Vanilla or Chocolate Buttercream

The recipe, step by step

This fluffy vanilla or chocolate buttercream is one of the easiest frostings to make. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and gives you a smooth, creamy frosting that is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, muffins, traybakes and sandwich biscuits.

I have fond memories of this style of classic buttercream from childhood birthday parties, piled onto fairy cakes in all sorts of colours and covered with hundreds and thousands. It is simple, dependable and endlessly adaptable.

Start with the vanilla buttercream, then turn it into chocolate buttercream simply by adding unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also use the same base for coffee, fruit, citrus and other flavours.

It is particularly good with my Vanilla Cupcakes, Maple Date Banana Bread and Double Chocolate Espresso Muffins. For an even richer chocolate frosting made with melted chocolate, try my Chocolate Fudge Buttercream.

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Incredibly easy, particularly with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
• Taste: Sweet, buttery vanilla or rich chocolate.
• Texture: Light, smooth, creamy and easy to spread or pipe.
• Preparation: 10 minutes.
• Total: 10 minutes.
• Serving: Suitable for cakes, cupcakes, muffins, traybakes and sandwich biscuits.
• Quantity: Enough for approximately 6–8 cupcakes or muffins with a generous swirl, or a two-layer 20 cm / 8-inch cake, according to the current WPRM method.

Why You’ll Love This Buttercream

A good classic buttercream is one of the most useful frosting recipes to have.

There are no cooked syrups, egg whites or complicated techniques involved. You simply beat softened butter until creamy, add the flavouring, then gradually incorporate icing sugar and cream.

The consistency is also easy to adjust. Keep it medium and creamy for spreading over cakes, thin it slightly for softer decorating or make it firmer when you need piped decorations to hold their shape.

The vanilla version is a blank canvas for other flavours and colours, while the chocolate version takes only one additional ingredient.

Most importantly, it can be made ahead, refrigerated and even frozen, which makes cake decorating much easier to plan.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Unsalted butter: Use 150 g unsalted butter at room temperature. It should be soft enough to beat easily but must not be melted. Soft butter helps create a lighter, smoother buttercream.
• Fine sea salt: Use a pinch of fine sea salt. It balances the sweetness and helps the vanilla or chocolate flavour stand out.
• Vanilla: Use 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste.
• Cocoa powder: For the chocolate version, add 3–4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. WPRM does not include cocoa in the vanilla version.
• Icing sugar: Use 330 g icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar. Sift it before adding to remove lumps and help produce a smoother frosting.
• Whipping or double cream: 2–3 tablespoons whipping or double cream. Start with 2 tablespoons as instructed in the method and add more only if needed to adjust the consistency.

Nigel recommends

Vanilla Bean Paste

Vanilla bean paste is a lovely choice for this buttercream, giving it a rich, rounded vanilla flavour along with the characteristic little vanilla seeds.

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Vanilla Bean Paste

Rich vanilla bean paste with a concentrated vanilla flavour and visible vanilla seeds, ideal for cakes, biscuits, custards, creams and glazes.

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How to Make Vanilla or Chocolate Buttercream

Make the Buttercream

1. Beat the butter: Place the 150 g room-temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until completely smooth and creamy, approximately 5 minutes. An electric hand mixer or stand mixer makes this much easier.

2. Add the flavouring: Add the pinch of fine sea salt and vanilla. For chocolate buttercream, add the 3–4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder at this stage as well. Mix until smooth and thoroughly combined, stopping a couple of times to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

3. Add half the icing sugar: Gradually sift in approximately half of the 330 g icing sugar together with 2 tablespoons cream. Beat until completely combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

4. Add the remaining icing sugar: Gradually add the remaining icing sugar and continue beating until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.

5. Check the consistency: The ideal consistency depends on how you plan to use the buttercream. Check whether you need a softer consistency for spreading or something firmer for piping.

6. Adjust if necessary: For a stiffer buttercream, add a little more icing sugar. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream, beating thoroughly after each addition until you reach the consistency you need.

7. Use the buttercream: The recipe makes enough frosting for approximately 6–8 cupcakes or muffins or a two-layer 20 cm / 8-inch cake.

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate buttercream uses exactly the same basic method as the vanilla version.

Add 3–4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with the vanilla and salt in step 2, then continue with the icing sugar and cream.

The cocoa deepens the flavour while also thickening the buttercream slightly, so you may find that the chocolate version needs a little more cream to reach the same spreading consistency as the vanilla version.

For a richer chocolate frosting made with actual melted chocolate, use my Chocolate Fudge Buttercream.

How to Flavour Buttercream

Lemon, Coconut or Orange

Replace the vanilla with 1 teaspoon lemon, coconut or orange extract.

Almond

Use ½ teaspoon almond extract for a distinct almond flavour.

Nigel recommends

Almond Extract

A small amount of almond extract gives vanilla buttercream a wonderfully aromatic almond flavour and works particularly well with fruit cakes and biscuits.

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Almond Extract 

Pure almond extract with a clean, concentrated flavour, ideal for cakes, biscuits, pastries and fruit-based bakes.

Why I recommend it → Shop at Amazon UK

Some retailer links may be affiliate links. Recommendations remain editorially independent.

Fruit Buttercream

Add 3–4 tablespoons seedless raspberry, strawberry or blueberry jam to the vanilla buttercream.

Because jam introduces additional moisture, check the consistency afterwards and adjust with a little more icing sugar if required.

Coffee Buttercream

Dissolve 1 tablespoon instant coffee in 2–3 tablespoons warmed cream.

Allow the mixture to cool before adding it to the butter and sugar mixture.

Butterscotch

The old article also suggests using butterscotch flavouring.

How to Colour Buttercream

Vanilla buttercream is ideal for colouring.

I recommend gel food colouring because it is concentrated, so very little is needed and it does not thin the buttercream as much as liquid colouring.

Start with 1–2 drops at a time, mix thoroughly and add more only when necessary.

Black Buttercream

If you want genuinely dark buttercream, start with the chocolate version rather than vanilla.

Chocolate buttercream already provides a dark base, meaning you need far less black food colouring to achieve a deep colour.

Add black gel colouring gradually and remember that the colour usually becomes darker as the buttercream sits.

Buttercream Consistency

Different decorating jobs require slightly different buttercream consistencies.

Medium Consistency

This is the most useful everyday consistency.

Use it for:

• Filling cake layers
• Crumb coating
• Covering cakes
• Smooth finishes
• Decorating cupcakes

Dip a spatula into the frosting and it should form soft peaks while remaining easy to spread.

Thin Consistency

A thinner buttercream is useful for finer decorating or writing.

I recommend adding 1–2 teaspoons room-temperature whole milk to soften the buttercream.

Add it gradually because it is much easier to thin buttercream than to rescue one that has become too loose.

Stiff Consistency

A firmer buttercream is useful for piping flowers and decorations that need to stand upright.

Add additional sifted icing sugar until the frosting forms firmer peaks.

However, do not make it so stiff that you have to force it through the piping bag.

If that happens, add 1 teaspoon room-temperature cream or whole milk at a time until it becomes workable again.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Use Properly Softened Butter

Room-temperature butter is essential.

Cold butter is difficult to aerate and can leave the buttercream looking curdled or lumpy, while melted butter makes the frosting far too soft.

The butter should yield easily when pressed but still hold its shape.

Beat the Butter First

Give the butter its full 5-minute beating time before adding the sugar.

This is what starts incorporating air and creates the lighter, creamier base for the frosting.

Sift the Icing Sugar

I always recommend sifting icing sugar before adding it.

Small hard lumps are surprisingly difficult to remove once they have been beaten into buttercream.

Add the Sugar Gradually

Adding all the icing sugar at once makes it much harder to incorporate smoothly and usually sends a cloud of sugar around the kitchen.

Add approximately half first, then incorporate the remainder once the first addition is smooth.

Don’t Reduce the Sugar Too Far

It is tempting to reduce the icing sugar because classic buttercream is naturally sweet.

However, the sugar is doing more than sweetening the frosting — it also creates its structure.

Reducing it substantially can leave the buttercream too soft to pipe or hold its shape.

Adjust the Cream Carefully

Start with the amount called for in the method, then add extra cream only when necessary.

A very small amount can make a noticeable difference to the consistency.

Let Cakes Cool Completely

Never put buttercream on a warm cake or cupcake.

The warmth will soften the butter and can cause the frosting to melt, slide or lose its shape.

Rewhip Chilled Buttercream

Buttercream firms considerably in the refrigerator.

Allow it to return to room temperature, then beat it again briefly until it becomes light and creamy before spreading or piping.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between Vanilla and Chocolate Buttercream?

They use the same basic buttercream.

For the chocolate version, add 3–4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with the vanilla and salt.

How Much Buttercream Does This Recipe Make?

It is enough for approximately 6–8 cupcakes or muffins or a two-layer 20 cm / 8-inch cake.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes. The original article recommends doubling it when frosting a three-layer 20 cm / 8-inch cake.

Can I Make Buttercream Ahead?

Yes.

You can prepare the buttercream 2–3 days ahead, store it refrigerated in an airtight container and bring it back to room temperature before using.

Rewhip it briefly to restore the light texture.

Why Is My Buttercream Too Thick?

It may need a little more cream.

Add a small amount at a time and beat thoroughly after each addition.

Why Is My Buttercream Too Soft?

Add a little more sifted icing sugar and beat again until the frosting holds the consistency you need.

Why Is My Buttercream Lumpy?

The butter may have been too cold or the icing sugar may not have been sifted.

Use properly softened butter and sift the sugar before mixing.

Why Is My Buttercream Grainy?

Continue beating it thoroughly and make sure you are using fine icing sugar rather than granulated sugar.

Can I Use Salted Butter?

WPRM specifically uses 150 g unsalted butter plus a pinch of fine sea salt.

That gives you much better control over the final seasoning, so I would keep to the recipe.

Can I Make the Buttercream Less Sweet?

You can reduce the icing sugar, but doing so also makes the frosting softer.

If you need a buttercream firm enough for piping or cake decorating, the structural effect of the sugar needs to be considered as well as sweetness.

Tools You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Fine-mesh sieve
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Digital kitchen scales
• Measuring spoons
• Piping bag and nozzle, if decorating

Your existing article already contains Shop My Kitchen blocks for mixing bowls, a sieve, stand mixer, electric hand whisk and digital scales. Keep those existing equipment recommendations rather than duplicating them.

Storage and Freezing

Storing

Place the buttercream in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.

Before spreading or piping, allow it to return fully to room temperature and then give it a brief whisk to restore its light, fluffy texture.

If you are in a particularly warm environment, keep frosted cakes and cupcakes refrigerated until closer to serving so the buttercream does not become excessively soft.

Making Ahead

Buttercream can easily be prepared 2–3 days in advance and refrigerated until needed.

Freezing

Store the buttercream in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 1 month.

Defrost it for approximately 1 day in the refrigerator, then bring it completely back to room temperature.

Whip it again before using to restore the smooth, fluffy consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: Per 100 g.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: Per 100 g.

Calories: 504.9 kcal · 25% DV
Total Fat: 27.6 g · 39% DV
Carbohydrates: 66.22 g · 25% DV
Sugars: 64.94 g · 72% DV
Protein: 0.51 g · 1% DV
Sodium: 31.36 mg · 2% DV
Fibre: 0 g · 0% DV

% Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands and serving size used.

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