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Vanilla American Buttercream

Ingredients
  

6-inch cake (makes about 4½ cups)

  • 2 cups (454 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
  • 5 cups (600 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • tablespoons (37.5 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
  • ½ to 1 drop purple liquid food coloring (optional)

9-inch cake (makes about 7 cups)

  • 3 cups (681 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
  • 7 cups (840 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup (60 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 drops purple liquid food coloring (optional)

12-inch cake (makes about 10 cups)

  • cups (794 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
  • cups (1,020 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 5 tablespoons (75 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract
  • 4 to 5 drops purple liquid food coloring (optional)

Sheet cake (makes about 7 cups)

  • cups (738 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
  • cups (870 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup (60 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 drops purple liquid food coloring (optional)

Piping decoration (makes about 5½ cups)

  • cups (567 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
  • cups (690 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 drops purple liquid food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt at medium speed until smooth and creamy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until combined and stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Beat in cream and vanilla. Increase mixer speed to high, and beat until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add food coloring (if using) to brighten the frosting. (See Note.) Use immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, let come to room temperature and beat at medium-high speed with the paddle attachment to soften and smooth before using.

Notes

Note: Butter made from grass-fed cows is rich in beta-carotene, which gives butter its lovely, golden hue. But when you want a pure white frosting, adding a drop or two of purple food coloring offsets the butter’s natural yellow tint.
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