Wilton Buttercream Icing Recipe: Best Copycat Recipe
This copycat wilton buttercream icing recipe is inspired by Wilton’s classic recipe, known for its smooth, fluffy texture and reliable results. Made with simple ingredients like powdered sugar, real butter, shortening, and clear vanilla extract, it’s the perfect easy recipe for frosting cakes, cookies, and any special occasion. Whether you’re new to decorating or need a go-to recipe, this one delivers every time.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS WILTON BUTTERCREAM ICING RECIPE
- This is one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again.
- Made with everyday pantry items.
- Super simple and turns out soft, fluffy, and creamy every time.
- Easy to spread and pipes beautifully for a smooth, bakery-style finish.
- Perfect for everything from birthday cakes to special occasions.
- A reliable go-to buttercream that just works – no stress, no guesswork.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS HOMEMADE BUTTERCREAM
- Powdered Sugar/Confectioners’ Sugar: The base of the buttercream – it adds sweetness and helps create that smooth, fluffy texture that’s perfect for spreading or piping.
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter creates a creamy base and helps the frosting whip up light and fluffy.
- All-Vegetable Shortening: This gives Wilton buttercream its signature stability and smooth texture. It helps the frosting hold its shape for piping and decorating while keeping a bright white color. For best results, use shortening that is soft at room temperature but not melted.
- Clear Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract creates the classic sweet base flavor – but make sure it’s clear so the buttercream isn’t tinted.
- Heavy Cream, Milk or Water: Liquid helps make the buttercream extra smooth, creamy, and easy to spread – it also adds a little richness and can be used to adjust the consistency.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and cuts the sweetness a bit.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUTTERCREAM:
- American Buttercream: The easiest and sweetest type of buttercream, made with butter, powdered sugar, and a splash of liquid. It has a thick, creamy texture and is perfect for beginners, piping, and decorating cakes or cupcakes.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Made by heating egg whites and sugar, then whipping them with butter, this buttercream is silky, smooth, and much less sweet than American buttercream. It’s perfect for a more refined, bakery-style finish.
- French Buttercream: Made with egg yolks instead of egg whites, this buttercream is a creamy frosting and slightly custard-like. It has a deeper flavor but is softer and less stable in warm temperatures.
- Vegan Buttercream: Made without dairy using plant-based butter and milk alternatives. It’s very similar in texture to American buttercream and works well for frosting and piping.
- Ermine Buttercream: Made by cooking flour and milk into a paste, then whipping in butter and sugar. It’s light, fluffy, and much less sweet, with a smooth, whipped texture.
BUTTERCREAM RECIPES TO TRY NEXT:
TIPS FOR WILTON BUTTERCREAM ICING
Wilton buttercream icing is a classic decorator’s frosting—smooth, sturdy, and perfect for piping, stacking, and warmer environments. It’s incredibly reliable, but a few small details can make the difference between stiff, crusty frosting and perfectly creamy, pipeable buttercream. These tips will help you get consistent results every time!
SHORTENING:
- Use High-Ratio Shortening (If Possible): Wilton buttercream is traditionally made with shortening because it creates a more stable frosting that holds its shape beautifully.
- Room Temperature Shortening: Shortening should be soft but not warm or melty. If it’s too firm, the buttercream can be difficult to mix and may turn out dense. If it’s too warm, the frosting can become greasy or lose structure. Properly softened shortening blends easily and creates a smooth, fluffy buttercream that pipes cleanly.
- Butter vs. Shortening: Many bakers prefer using all shortening for stability, especially for decorated cakes that need to sit out. However, using part butter and part shortening gives the best of both worlds – better flavor from the butter and better structure from the shortening.
POWDERED SUGAR:
- Add Gradually: Wilton buttercream uses a large amount of powdered sugar, so adding it slowly helps prevent lumps and keeps the mixture smooth. It also makes mixing much easier and reduces the chance of a powdery mess in your kitchen.
- To Sift or Not to Sift: Sifting powdered sugar is usually unnecessary unless it’s very clumpy. Most modern powdered sugar blends smoothly without sifting, especially when mixed thoroughly. Skipping this step saves time without affecting the final texture.
LIQUID (WATER OR MILK):
- Start Small: Liquid controls the consistency of Wilton buttercream. Add just a small amount at a time – usually one tablespoon – until you reach the texture you need. It’s much easier to thin buttercream than to thicken it after adding too much liquid.
- Water vs. Milk: Water is commonly used in traditional Wilton buttercream because it keeps the frosting bright white and shelf-stable. Milk adds a slightly richer flavor but can make the frosting spoil faster if left at room temperature for long periods. Both options work well – choose based on your needs.
consistency of the frosting:
- Beat Until Fluffy: Proper mixing is key to smooth Wilton buttercream. Beat the frosting long enough to incorporate air and create a light, fluffy texture. Under-mixing can leave the frosting dense and harder to pipe.
- Adjust for Piping or Spreading: For piping decorations, keep the buttercream slightly stiffer so it holds sharp edges. For spreading on cakes, add a bit more liquid to create a softer, more spreadable consistency.
- Cover to Prevent Crusting: Wilton buttercream forms a light crust as it sits. Keep the bowl covered with plastic wrap when not in use to prevent the surface from drying out.
FAQ FOR WILTON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Yes, you can substitute butter for shortening, but it will change the texture and stability of the frosting. Shortening creates a more stable buttercream that holds its shape well for piping and decorating. Butter adds better flavor but can soften more quickly. Many bakers use a combination of butter and shortening to get both flavor and structure!
Shortening helps create a smooth, stable buttercream that pipes cleanly and holds decorations without melting easily. It also gives the frosting a bright white color, which is helpful when coloring buttercream. This is why traditional decorator-style buttercream relies on shortening instead of all butter.
Regular vegetable shortening works perfectly well for most recipes. If you want an even smoother texture, high-ratio shortening is often preferred by decorators because it blends more easily with powdered sugar and creates a less greasy mouthfeel. Both options will produce reliable results.
Add liquid one tablespoon at a time until the buttercream reaches your desired consistency. Water, milk, or heavy whipping cream can all be used. Mixing well after each addition helps prevent the frosting from becoming too thin.
Add powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until the buttercream firms up again. If the frosting became too soft because the shortening or butter was too warm, placing the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10–15 minutes can also help restore the texture.
Shortening or butter should be soft enough to mix easily but not melted. When pressed with a finger, it should hold its shape while leaving a slight indentation.
If you need a dependable buttercream frosting that pipes beautifully and holds its shape, this Wilton buttercream icing recipe is hard to beat. It’s simple, reliable, and the perfect base for any cake flavor – lemon cake, chocolate cake, wedding cakes – you name it! Once you try it, you’ll understand why decorator’s have trusted this classic buttercream for years.
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Wilton Buttercream Icing Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
Description
This copycat wilton buttercream icing recipe is inspired by Wilton’s classic recipe, known for its smooth, fluffy texture and reliable results. Made with simple ingredients like powdered sugar, real butter, shortening, and clear vanilla extract, it’s the perfect easy recipe for frosting cakes, cookies, and any special occasion. Whether you’re new to decorating or need a go-to recipe, this one delivers every time.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup All-Vegetable Shortening
- 7 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar (2 lb bag)
- 1 Teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 – 3/4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream or Water
Instructions
- Whip It Up! Start by adding the room temperature butter and shortening to a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip on a medium speed for about 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once.
- Vanilla & Salt: Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to butter & shortening, along with the clear vanilla extract and salt.
- Start Mixing! Turn mixer on medium speed until these ingredients are incorporated. This should only take about 30 seconds. Again, scrape that bowl!
- Powdered Sugar: Lower mixer speed to the lowest setting and start adding the powdered sugar in increments. Adding a tablespoon of heavy cream between each.
- Mix on Low: Slightly increase the mixer speed to help mix these ingredients, but do not turn on too high or you will whip too much air into the buttercream.
- Scrape, Scrape, Scrape: Remember to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are incorporated!
- Finish: Mix on low-medium until all ingredients are incorporated, at this point you should have perfectly white, smooth Wilton Buttercream Icing!
Notes
Powdered Sugar: 7 1/2 Cups or (1) 2 lb bag of powdered sugar. I always use the full 2 lb bag!
Stiffer: For a stiffer buttercream, add less than recommended amount of heavy cream.
Ultra-Creamy: For an ultra-creamy buttercream, add a maximum of 12 tablespoons of heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: American
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