutely love this frosting and use it almost exclusively but I always felt like I wasn't getting the same quantity the recipe says I should get. I just made it again tonight (double batch) and got about 4.5 lbs. It tastes great and consistency is spot on but is my math just way off or should I have more?
Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Meredith says
Second attempt. Second fail. This time I think it got too warm, so I put it in the fridge for 20 minutes. When I took it out and whipped it with a hand mixer on high for 2 minutes, it turned into a ball of goop. The consistency is more like shortening than frosting. I don't think this is a realistic recipe to attempt if you don't have a stand mixer and/or live in a warm humid climate. I think I had better move on to something else.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you
Damaine Beckford says
Hey Liz,
This frosting tastes awesome, I use it all the time. I have butter cream wedding cake for a friend in Jamaica coming up and I am thinking of bumping up the icing sugar a bit to compensate for the added humidity and heat since this will be an outdoor wedding. What do you think ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I have added a couple cups of powdered sugar at the end of mixing to stiffen it up and replaced half the butter with vegetable shortening
Mark Marcus says
Hi Liz,
Fantastic recipe, I just want to let you know that there is an error in the calculator, when you convert from US Customary to Metric the measurements of Vanilla and salt gets multiplied by 2, for example 6 Cups
16 oz unsalted butter room temperature. You can use salted butter but it will affect the taste and you need to leave out additional salt
16 oz powdered sugar sifted if not from a bag
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz pasteurized egg whites
1 TINY drop purple food coloring (optional) for whiter frosting
when you covert to Metric:
454 g unsalted butter room temperature. You can use salted butter but it will affect the taste and you need to leave out additional salt
454 g powdered sugar sifted if not from a bag
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
113 g pasteurized egg whites
1 TINY drop purple food coloring (optional) for whiter frosting
what would be the correct measures for the Vanilla and the Salt?
Thank you so much
The Sugar Geek Show says
Strange! I just fixed it. The measurements should stay the same. Only ounces are converted to grams, anything in teaspoons remains