This easy honey buttercream frosting is super smooth, creamy, and has a sweet honey flavor. All you need is 4 ingredients in order to make and would be perfect on different cupcakes and cakes!
This honey frosting has a fluffy texture that makes it irresistible on top of so many different desserts.
I added a touch of vanilla extract to blend with the natural sweet notes of the honey. I promise this buttercream recipe couldn't be any easier to make!
Try adding this frosting to your honey cupcakes or even to this classic carrot cake recipe.
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Why You'll Love This Frosting
- It's a classic american buttercream.
- You can pipe it onto cupcakes or frost a layer cake.
- It has a subtle honey flavor.
- All you need are 4 ingredients.
- It would make a perfect addition to your Easter or Mother's Day dessert!
In just about 5 minutes you can have this luscious honey buttercream ready to use on any dessert.
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter is a must when making frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioners sugar.
- Honey: Use your favorite local honey or even clover honey. I personally used Local Hive Honey.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make this vanilla honey buttercream.
Step 1: Cream the butter. In the large bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (you could also use a hand mixer), beat the butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Add the other ingredients. Add the powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed just until it all starts to clump together.
Step 3: Increase speed. Then, increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Storage Tips
If you plan on using this frosting within 1-2 days, you can keep it stored in an airtight container on the counter. You could also keep it in a piping bag if you plan on using it for cupcakes.
Otherwise, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Just pull it out at least 30 minutes before you want to use it so it's not cold.
You could also rewhip it in a bowl of an electric mixer for 30 seconds to make it light and fluffy again.
Expert Baking Tips
- Honey: I personally use Local Hive Honey when I'm baking because I love the flavor. Feel free to use your favorite from your local farmers market or grocery store.
- Room Temperature: The butter needs to be at room temperature in order to create the perfect consistency of buttercream frosting. If you start with cold butter, you'll have a difficult time getting the frosting to come together.
- Powdered Sugar: This frosting recipe uses less powdered sugar then all of my others because of the natural sweetness found in honey. By reducing the powdered sugar, the frosting is not overly sweet.
- Baked Desserts: Make sure any dessert you use this frosting on is completely cooled before frosting. If not, the frosting will melt right off.
Ways To Use This Frosting
This recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (or one dozen).
I used this same recipe on my honey cupcakes, but you could also pair it with honey cake, vanilla cupcakes, or even on top of this lemon blueberry bread.
The flavor of honey is subtle enough that it would add a delicious flavor to any baked good, especially if you love honey!
If you want to layer a cake with it, I recommend 1.5x the recipe for any 2 or 3 layered cake. If making a sheet cake, there's no need to make extra.
If you want to make a one layer cake, then I'd recommend cutting the recipe in half (unless you want extra frosting).
Recipe FAQs
You could easily add lemon or orange zest. That would add a nice "pop" of flavor. You could even make this a honey cream cheese frosting by substituting a ½ cup of butter with 8 ounces of cream cheese.
Absolutely!
After two days, yes. But until then, the cake can be left out at room temperature.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy baking!
More Frosting Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Honey Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Piping Bag
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Add the powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined (about 30 seconds).
- Then increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes (frosting should be light and creamy).
- Use it to frost your cupcakes, cake, or even quick breads!
Notes:
- Honey: I personally use Local Hive Honey when I'm baking because I love the flavor. Feel free to use your favorite from your local farmers market or grocery store.
- Room Temperature: The butter needs to be at room temperature in order to create the perfect consistency of buttercream frosting. If you start with cold butter, you'll have a difficult time getting the frosting to come together.
- Powdered Sugar: This frosting recipe uses less powdered sugar then all of my others because of the natural sweetness found in honey. By reducing the powdered sugar, the frosting is not overly sweet.
- Baked Desserts: Make sure any dessert you use this frosting on is completely cooled before frosting. If not, the frosting will melt right off.
Loved this recipe. I think the raw honey cuts the sweetness a bit ! Added a little more powdered sugar. Perfect !