Almond Buttercream Frosting

Homemade buttercream frostings are one of my favorite things to share! They are basic recipes anyone can use to frost favorite cakes, brownies, cupcakes, eat with a spoon, or sandwich between two cookies. They are always delicious, simple, and can be passed from generation to generation.

I recently found an Almond Frosting in my grandma’s recipe card box. Not sure who it came from exactly, but it was a great start! I did have to swap the shortening for butter and amp up the amount of almond (it isn’t made like it used to be). Now what we have is a light, fluffy, melt-in-your mouth Almond Buttercream Frosting!

Reasons to LOVE This Almond Frosting

• bright and sweet almond flavor
• perfect texture and consistency every single time
• only 6 ingredients
• whips up in about 15 minutes
• endless frosting possibilities

Almond Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

You’ll love how simple this buttercream is. All you need is 6 pantry staple ingredients, 7 if you include the food coloring. Keep reading for a few notes and potential substitutions.

• Unsalted Butter: Make sure it has been softened to room temperature. You can use plant based and dairy free butters (both turn out great). If you decide to use salted butter, omit the added salt.
• Salt: An essential flavor booster.
• Almond Extract: Use pure extract, imitation does not have the same authentic flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: Again, always uses pure extracts. I choose clear vanilla so it does not color the buttercream yellow.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar): Always use 10x powdered for a smooth buttercream.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: This gives our buttercream the perfect consistency. You can also use half and half, vegan varieties of heavy cream, or dairy free heavy whipping cream. Keep in mind, the higher the fat content the better. So I do not recommend whole milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
• OPTIONAL Gel Food Coloring: My favorites are Wilton or AmeriColor. It is great for customizing frosting to fit designs and party themes.

Equipment Needed for Buttercream Frosting

• Hand Mixer OR Stand Mixer: I recommend using a stand mixer, it’s the easiest, but a hand mixer works too.
• Silicone Spatula: You’ll need this to scrape down your bowl and smooth out the buttercream after it has combined.
• OPTIONAL TOOLS: Piping bag, standard piping tips, or extra large piping tip (for bakery-like swirls and designs). Use an icing spatula or butter knife for rustic designs and spreading.

The Secret to Perfect Almond Frosting

You’ll never guess this but the secret to perfect buttercream frosting is CHOOSING THE RIGHT MIXER ATTACHMENT! This depends on the outcome you are looking for and your personal taste preferences. Either way, the frosting will be perfect no matter which attachment you choose.

The paddle attachment is used for making a smooth frosting. It is great for frosting layer cakes, brownies, and filling sandwich cookies.

The whisk attachment is used for an airy and light frosting. It is great for single layer cakes and cupcakes.

How to Make Almond Buttercream Frosting

Here’s a basic overview of how to make this easy Almond Buttercream Frosting in under 15 minutes. The recipe card below will have complete instructions.

1. Choose the proper attachment. Use a whisk for airy and light frosting OR a paddle for smooth and creamy frosting.

2. Beat together the butter, salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract until fluffy and lightened in color.

3. Alternate adding the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until the frosting is well combined. Make sure you are scraping down the bowl frequently.

4. Assess your Almond Buttercream Frosting (see the next three troubleshooting sections).

How to Achieve A Bright White Frosting Color:

Depending on the color of your butter and vanilla extract, your Almond Frosting may have a yellow tone to it. Fix this by added a very small amount of violet food coloring. A little goes a long way, I lightly coat the end of a toothpick and that seems to be enough. The violet cancels out yellow to make an even whiter and brighter buttercream.

Troubleshooting the Consistency:

If the Almond Frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (2 tablespoons at a time). If it’s too thick, add more heavy whipping cream (1 tablespoon at a time).

Troubleshooting the Texture:

For Almond Frosting that is too airy, fold it by hand with a silicone spatula to knock out some of the air. If it is too heavy, whip the buttercream on high to aerate for another few minutes or so.

Storing Information

Almond Buttercream Frosting should be kept in an airtight glass container, piping bag, or even a reusable bag. I recommend storing in the refrigerator or freezer. Freezing is a great option for reducing waste and using later.

• In the refrigerator it will last up to 5 to 7 days.
• In the freezer it will keep up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to use the buttercream, remove it from the freezer or refrigerate and let it sit at room temperature. Wait until it has softened before whipping with a hand mixer or stand mixer.

How Much Almond Frosting To Make

That is the question of the year. It can be difficult to figure out how much Almond Frosting you will need because it isn’t an exact science. Here is my “rule of thumb” that I like to follow.

NOTE: Easily double or triple this in the recipe card below by choosing 2x or 3x. It will do the math for you.

• 1 layer cake: half batch
• 6 cupcakes: half batch
• 6 inch layer cake: one batch
• 8×8 dessert: one batch
• 12 cupcakes: one batch
• Filling 12 cookie sandwiches: one batch
• Filling 48 macarons: one batch
• 8 inch layer cake: two batches
• 13×9 dessert: two batches
• 24 cupcakes: two batches

Popular Uses for Almond Buttercream Frosting

Almond Frosting is a popular and classic frosting that goes with a lot of different things. Remember the flavor profile is reminiscent of cherry, so it goes well with light, fruity, vanilla flavors. Here are a few ways I like to use mine:

• cupcakes- try it on my Raspberry Cupcakes (instead of using the raspberry frosting).
• cakes- my Raspberry Almond Cake uses it or try it on my White Forest Cake.
• on top of dessert bars like brownies or blondies, like my Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondies
• to fill macarons or other types of sandwich cookies.
• to top shortbread and sugar cookies
• My favorite way to use leftover buttercream frosting is spread it over graham crackers! My mom used to make us frosting sandwiches as a treat all the time.

More Frosting Recipes You Might Like:

• Raspberry Buttercream
• Nutella Buttercream
• Not So Sweet Vanilla Buttercream
• Not So Sweet Chocolate Buttercream
• No Fail Italian Meringue – marshmallow topping
• To see all of my yummy frosting recipes, check these out!