Buttercream Frosting Guide

If you’ve ever wondered which frosting is best for decorating, stacking layer cakes, piping cupcakes, or you need a frosting that is not overwhelmingly sweet, you’re in the right place.

This buttercream frosting guide rounds up my favorite frosting recipes and tips in one place so you can find the best option for whatever you’re making.

Some frostings are super easy and sweet, some are silky and less sweet, and some are better for hot weather or cake decorating. Over the years, I’ve shared a lot of frosting recipes on here, and this guide is here to help you figure out which one is best for you!

Whether you’re looking for a classic buttercream frosting, a stable frosting for cake decorating, a cream cheese frosting, or a flavored frosting for a special cake, this post will walk you through the best options and when to use each one.

Which Frosting Should You Use?

If you’re not sure where to start, here’s the quick version:

• Make American buttercream if you want something easy, classic, and great for beginners.
• Make Russian buttercream if you want a silky frosting with fewer ingredients and a less sweet flavor.
• Make Swiss meringue buttercream if you want a super smooth, light frosting that feels more refined.
• Make cream cheese frosting if you want a tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with carrot cake, red velvet, pumpkin, and cinnamon rolls.
• Make whipped cream cheese frosting if you want a lighter frosting that still has a bit more stability.
• Use chocolate or flavored buttercreams if you want to match a specific cake flavor or add something extra special.

Best Buttercream Frostings to Start With

American Buttercream

If you want a classic vanilla buttercream frosting that’s easy to make and holds up well for frosting cakes and piping cupcakes, this is the best place to start. It’s sweet, fluffy, and beginner-friendly.

This is the frosting I’d recommend if you’re making a birthday cake, need something simple, or want a dependable frosting that colors beautifully. If you’re new to cake decorating, start with my American Buttercream Recipe.

Russian Buttercream

Russian buttercream is one of my favorite options when you want a frosting that’s rich and silky but not as sweet as American buttercream. It has a super smooth texture and comes together with far fewer ingredients than most meringue-based frostings.

If you like a softer, creamier frosting or want something that feels a little more elevated without being fussy, try Russian Buttercream or Chocolate Russian Buttercream.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss meringue buttercream is smooth, light, and less sweet than classic buttercream. It’s great for people who want a frosting that feels airy and silky rather than thick and sugary.

It takes a bit more time to make, but it’s worth it when you want a clean finish on layer cakes. You can start with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting, then branch into flavors like Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream, White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, or Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Not Too Sweet Buttercream

If your biggest frosting complaint is that it tastes too sweet, go straight to Not Too Sweet Buttercream Frosting. This is a great option when you want the ease of a buttercream frosting but a more balanced flavor.

I also love this kind of frosting for people who don’t usually like frosting, because it feels lighter on the palate and lets the cake flavor shine through.

The Best Frostings for Specific Needs

Best Frosting for Cake Decorating

If your priority is smooth sides, sharp edges, and sturdy piping, start with my American Buttercream Recipe. It’s dependable, easy to color, and great for decorative borders, swirls, and crumb coats.

I have a bunch of additional resources that are also helpful when it comes to decorating a cake, which include:

• How to Frost a Cake Smoothly
• Smooth Buttercream
• Frosting Consistency Guide
• How to Make White Buttercream

Best Frosting for Less Sweet Cakes

For a frosting that isn’t overly sugary, I’d point you toward:

• Russian Buttercream
• Not Too Sweet Buttercream Frosting
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

These are all great if you want a more balanced cake or if you’re pairing frosting with a very sweet cake layer or filling.

Best Frosting for Cupcakes

Cupcakes give you a little more flexibility because you don’t need the frosting to support stacked layers. For cupcake swirls, these are all great options:

• American Buttercream
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Oreo Frosting
• Coffee Buttercream
• Matcha Buttercream
• Lime Buttercream
• Vanilla Bean Buttercream

These pipe beautifully and make it easy to match your frosting to your cupcake flavor.

Best Frosting for Layer Cakes

For stacked or tiered cakes, I usually look for a frosting that spreads smoothly and holds its shape well. Great options include:

• American Buttercream
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
• Whipped Cream Frosting with Cream Cheese for softer, lighter cakes
• Not-Too-Sweet Buttercream (my go-to for wedding cakes).

If you’re assembling a tiered cake and aren’t sure how much frosting you need, I have a great post that I like to call my buttercream calculator! It lists out how much frosting you need for different-sized cakes, and is perfect if you ever find yourself asking, “How Much Buttercream Do I Need?”

Chocolate Frosting Recipes

If vanilla isn’t your thing, you have a lot of chocolate frosting options.

• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is a classic choice for cakes and cupcakes and gives you that rich, familiar chocolate flavor.
• Dark Chocolate Frosting is deeper and more intense.
• Not Too Sweet Chocolate Frosting is perfect if you want the chocolate flavor without a super sugary finish.
• Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting is lighter and fluffier.
• Chocolate Italian Meringue Buttercream is a great option when you want a silkier, more elegant chocolate frosting.

If you want something even more unique, my Chocolate Orange Buttercream has a fun flavor twist.

Cream Cheese and Lighter Frostings

Sometimes a traditional buttercream isn’t the right fit. For cakes like carrot cake, red velvet cake, pumpkin cake, spice cake, or cinnamon rolls, I usually reach for something tangier or lighter.

Cream Cheese Frosting

My Cream Cheese Frosting is the obvious staple here. It’s rich, tangy, and perfect on classic cakes. You can also branch into variations like:

• Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
• Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Whipped Cream Frostings

If you want a frosting that feels lighter than buttercream but still has enough stability to work well on cakes and cupcakes, my Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting is one of the best options on the site.

White Chocolate Frosting

If you love a sweeter, creamy frosting with a little extra richness, White Chocolate Frosting is a great choice. It’s especially good with berry cakes, vanilla cakes, and more delicate flavor pairings.

Flavored Buttercream Recipes

One of the easiest ways to make a cake feel extra special is to match the frosting to the cake flavor. Here are some of my favorite flavored buttercreams to use when you want something beyond vanilla or chocolate:

• Almond Buttercream
• Biscoff Buttercream
• Baileys Frosting
• Coffee Buttercream
• Matcha Buttercream
• Lime Buttercream
• Vanilla Bean Buttercream
• Brown Butter Buttercream
• Brown Sugar Frosting
• Lavender Buttercream
• Salted Caramel Frosting
• Strawberry Buttercream
• Gingerbread Buttercream
• Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

Color and Decorating Help

Coloring buttercream can be surprisingly tricky. If you’ve ever struggled to make frosting look bright white, true red, or deep black, I have some dedicated posts that walk through exactly how to do it.

• How to Make Bright Red Buttercream Frosting
• How to Make Black Frosting
• How to Make White Buttercream

These posts are especially useful for readers who are making birthday cakes, holiday cakes, or themed celebration cakes and need decorating help, not just a frosting recipe.

Storage and Buttercream Basics

A great frosting recipe is only part of the equation. It also helps to know the shelf life of buttercream, how much frosting you need for different-sized cakes, and how to get the consistency just right so that your frosting spreads, pipes, and smooths properly.

If you need help with any of those basics, check out my guides on How Long Does Buttercream Last, How Much Buttercream Do I Need, and Frosting Consistency.

Buttercream and Frosting FAQs

What is the easiest frosting for beginners?

American buttercream is usually the easiest frosting to make. It comes together quickly, uses simple ingredients, and works well for cakes and cupcakes.

Which frosting is less sweet than American buttercream?

Russian buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, and not-too-sweet buttercream are all great options if you want a frosting that tastes less sugary.

Which frosting is best for decorating cakes?

American buttercream is one of the best choices for cake decorating because it’s stable, easy to color, and simple to adjust. If you want really smooth finishes, it also helps to learn proper frosting consistency and smoothing techniques.

What frosting goes best with carrot cake or red velvet cake?

Cream cheese frosting is the classic choice for both. It has a tangy flavor that balances sweet cake layers really well.

How do I make buttercream bright white, red, or black?

Those colors each need slightly different techniques, so it’s easiest to follow a dedicated tutorial. I have separate posts on how to make white buttercream, bright red buttercream, and black frosting.

How much frosting do I need for a layer cake?

It depends on the cake size, how many layers you’re making, and how much decorating you plan to do. My buttercream quantity guide breaks it down by cake size, so it’s much easier to plan.

Final Thoughts

There’s no single “best” frosting for every cake. It really depends on what you’re making and what kind of texture and flavor you like best.

I hope this guide helps you find the perfect frosting for your next cake or cupcake recipe.