Bakery Style Buttercream Frosting

Name: Bakery Style Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 42 min
Total time: 42 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 120 g Shortening, room temperature; 120 g Butter, softened; 80 g Margarine, softened; 80 ml Half-and-half cream, room temperature; 60 ml Milk, room temperature; 2 g Salt, fine; 5 ml Vanilla extract; 540 g Confectioners' sugar, sifted; 1 drop Gel food coloring

Bakery Style Buttercream Frosting · ready in 42 min · 4 servings · 520 kcal per serving · easy · 9 ingredients

This classic bakery style buttercream is luxuriously smooth, lightly sweet, and perfectly fluffy, making it ideal for frosting cakes and cupcakes with a rich, creamy finish.

Prep: 42 min
Total: 42 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 520
Difficulty: easy

American Desserts Snacks & starters Vegetarian

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

120 gShortening, room temperature
120 gButter, softened
80 gMargarine, softened
80 mlHalf-and-half cream, room temperature
60 mlMilk, room temperature
2 gSalt, fine
5 mlVanilla extract
540 gConfectioners' sugar, sifted
1 dropGel food coloring (optional)

Equipment

refrigerator, electric mixer, mixing bowl, offset spatula, piping bag, rubber spatula, sifter, storage container

Instructions

Prepare ingredients
Gather all ingredients and set out a large mixing bowl, electric mixer, rubber spatula, sifter, and offset spatula for mixing and spreading. · 2 min
What to look for: tools ready and ingredients measured
Cream fats
Beat the shortening, butter, margarine, half-and-half cream, milk, salt, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and fully combined. · 3 min
What to look for: smooth and uniform
Add sugar
Add the sifted confectioners' sugar in three portions, mixing gently after each addition, then beat until the frosting is light and spreadable. · 4 min
What to look for: fluffy and airy
Color frosting
Mix in the gel food coloring one drop at a time, scraping the bowl as needed, until the frosting is evenly tinted. · 1 min
What to look for: evenly colored
Chill if needed
Cover and refrigerate the frosting if not using right away, then let it stand until cool room temperature before spreading. · 30 min
What to look for: covered and chilled, then soft but cool
Frost and serve
Spread the buttercream over cooled cakes or cupcakes with an offset spatula, or pipe it for a smooth bakery-style finish. · 2 min
What to look for: smooth, clean finish

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	520
Protein	2 g
Carbohydrates	72 g
of which sugars	70 g
Fat	26 g
of which saturated	11 g
Fibre	0 g
Sodium	110 mg

Nutri-ScoreE

Allergens

Contains: milk

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 7 days
Freezer: yes, up to 3 months

Ingredient substitutions

Shortening

Butter: Creates a richer, less stable frosting

Butter

Plant based butter: Choose a firm baking style vegan butter

Margarine

Vegetable shortening: Gives a firmer, less buttery finish

Half-and-half cream

Heavy cream: Produces a richer mouthfeel

Milk

Rice milk: Use an unsweetened variety to control sweetness

Salt

Sea salt: Finely ground salt dissolves best