30 Buttercream Recipes and 15 Frosting Recipe

Have you ever had to make a layer cake and then wonder which buttercream frosting would work best? Wondering if you should make or buy your own frosting? Here are more than 30 frostings and buttercream recipes to choose from.

A pink Champagne buttercream frosted cupcake in a golden cupcake liner. — Best Buttercream Recipes - Frosting Recipes

Table of Content

Basic vanilla frosting recipe
Buttercream Recipes
Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe - Just 5 minutes
Bakery Style Vanilla Frosting
Bakery Style Chocolate Frosting
Ermine Frosting - Boiled Milk Frosting
American Buttercream Frosting
Swiss Meringue Buttercream SMBC
Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Meringue Powder
Italian Meringue Buttercream
Italian Meringue Buttercream with Meringue Powder
French Buttercream Recipe
German Buttercream Recipe
The Best Stiff Buttercream frosting for Pipping Buttercream Flowers
Glossy Korean Buttercream Recipe
Homemade Whipped Cream 4 Methods
How to Stabilize Whipped Cream 7 Methods
Cream Cheese Frosting
No Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
The Best Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Champagne Buttercream
The Ultimate Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting - 2 Methods
Dark Nutella Buttercream Frosting
Best Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe
Different Buttercream Flavors from One Recipe
Ganache Frosting
Chocolate Ganache
Cake Decorators Chocolate Ganache Recipe
White Chocolate Ganache
Cake Decorators White Chocolate Ganache
How to flavor Ganache aka Ganache Flavor variations
Cookie Decorating
Royal Icing Recipe - 5 Recipes
Royal Icing Recipe with Meringue Powder or Egg White Powder
Different types of frosting and buttercream recipes?
Which frosting or buttercream recipe to use?
6 Fondant recipes
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Did you know that a simple homemade frosting really takes as little as 5 minutes to make? Plus, you don't need any special equipment, all you need is a bowl and whisk (or electric mixer). So, for me, buying frosting has never been an option.

Basic vanilla frosting recipe

Ideally, you can make a basic vanilla buttercream frosting with just 4 simple ingredients. So when you are pressed for time use this simple basic recipe.

You can frost a cake, color it with gel food coloring, put it in a piping bag, and pipe with it. Freeze leftovers in the freezer for months (thaw in the fridge before using).

In a large bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine on medium speed until no lumps are visible then whip on high speed all these ingredients until light and fluffy.

1 cup (228 g) room temperature unsalted butter,
4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar, (confectioners sugar)
½ teaspoon or a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and
2 to 4 tablespoon liquid - a little milk or water.
- Add 4 oz of melted cooled chocolate to make chocolate frosting.
- Replace the liquid with lemon juice to make a lemon flavor frosting

A cake stand with a birthday cake. — Homemade Birthday Cake with Vanilla Buttercream, Baked From Scratch

Of course, buttercreams and frostings have come a long way over the years with so many options to choose from. Why make a simple 5 minutes frosting when you can make a rich, velvety meringue frosting that just about 15 minutes?

The truth is there is the right frosting for the right cake and the right frosting for the right time. So choose wisely. I have explained more about it below but have also given detailed instructions in my ultimate guide to Buttercream frosting.

For now, let's drool over these 30-plus buttercream and frosting recipes.

Buttercream Recipes

Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe

A good vanilla buttercream frosting recipe is a must-have on hand. Today, I share with you how I make the best frosting recipe everybody keeps raving about. Using my method you will never want to look for another recipe ever again.

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Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe - Just 5 minutes

This is the best chocolate buttercream frosting recipe you will ever make. It's light, airy with real melted chocolate, not just cocoa powder. I have been using this for all my cakes and cupcakes only to receive rave reviews from my customers.

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Bakery Style Vanilla Frosting

If you are looking for the best frosting, then this bakery-style vanilla frosting is a must-try. It takes only 5 minutes to whip and has the longest shelf life ever! Also, it's an absolute kids' favorite vanilla or chocolate frosting over any cupcakes, cakes, or cookies.

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Bakery Style Chocolate Frosting

If you are looking for the best chocolate frosting, then this bakery-style chocolate frosting is it. It takes only 5 minutes to whip and has the longest shelf life ever!! Tried and tested, it's a kids' favorite over any cupcake, cakes or cookies. This chocolate buttercream also works great in hot, humid weather, and can sit out for hours without any refrigeration required.

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Bakery style frosted cupcake on a wooden table.

Ermine Frosting - Boiled Milk Frosting

Ermine Frosting is made by cooking milk, sugar, and flour into a roux. This roux is then added to whipped butter, which creates a rich and creamy, yet light, airy, and fluffy buttercream that is less sweet than traditional buttercreams.

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American Buttercream Frosting

My American buttercream has a glossy sheen due to the unique method I use in making it. This simple and easy recipe makes a delicious velvety smooth texture, not grainy buttercream. This will soon become your favorite frosting recipe.

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A buttercream frosted cake with American buttercream.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream SMBC

Silky smooth, rich and creamy with a velvet-like texture is what this Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) is all about. Learn to make the best Swiss buttercream with my no-fail recipe. In this recipe post and video tutorial, I tell you everything you need to know about SMBC recipe, including a step-by-step tutorial, how to flavor it, store it, and troubleshoot any possible problems ahead of time.

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A wine glass with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Meringue Powder

The buttercream I used on these cupcakes is a meringue buttercream made with meringue powder. And it's light, fluffy and deliciously creamy. It's a simple, easy and effortless recipe using powdered egg whites instead of raw egg whites. Also, this meringue buttercream does not need any candy thermometer. Hence, it is a Swiss meringue buttercream with meringue powder.

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Italian Meringue Buttercream

Learn how to make Italian meringue buttercream frosting here. This frosting is silky smooth, light, and has a rich and creamy texture made with only four ingredients. It is a special frosting used in special cakes, cupcakes for weddings, birthdays, and other special occasions.

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Cupcake frosted with Italian Meringue buttercream.

Italian Meringue Buttercream with Meringue Powder

This is a meringue buttercream made with meringue powder. And it's light, fluffy, and deliciously creamy. It's a simple and easy recipe using powdered egg whites instead of raw egg whites. Today, I am using the Italian meringue buttercream method but you can also make this the Swiss meringue method.

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French Buttercream Recipe

This French buttercream is custardy, silky smooth, and buttery made with egg yolks, sugar syrup, and lots of butter. It takes less than 15 minutes to make and is perfect for frosting cakes, pipe cupcake swirls, and even draped with fondant.

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A cupcake frosted with French Buttercream.

German Buttercream Recipe

This German buttercream is silky smooth and buttery with the taste of vanilla pastry cream. Use this frosting to frost cakes, pipe on cupcakes, or fill it in macarons and other desserts.

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The Best Stiff Buttercream frosting for Pipping Buttercream Flowers

If you plan to pipe buttercream flowers the first thing you need is a stiff buttercream frosting recipe for piping flowers. One that will pipe perfect buttercream flowers for you and will taste as delicious as it looks. This simple, easy and effortless recipe will give you a stiff buttercream frosting for cake decorating you will ever need.

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A cake decorated like a basket of flowers.

Glossy Korean Buttercream Recipe

The recent trend in making buttercream flowers is the use of glossy Korean Buttercream. The original Korean buttercream is made using the Italian meringue method. I adapted it to make the Swiss meringue method.

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A cake decorated with Korean buttercream frosting.

Homemade Whipped Cream 4 Methods

You can make homemade whipped cream with just 3 ingredients in just 5 minutes? Today, I will show you 4 different methods to make your own light and fluffy whipped cream to top on anything from pancakes and waffles, to dessert cakes, cheesecakes, and drinks.

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Bowl of a stand mixer with whipped cream.

How to Stabilize Whipped Cream 7 Methods

We all need our whipped cream dessert to look just as beautiful tomorrow as it does today. But keeping whipped cream fresh longer can be tricky. These five simple and easy methods to stabilize whipped cream will make sure your cakes, cupcakes, and desserts look fresh longer. You can try any of these five methods that work best for your current project

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Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a delicious, rich frosting of white cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. This is the ultimate cream cheese-based frosting recipe and it's so easy to make. Good luck not eating the whole bowl!

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No Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

This no butter cream cheese frosting is light, fluffy and melts in the mouth just like whipped cream. A simple, easy and effortless recipe that gets done in less than 10 minutes. Perfect for cupcakes or your favorite carrot cake recipe.

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The Best Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

This strawberry buttercream frosting is the ultimate dessert accompaniment. Rich, creamy and made with fresh strawberries this is perfect with any dessert from frosting delicious cupcakes, layered cakes, between macarons or just with more fresh seasonal strawberries in a bowl. Make more in summer when strawberries are in season or use frozen any time of the year. No matter what time of the year this frosting is bound to satisfy your strawberry craving.

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Cupcake with strawberry buttercream frosting.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

A good caramel buttercream is smooth, rich, and glossy. It's made with homemade caramel sauce that takes just five minutes to make. Drizzle some caramel sauce and a few grains of salt for that salted caramel buttercream everyone craves.

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Champagne Buttercream

Every special occasion deserves a special frosting, that's what this pink champagne buttercream frosting is all about. Made with champagne reduction, light, and creamy. A perfect over cakes, cupcakes, macarons, or desserts

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Three frosting pink cupcakes with champagne

The Ultimate Coffee Buttercream Frosting

The aroma and flavor of coffee in desserts are addictive. This is the ultimate coffee buttercream frosting with a light and fluffy whipped cream-like consistency. And, the best part is, it needs 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to prepare.

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Two frosted cupcakes with coffee buttercream

Eggnog Buttercream Frosting

Add the flavor of the Christmas eggnog into your frosting. Made with homemade eggnog, this eggnog buttercream is simple, easy, and delicious. With a touch of spices like nutmeg and cinnamon infused with a little booze, this custardy drink is the perfect festive treat. It takes five minutes to make and can be used to frost it over cakes, cupcakes, or between macaron shells.

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Cupcakes with buttercream frosting on a round board.

Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting - 2 Methods

I call butterscotch buttercream frosting the twin sister of caramel buttercream. While quite similar, butterscotch has a uniquely delicate and sweet flavor from brown sugar. Also, it's much softer than caramel and goes well with some unique cake flavors such as banana, pumpkin, apple, and even vanilla or chocolate.

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A bowl with buttercream and butterscotch sauce.

Dark Nutella Buttercream Frosting

If you love Nutella, this Nutella buttercream frosting will probably be your favorite. An absolute heaven over cakes, cupcakes and between macaron shells. Rich, creamy and decadent this frosting takes no more than five minutes to mix and is the perfect consistency to pipe pretty swirls on cupcakes or pipe boarders or designs around cakes such as this one.

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A cake with Nutella buttercream frosting.

Best Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

This Kahlua buttercream frosting is the ultimate dessert accompaniment. Rich, creamy and perfect with any dessert from frosting delicious cupcakes, layered cakes, as well as between macaron shells. Make it with or without chocolate, add a dash of espresso. No matter what time of the year this frosting is always the ultimate treat.

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White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

This white chocolate buttercream takes your classic vanilla buttercream to the next level. It's rich, creamy and sweet. Perfect for cakes, cupcakes or macarons. Today, I used it with my white chocolate cupcakes. And yet, try it with tart berries, like raspberries or strawberries, for a nice contrast.

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Different Buttercream Flavors from One Recipe

Why have just one buttercream flavor when you can try so many more. These simple, easy and effortless variations to create different buttercream flavors from one recipe will open new and wonderful possibilities for your cake projects. From strawberry to caramel, marzipan or Kahlua, you can use a basic American buttercream, meringue-based buttercream.

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Ganache Frosting

Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate ganache is a versatile frosting with just two ingredients you can make for any cake, cupcake, or dessert. Use it as a frosting, drip, glaze, or piping. Here's my recipe, tips, and troubleshooting for you.

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Cake Decorators Chocolate Ganache Recipe

The perfect chocolate ganache for decorating a cake is one that you can use to cover a cake with fondant and I call it the Cake Decorators Chocolate Ganache Recipe. One that adds stability to the sculpted cake when working on a novelty cake and stays firm when stacked into a tiered wedding cake. My chocolate ganache is like my rock for me as a cake decorator.

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White Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate ganache is the most versatile frosting you can make; but, white chocolate can be trickier than regular chocolate. So, today, I share with you everything you need to know about making white chocolate ganache including a step-by-step video tutorial.

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Rainbow cake with chocolate ganache drip.

Cake Decorators White Chocolate Ganache

Making white chocolate ganache can be a bit tricker than regular chocolate ganache. Today, I'm going to share my step by step tutorial on how to make the perfect cake decorators' white chocolate ganache. No seized chocolate, no lumpy, grainy ganache just pure, creamy smooth goodness.

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A frosted ganache cake with white chocolate ganache.

How to flavor Ganache aka Ganache Flavor variations

One of the fun things about ganache is that you can flavor ganache a million different ways. These simple, easy and effortless recipes to flavor ganache can make a huge difference to the final outcome of your cake. Here are a few ways on how to flavor ganache or rather a few ganache flavor variations that I love and are popular with my customers.

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Royal Icing Recipe - 5 Recipes

Royal icing recipe is a quick and easy icing that dries hard. It's very sweet because it's mostly powdered sugar and egg whites. It has endless uses in the cake and cookie decorating world. Once you learn the right method to make it and the right consistency that works for you, it can be a fun experience.

Check out this recipe

Royal icing on a mixer paddle attachment.

Royal Icing Recipe with Meringue Powder or Egg White Powder

Royal Icing Recipe is a quick and easy icing that dries hard. It's very sweet because it's mostly powder sugar and Egg whites. It has endless uses in the cake and cookie decorating world. Once you learn the right method to make it and the right consistency that works for you, it can be a fun experience.

What is the difference between icing and frosting?

Icings are those simple glazes you make to pour over a pound cake, pastries. Sometimes made with just powdered sugar (confectioner sugar) and milk and sometimes make with melted chocolate too. The icing is usually pouring consistency while frosting is thick, light, and fluffy that can be spread over a cake or piped over cupcakes.

What is the difference between buttercream and frosting?

They are quicker similar and often used interchangeably. The main ingredient in buttercream is of course butter.
All buttercreams are frostings but not all frostings are buttercream recipes. For example, a cream cheese frosting is not a buttercream similarly a buttercream made with vegetable shortening is a frosting.

What is the best kind of frosting for cupcakes?

Cupcakes can be served with any frosting from simple vanilla to cream cheese or meringue. What is important to think through is - how am I going to store these cupcakes and how long are they going to be out?
For example, if your cupcakes are going to be sitting out for a long time then cream cheese frosting or perishable frosting is not the way to go. If your cupcakes are going to be out in hot humid conditions then you probably want to avoid meringue or butter-based frostings too.

Is frosting made with vegetable shortening better?

That's not true. It depends on the project you need to use it. Shortening-based buttercream is considered better only in some conditions. It has a longer shelf life and can be kept out on the counter for days if stored well. Is non-dairy, as well as parve.

What do I do if my buttercream does not turn out well?

Sometimes things can go wrong but most often there are ways to fix buttercream recipes. So, don't make haste to throw the batch just yet. Read my article - Ultimate guide to buttercream recipes to see the troubleshooting and fixing options.

Different types of frosting and buttercream recipes?

Yes, I know that was a long list of buttercream recipes. The number of frosting recipes can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing. In general, we can categorize these as

Butter-based buttercream - simple all-purpose buttercreams like my velvet American buttercream, Vanilla buttercream (eggless).
Decorators buttercream - often with all or some vegetable shortening to prevent the frosting from melting easily like my Bakery style frostings - Vanilla and Chocolate frosting as well as flour for stability often called Ermine or boiled flour frosting.
Cream Cheese based - made with cream cheese, often with or without butter, like my classic cream cheese is made with butter which adds more stability, and my no-butter cream cheese frosting when you want a more luxurious dessert-type frosting.
Meringue buttercream - made with the addition of whipped egg whites. Less sweet than the classic butter-based buttercream like my Swiss Meringue or Italian Meringue.
Egg-based buttercream - like French Buttercream and German buttercream made with egg yolks then whipped to make a light and fluffy frosting with the addition of butter.
Whipped Cream Frosting - the lightest of them all is, of course, simple heavy cream. I shared 5 different methods to make whipped cream at home. As well as a whipped cream buttercream frosting.

Which frosting or buttercream recipe to use?

There will always be many options to choose from but the only one that's usually just right for you. Here are a few questions to consider. Often you will have to take all four into consideration when making this decision

What cake flavor do I want?
Where are you going to display the cake - inside vs. outside?
The inside allows you to use perishable fillings while the outside depends on the weather.
What is the weather like at the time of the event? Is it cold winter or hot humid summer? Hot summers need more caution with perishable frostings.
How far does the cake have to travel? long travels in cold weather are not an issue if you pack things well. Hot summers can be a nightmare, so carry ice packs.