How to Make Buttercream Icing | Easy Frosting Recipe for Cakes

In this tutorial: What You'll Need · Swiss Buttercream · The Curdling Stage · American Buttercream · Mixing Tips · Storage

Two recipes, one video — and both are designed specifically for cake decorating. In this tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault of Global Sugar Art walks you through a modified Swiss buttercream (more stable than traditional versions) and a classic American buttercream that crusts beautifully for the paper towel smoothing technique. This is Part 2 of the Buttercream Basics series, following the cake baking tutorial.

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What You'll Need

↪ For the Swiss buttercream:

• 1 cup fresh egg whites (or substitute: 4 tablespoons powdered egg whites + ¾ cup warm water)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (superfine works even better)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (454g) butter, softened but still cool
• 1½ cups (270g) white vegetable shortening (Crisco, or ideally SweeTex/Alpine high-ratio shortening)
• Confectioner's sugar — added at the end for stability
• Instant-read thermometer
• Double boiler setup (a bowl over a pan with ~1 inch of water)
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment

↪ For the American buttercream:

• 2 lbs (910g) powdered sugar (cane sugar preferred — see notes below)
• ½ cup (113g / 1 stick) butter, softened but cool
• 1½ cups (270g) white vegetable shortening
• 2 tablespoons powdered coffee creamer dissolved in ⅓ cup boiled water, then cooled
• 2 tablespoons flavoring (Chef Alan uses his Bridal Blend — vanilla, citrus, cherry, and butter)
• ¼ teaspoon popcorn salt (optional — must be superfine; skip if you only have regular salt)
• Stand mixer with paddle attachment

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Swiss Buttercream

▶ Watch this section (1:13)

Chef Alan's version is a modified Swiss buttercream — it includes confectioner's sugar at the end, which is unusual but makes the icing far more stable in warm environments and better for decorating.

↪ Step 1: Heat the egg whites and sugar

1. Combine the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla in your mixer bowl.
2. Place over a hot water bath (medium-high heat, but not boiling — steam is hotter than boiling water and can scramble the eggs).
3. Stir gently and heat to 140–160°F. This pasteurizes the egg whites and melts the sugar.

↪ Step 2: Whip to stiff peaks

▶ (5:17)

Transfer the bowl to your mixer with the whisk attachment and whip on high speed until the meringue reaches stiff peaks and cools down — about 5 minutes. The meringue must be cool before you add butter.

↪ Step 3: Add the butter and shortening

▶ (6:18)

1. Add the butter about a tablespoon at a time, mixing at ¾ speed.
2. Scrape the bowl after all the butter is in.
3. Add the shortening gradually and mix until combined.
4. Whip on high for 2–3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

↪ Step 4: Add confectioner's sugar

▶ (13:04)

This is the step that makes Chef Alan's version different from most Swiss buttercream recipes. Add confectioner's sugar, wrap a kitchen towel around the mixer to prevent a sugar cloud, and mix on low for 30–40 seconds. Scrape down and mix on medium for 2 more minutes.

↪ Chocolate variation

Melt 4 oz of unsweetened baking chocolate over a water bath or in the microwave on low. Stir until cool, then add to the finished buttercream and whip.

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The Curdling Stage: Don't Panic

▶ Watch this section (9:33)

As you add fat to the meringue, the icing will likely break and look curdled — soft, liquidy, and separated. This is completely normal and happens with both Swiss and Italian buttercreams. Keep mixing. Within 30 seconds to a minute of whipping on high speed, the icing will come back together into a smooth, creamy buttercream.

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American Buttercream

▶ Watch this section (16:07)

This is a classic American-style crusting buttercream — the kind used in most U.S. bakeries. The crusting property (the outside dries slightly to the touch) is what allows you to use the paper towel smoothing technique and design impression mats.

↪ Why the coffee creamer?

Totally optional, but Chef Alan finds it produces a creamier frosting that smooths better on the cake and helps the buttercream crust properly. Dissolve 2 tablespoons powdered coffee creamer in ⅓ cup boiled water, then cool before using.

↪ A note on sugar

▶ (18:07)

Use cane powdered sugar if you can find it. Beet sugar looks identical but reacts differently in icing and doesn't work as well. Domino is a cane sugar brand and rarely needs sifting.

↪ Mixing method

1. Start with the powdered sugar, butter, and half the shortening. Use the paddle attachment (not the whisk).
2. Add the coffee creamer/water mixture slowly on low speed.
3. Beat on low to medium for 1–2 minutes until combined and lump-free.
4. Add the remaining shortening and mix on medium for 2 more minutes.

↪ The most important mixing tip

▶ (24:16)

Don't overmix. For decorating and piping roses, stop mixing when the icing is thick and holds its shape. If you want a softer consistency for icing a cake, continue mixing on low for 2–4 more minutes until fluffy.

If your icing becomes grainy and runny, you've overmixed — and unfortunately, with buttercream, there's no way to fix it. Adding more sugar won't bring it back.

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Storing Leftover Buttercream

• Refrigerator: Sealed containers, up to 2 weeks
• Freezer: Use small containers so they thaw quickly. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter until nearly room temperature, then re-whip before using.

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Substitutions and Variations

• All butter (no shortening): Delicious flavor, but softer and less stable — won't hold up as well for decorating or in warm environments
• Adjust the ratio: Don't want 1½ cups Crisco? Try 1 cup shortening + 1½ cups butter
• Salt and coffee creamer: Both optional — omit either or both
• Flavoring: Use whatever you prefer — vanilla, almond, lemon, or any combination

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This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →