This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream recipe has been featured in an extensive how-to post on The Recipe Girl blog: How to Make Wedding Cupcakes.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream recipe was first featured here on RecipeGirl many years ago when I baked cupcakes for my son’s kindergarten teacher’s wedding. She wanted cupcakes and had heard that I might be able to do them for her. I worked for a catering company in college, but this was a little outside my comfort zone and expertise! She loved my blog, and she begged me to help. How could I resist?
I ended up taking on the project, and it was so much fun. Her wedding wasn’t terribly big, but I was tasked with making about 125 cupcakes. My kitchen was covered in cupcakes! It was a lot of work, but it was terribly satisfying to know that I was helping out this sweet teacher.
The wedding cupcakes were a huge hit at her wedding, and everyone specifically noted how much they loved the frosting. This is the frosting recipe! It’s so delicious, and it’s now a big-time favorite for a lot of people.
If you have questions about this icing and wedding cupcakes… it may be helpful to read through the comments/questions/answers below the recipe- many of your questions may be answered there! Also visit this post: How to Make Wedding Cupcakes for all of the details on when to make the cupcakes and how to store and transport them to the wedding.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream is my go-to recipe for icing basic cupcakes and wedding cake. Every time I share the recipe on Facebook, I hear from other people who say it’s their go-to recipe too. It turns out perfect every time. It’s so easy to make, and it works through a piping bag well. The recipe will frost 12 cupcakes with a generous swirl. Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to frost more cupcakes!
Note that this recipe also works wonderfully for layer cakes. It spreads on smoothly, and you can pipe on decorations too. I use it for everything. It has been my go-to frosting recipe for so many years!
A simple swirl on cupcakes creates a beautiful dessert for weddings with little candy pearls sprinkled on top.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream is a very popular buttercream recipe- made by thousands who sing this recipe’s praises. I have used this very recipe for all of my cupcakes for so many years now. It’s a keeper recipe!
It does work beautifully for weddings, but it’s not limited to just weddings! This buttercream is a nice one to use for all sorts of occasions. I call it Wedding Cupcake Buttercream because of my original story in using for the first time for the wedding.
There are a few questions that people tend to ask related to this recipe, so I’ll go ahead and address them here.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I like to use salted butter for just about everything, but I definitely use salted butter for this recipe. The salt will tend to cut down on the sweetness a bit. That’s a good thing!
How far in advance should I frost the cupcakes? And should I refrigerate them?
When I make these, I like to frost them the same day if at all possible. If you’d like to frost them the night before, that’s ok too. After adding the frosting, I like to put them in cupcake boxes and refrigerate them until they are ready to serve (overnight is fine). Once you put them out on display, they will defrost nicely and taste just as good as if you’ve made them the same day.
What should I do with leftover Wedding Cupcakes?
Keep leftover cupcakes in a covered container in your refrigerator for a few days. I’ve also frozen them in a covered container and they thaw nicely and taste pretty good that way too!
If you’re looking for more frosting recipes you might also enjoy my Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting or Cookies and Cream Frosting. My Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is another favorite for topping wedding cupcakes. Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a beauty as well.
Wedding Cupcake Buttercream
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use clear extract, if you really want it white)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or regular whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more. Add more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency.
- Scoop into a piping bag and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes, or spread onto cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- *This recipe doubles or triples well.
- *There is no need to sift the powdered sugar, unless you're worried that your sugar is quite lumpy.
- *Do not try to replace the butter with margarine or shortening- it won't work out well.
- *Add in color, if desired. I like to use colored gel paste instead of liquid food coloring- then you're not messing with adding additional liquid to the perfect consistency of the frosting. Gel paste is sold at craft stores and baking supply shops.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made the white and chocolate cupcakes…..Delicious!!!! I have a wedding on Saturday and am traveling 6 hours on Friday. Have you ever made the frosting ahead of time and refrigerated it? If so how did it turn out?
The frosting stiffens up quite a bit when refrigerated… so I’m not sure!
does the wedding cupcake buttercream frosting need to be refrigerated once on cupcakes?
If you’re serving same day, I think it will be fine (I frosted in the AM and served at an afternoon wedding), but if it’s a warm day then they should be refrigerated.
I tried this today and loved it. Best frosting ever. I used milk instead because I did not have cream. It was so good.
@Jenna, I have been a cake decorator for several decades, and have been using this recipe for almost as long. I never use unsalted butter; using unsalted butter in most things is about the same to me as using Vaseline. As for your concern about the gluten in the icing, there is no flour in the icing, so there is no gluten.
I use the same basic ingredients and amounts, but I use buttermilk or even Greek yogurt instead of cream and it cuts the sweetness a little (my preference). I also find if I whip the butter on high until it changes color from light yellow to almost white and then add the sugar and remaining ingredients it makes an even better frosting. Love buttercream frosting, and for cupcakes and cakes I prefer it to cream cheese frosting every time! Oh, another thing to try is 1/2 almond extract instead of all vanilla, makes it a bit more complex flavor wise and I really like it that way.
Thank you for the tips!
I have used this recipe for years. I use half and half though, not cream. I have never had a problem
with this frosting,,,,if it is to juicy, just add more sugar. If it is to stiff, add more half and half. It’s a no brainer.
Wow! Just made this buttercream for my cupcakes! Very happy with the consistency, nice and smooth! I think I will try next with the unsalted butter, just because I like it real sweet. I added extra vanilla!
Lori I made your cupcakes and loved them. I have looked to see if I could find other flavors. Like chocolate what do you add to them vanilla as well? Do you have anywhere that gives different variations of flavors for the batter? Thanks Emily
Here’s a chocolate one that I’ve done: https://www.recipegirl.com/2012/04/10/chocolate-wedding-cupcakes/
I am making these now for the third time. I wish I had written down how many cupcakes the frosting really makes. Seems like it would frost more than 12. Help!!
Thanks!!
Hi there, I use this recipe all the time, adding cocoa for chocolate frosting. Also, at Michaels, Joann’s, and any store that sells cake supplies, you can find white food coloring by Wilton. It is in a little squeeze bottle, not regular coloring containers. I use it all the time to make my frost in white, not a big fan of the butter, off white color!
Thanks for the great tips!!