Buttercream comes in many forms—Swiss, Italian, French—but when it comes to ease, versatility, and a classic sweet flavor, nothing beats American Buttercream. Unlike its European cousins, which often require cooked sugar syrups or whipped egg whites, American Buttercream is all about simplicity: just butter, sugar, a splash of liquid, and a little magic.

This particular recipe is not only silky and stable, but it also serves as the perfect blank canvas for natural food colorings. When working with Chefmaster Natural Food Coloring and most other plant-based dyes and all-natural pigments, this buttercream holds color beautifully without compromising texture. Say goodbye to artificial dyes and hello to vibrant, naturally hued cakes and cupcakes!

Whether you're a home baker looking for an easy go-to frosting or a professional pastry chef in search of a stable, natural-friendly base, this buttercream delivers. Let’s whip up a batch and start decorating!

Makes approximately 6 cups

Ingredients:
5 cups Powdered Sugar
3 cups (6 sticks) Unsalted Butter, room temperature)
2 Tbsp Hot Water, Milk or Cream
1 Tbsp Clear Vanilla
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice



Tools & Utensils:
Measuring Cups & Spoons
Stand Mixer with a whisk and a paddle attachment
Spatulas
Knife
Decorating pastry bags

Preparation:

1. Using a Whisk attachment, whip your room-temperature butter for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes bright white and fluffy. Make sure your butter turns white before proceeding to the next steps or else you will get a strong taste of butter.
2. Start to slowly add about a cup of powdered sugar at a time while your mixer is on low. Stop mixing as soon as all the powdered sugar is in the bowl.
3. Add in your vanilla, lemon juice and salt.
4. Turn your mixer on speed 4 for 2 minutes and then turn it up to speed 6 until smooth and fluffy for another minute or so. The time it takes may be shorter or longer depending on the humidity, butter temperature, and the strength of your mixer.
5. While it whips, slowly drizzle in your hot water or liquid of choice until you reach your desired consistency. The more you add, the thinner and less stable it will be for detailed piping. Adding in a hot liquid of your choice helps melt some of the powdered sugar, in which removes some of the grainy texture AB gives.
6. If your buttercream splits at all, or you are going to coat a cake, melt 1/3 to 1/2 of your buttercream in the microwave or double broiler and add it back into your solid buttercream while your mixer is on low.
7. To remove any air bubbles and to create a smooth, silky buttercream, switch to a paddle attachment and let the mixer run on the stir or low setting for 15-20 minutes.

Now that you’ve got the perfect American Buttercream, it’s time to add some color! This recipe works wonders with both Chefmaster artificial and natural food colorings, but natural dyes do require a little more know-how to create stunning hues. Check out our Chefmaster Academy for expert tips on achieving vibrant, beautifully tinted frosting using Chefmaster Natural Food Coloring. Happy decorating!