Wilton’s buttercream frosting recipe uses a half-and-half split of vegetable shortening and butter. That combination gives you the best of both worlds: the flavor of real butter with the stability and piping ability of shortening. It holds up well at room temperature, pipes cleanly for decorating, and tastes noticeably better than a frosting made with shortening alone.
This recipe makes about two cups of frosting, which is enough for a single 8-inch layer cake or about 12 generously frosted cupcakes. It comes together in under 15 minutes.
What You Will Need
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
You will need a large bowl, a spatula, and an electric mixer. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment works best, but a hand mixer will do fine.
For pure white frosting: Replace the butter with an additional 1/2 cup of shortening, use 1 teaspoon of clear butter flavor, and swap the vanilla extract for clear vanilla. This is helpful when you want true white frosting or very precise food coloring results.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cream the fats and vanilla. Place the shortening and softened butter in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Step 2: Gradually add the sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after every cup. The mixture will look dry and crumbly at this stage. That is normal.
Step 3: Add the milk and whip. Add the milk and beat on medium speed until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. This final whipping step usually takes 1-2 minutes. The frosting should be smooth enough to spread but firm enough to hold its shape on a spatula.
Adjusting Consistency for Different Uses
The recipe above produces a stiff-consistency buttercream, which is ideal for piping flowers, borders, and detailed decorations. For other uses, you will want to adjust the texture.
Medium consistency (frosting a cake): Add 1 teaspoon of water, milk, or corn syrup per cup of frosting. This makes it easier to spread in a smooth, even layer.
Thin consistency (writing and drizzling): Add 2 teaspoons of liquid per cup of frosting. Test by lifting a spoonful and letting it drip back into the bowl. It should flow in a steady ribbon that holds its shape briefly before sinking.
Extra stiff (3D piping and standing decorations): Add 1-2 additional tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar. The frosting should hold a sharp peak when you pull a knife straight up.
Troubleshooting This Buttercream
Frosting looks curdled or separated. The butter was probably too cold when you started. Let the frosting sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then beat it again on medium-high for 2 minutes. It should come back together smoothly.
Frosting is too sweet. Add a pinch of salt to cut the sweetness. You can also add a small splash of lemon juice, which balances the sugar without making the frosting taste sour.
Color from food coloring looks muddy. The butter in this recipe adds a slight yellow tint. For pastel colors like baby blue, lavender, or soft pink, switch to the all-shortening version described above. The pure white base takes color much more accurately.
Frosting is too soft to pipe. Refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes, then re-whip briefly. If it is still too soft, add confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until it holds peaks.
Frosting has air bubbles. After mixing, press the frosting against the side of the bowl with a spatula and fold it over itself several times. This pushes out trapped air. You can also switch the mixer to low speed for the final 30 seconds of mixing.
Tips for Better Results
Start with room-temperature butter and shortening. Cold fats do not incorporate properly and will leave your frosting lumpy. Take the butter out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before you start.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar before measuring. Unsifted sugar often has lumps that do not fully break down during mixing, leaving a gritty texture in the finished frosting.
If you are using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, beat the fats, vanilla, and milk together first. Once those are smooth, gradually add the sugar. Hand mixers have less power, so adding everything at once can strain the motor.
Add food coloring with gel-based dyes rather than liquid drops. Liquid food coloring adds extra moisture that can throw off the consistency. Gel food coloring produces more vibrant shades without changing the texture. For help getting specific colors, check out our guide on making colored frosting with food coloring.
Storage
Room temperature: This buttercream holds for up to three days at room temperature in a covered container. The shortening in the recipe keeps it stable longer than an all-butter frosting would.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Before using, let it warm to room temperature (about 30 minutes) and re-whip for 30 seconds. It will look thick and separated straight from the fridge, but it comes back.
Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container for up to six months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature and re-whip. Buttercream sometimes separates after freezing, but a quick re-whip restores the texture.
If your frosting is already on a cake, the same rules apply. A frosted cake can sit at room temperature for two to three days. In the fridge, it will keep for about a week.
For a frosting made entirely with shortening instead of the butter-shortening blend, see our Crisco frosting recipe.
Amazing Wilton’s Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine (softened)
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar approximately 1 lb.
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Step One: Beat Shortening, Butter and Vanilla
- In a large bowl, beat the shortening and butter together with an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy and then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Step Two: Add the Sugar
- One cup at a time, gradually add in the sugar and beat on medium speed. You will need to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often. Once mixed together, the frosting will appear dry.
- Step Three: Add the Milk
- Gradually add the milk and beat on medium until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
Notes
- If you are using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, beat the shortening, butter, vanilla, and milk first. Then once all those ingredients are mixed together, gradually add the sugar.
- To avoid the frosting from curdling, make sure the ingredients are room temperature before making your frosting. Cold butter is the main reason frosting curdles, as the temperature changes the consistency.
- If you live in a humid climate, you may add a teaspoon of sugar at a time if your frosting is too wet. If your frosting is too dry, add up to half a teaspoon at a time of water, milk or corn syrup.
- If you are wanting a creamier buttercream, you can make this recipe with all butter, subsisting out the vegetable shortening. Replace the half cup of shortening with an additional half cup of butter. This will make a softer buttercream; however, it will be more prone to melting in warm temperatures.
- If you find this buttercream too sweet, you can add a pinch of salt when adding the liquids to the frosting. You may also add a splash of lemon juice to balance out the sweetness.
- This buttercream can be left up to three days at room temperature. It can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks and in the freezer for up to six months. Make sure to thaw leftover buttercream before decorating with, otherwise, the cold buttercream will not hold its form.
- After storing buttercream in the fridge or freezer, make sure to whip it back together once it has thawed. Buttercream often separates when it is stored in the fridge or freezer.
How Long Does Wilton Buttercream Icing Last?
You may be wondering how long Wilton buttercream icing lasts. Before you open the icing, it’s best to check the expiration date. All food and drink products legally need to display their expiration date.
You can usually find this on either the top or bottom of the tub. However, once opened, the expiration date will change. Once opened, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator and needs to be in an airtight container.
When stored this way, it’ll last around two weeks. Before you use your refrigerated icing it’s important to bring it to room temperature. After this, you need to re-whip the icing again. If you have already used the buttercream icing on your cakes, it should last around two to three days at room temperature; and slightly longer if kept in the refrigerator.
Is Wilton Buttercream Icing Gluten-Free?
Before we can determine whether Wilton buttercream icing is gluten-free, we must first take a look at the ingredients. Wilton Creamy White Decorator Icing contains the following ingredients:
- sugar
- vegetable oil
- corn syrup
- water
- titanium dioxide (color)
- guar gum
- lactic acid esters of mono-and diglycerides of fatty acids
- mixed tocopherols
- natural flavor
- phosphoric acid
- potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (preservatives)
- propylene glycol mono and diesters of fatty acids
- salt
- starch
As you can probably tell from the list of ingredients, there are no ingredients that contain gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and spelling. However, that does not mean that this product is gluten-free.
This is because of cross-contact. Wilton’s ingredients label clearly states that “made on equipment that also processes: milk, peanuts, soy, and wheat”. This means that while the product itself shouldn’t contain gluten, it may contain traces of gluten due to how it’s been processed. It’s worth noting that this product is also made in a facility that processes eggs and tree nuts.
For this reason, we would not recommend this product if you’re particularly intolerant to gluten or live with celiac disease. This seems to be true for most of the baking supplies that Wilton offer, but always check the ingredients label for the most up-to-date information as ingredients are subject to change at any time.
Is Wilton Decorating Icing Vegan?
When it comes down to ingredients, Wilton decorating icing does not contain any ingredients that can not be consumed when following a vegan diet. However, depending on how strictly you follow the vegan diet, you may want to reconsider adding Wilton decorating icing to your diet. This is because Wilton state that this product is made on equipment that processes milk and is also made in a facility that processes eggs.
For this reason, the end product may contain traces of these ingredients due to how the product is prepared. If you follow a vegan diet strictly, it may be best to avoid this product. However, don’t worry – there are plenty of vegan alternatives for decorating icing!
A Classic Wiltons Buttercream Frosting
This buttercream is simple and is the perfect addition to all your baked goods. Its creamy texture and sweet taste make it a popular choice amongst dessert lovers. It is a versatile frosting, making it a must-have for many bakers.
This is a recipe that you don’t want to miss out on, whether you are frosting cakes, cookies, or brownies. If you tried this frosting, please share your experience making it.
Please comment if you enjoyed this article or have any remarks regarding this recipe!
Karen Rutherford is the editorial lead at Cake Decorist. She oversees the site’s recipe testing and cake decorating tutorials, working with a small team of contributors and home bakers who develop, test, and photograph the recipes published here. Her focus is on clear, approachable instructions for home bakers — whether that’s a first-time decorator learning to pipe a buttercream rosette or an experienced baker troubleshooting a fondant that won’t roll. When a recipe appears under Karen’s byline, it has been tested in a home kitchen and edited for clarity before publishing.