love this recipe, because it is simple, very versatile and everyone always loves it. This recipe is a blank canvas with endless possibilities. I have listed some of my favorite variations in the notes at the end of the recipe.

Depending on what you add in for flavorings, it can range from very sweet to moderately sweet.

This recipe makes enough to frost one 2-layer cake, 24 cupcakes or one quarter-sheet cake (9x13).

Mixing the frosting for a full 10 minutes is key to its texture and mouth feel.

Why American buttercream?
When I opened my first bakery, 20 years ago, most of my cake and cupcakes were custom orders. I offered all different types of frostings and fillings, including three different buttercream(s) – Swiss, Italian and American. I thought for sure that the European buttercream(s) would be the most popular due to their silky smooth texture and not being overly sweet, but I was wrong.

Not all buttercream is the same
European style buttercream (Swiss, French, I