Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe – Simply The BEST!
Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe – Simply the BEST!
I call Butterscotch buttercream frosting the twin sister of caramel buttercream frosting. While quite similar butterscotch buttercream has a uniquely delicate and sweet flavor from the brown sugar. Must softer than a caramel frosting and goes well with a number of amazing cake flavors such as banana, pumpkin, apple and and even simple vanilla or chocolate cupcakes.
Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
If you love butterscotch sauce then you probably love butterscotch buttercream too! And if you love caramel then you definitely love butterscotch buttercream!! I must admit that I have a special soft corner for butterscotch sauce and especially butterscotch buttercream. In fact if I had to pick between a caramel sauce or a butterscotch sauce…. I’d choose butterscotch. LOVE!!
In my previous post I shared in detail the similarity and difference between butterscotch and caramel. So I’ll save you all the repeat on this post. Â And NO Caramel and Butterscotch are not the same… nope!!
Don’t you just love that color? especially the smell.. yum. Sweet and luxurious!
Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Two methods to make Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting.
Yes, if you know me I love short cuts and I know I have many cake decorators like me who follow my recipes. So yes, you can make butterscotch buttercream using already premade buttercream and you can make it from scratch too!
First – If you are a cake decorator like me then you probably already have buttercream on hand – why would you make from scratch Right? Of course this buttercream is a bit soft in consistency.
Second, of course you can make butterscotch buttercream from scratch this is not just fresh but also a bit more firmer in consistency because you will be using less to no liquid.
Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
But first, let’s talk ingredientsÂ
- Butter – I always use all butter in my frosting. I’t just me! It’s really very rare that I use vegetable shorting in my frosting. This one is all butter. If you prefer and are worried about humidity – you can substitute half the butter with vegetable shortening like Crisco.
- Fresh Whipping Cream – You can use milk or more champagne, I think cream is thicker and more yummy.
- Powder Sugar / Confectioners Sugar – Use a good quality powder sugar made with cane sugar not beet sugar and you will never have a gritty or grainy frosting.
The Best Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Recipe 1 – Butterscotch Buttercream made using Premade buttercream
I you  have buttercream why make more.. Use it!!  And you can make Butterscotch Swiss Meringue Buttercream or Butterscotch Italian Meringue Buttercream or Butterscotch American Buttercream Frosting with this method.Â
The best way to do this  –
- Make and cool Butterscotch Sauce.
- Add 1 cup cooled Butterscotch sauce to flour cups of buttercream frosting
Consistency – the consistency of this buttercream will depend on the consistency of the original buttercream. If you need to frost a cake or pipe swirls on cupcakes. This works just great. However, if you need a more firm or stiff buttercream then you probably better off using the recipe from scratch below.
The Best Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Recipe 2 – The Perfect Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting – From Scratch
Tools
Ingredients
- Butterscotch Sauce- 1 cup (recipe below)
- Unsalted Butter – 228 grams ( 1 cup)
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
- Powder Sugar – 500 grams (2 cups)
- Fresh whipping cream or champagne – 2 to 4 tbsp (as needed)
MethodÂ
Make buttercream
- Place the butter and salt in the mixer bowl.
- Using the paddle attachment – mix the butter until light and creamy.
- Add half the sugar mix for a minute or two
- Next add half cup butterscotch sauce – mix for a minute
- Â Now add the remaining powder sugar and mix for two more minutes.
- Add the remaining Butterscotch Sauce – mix to combine.
- This will lighten the buttercream considerably.
Check consistency
- If you want a firm, stiff consistency icing for a cake or piping then you need to reduce mixing time to avoid air pockets
- If not – I prefer to continue whipping for another 3 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
- Do a taste test and check – Â if too stiff or still grainy add – one to two tbsp fresh cream if needed
- And mix a minute more.
- Your buttercream is ready .
Save this recipe on Pinterest for laterÂ
The Best Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Recipe Card – Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe from Scratch
Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Prep
Total
Yield 4 cups
Â
I call Butterscotch buttercream frosting the twin sister of caramel buttercream frosting. While still quite similar butterscotch buttercream has a uniquely delicate and sweet flavor from the brown sugar. Must softer than a caramel frosting and goes well with a number of amazing cake flavors such as banana, pumpkin, apple and and even simple vanilla or chocolate cupcakes.
Ingredients
- Butterscotch Sauce- 1 cup (recipe below)
- Unsalted Butter - 228 grams ( 1 cup)
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Powder Sugar - 500 grams (2 cups)
- Fresh whipping cream or champagne - 2 to 4 tbsp (as needed)
Instructions
Make buttercream
- Place the butter and salt in the mixer bowl.
- Using the paddle attachment - mix the butter until light and creamy.
- Add half the sugar mix for a minute or two
- Next add half cup butterscotch sauce - mix for a minuteÂ
- Â Now add the remaining powder sugar and mix for two more minutes.
- Add the remaining Butterscotch Sauce - mix to combine.
- This will lighten the buttercream considerably.Â
Check consistency
- If you want a firm, stiff consistency icing for a cake or piping then you need to reduce mixing time to avoid air pockets
- If not - I prefer to continue whipping for another 3 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
- Do a taste test and check - Â if too stiff or still grainy add - one to two tbsp fresh cream if needed
- And mix a minute more.
- Your buttercream is ready .
Courses Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Here’s how to make Homemade Butterscotch SauceÂ
Perfect Homemade Butterscotch Sauce Recipe
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 1 Cup
Making homemade butterscotch sauce is easiest and most convenient because it uses ingredient you probably already have on hand. It take approximate five minutes to make. Not to mention nothing is better than fresh homemade.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter - 56 grams (1/2 stick)
- Brown Sugar  - 110 grams (1/2 cup)
- Fresh Cream - 120 ml (1/2 cup)
- Lemon Juice - 1/4 tsp (optional)
- Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Salt - 1/4 tsp (optional
Instructions
- Place the cream in a microwave safe bowl - heat it up for 30 secs and set aside.
- In a heavy based sauce pan on medium low heat
- Melt butter slowly (do not burn)
- Add the brown sugar, salt and lemon juice
- Stir continuously until melted - Brown sugar is quite sandy when melted.
- Add the warm cream, slowly stirring continuously.
- Â Remove from heat when you reach your desired consistency (read note on consistency)
Notes
Consistency is Key
The consistency at which you remove the butterscotch sauce from the heat depends on what you want to use it for. An important thing to remember is the sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Pouring sauce - If you want to drizzle the sauce over deserts such as pies and ice creams. It;s best to take it off the heat about a minute after you add the cream.
- As an ingredient - If you need to use it as on of the ingredients - like buttercream or tart filling  -it's best to have it a bit more thicker. I cook it for about 2 to 3 minutes after adding the cream.
- Toffee consistency - If you cook the sauce for a good 5 to 6 minutes after adding the cream - the sauce will be thicker and more intense - pour it in a lined and greased baking tray - when almost cool - cut into square or roll into balls.
Courses Dessert
Cuisine American
Try these with my butterscotch cupcakes and drizzle them with more butterscotch sauce. Yum!! (recipe coming soon)
The BEST Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Thank you so much for such a detailed explanation about butterscotch. I’m going to make it with my premade smbc, just to make sure I got the ratio right. It’s 1 cup butterscotch to 1 cup smbc right? Thank you so much for your time reading this and sharing the recipe.
Mabel the quantity can differ. If you use it for a filling a 1:1 ratio works great. If you use it as a frosting the consistency may be too soft. Perhaps a 1:3 or 1:4 may work better.
Oh my! I will end up eating this all up without bothering to bake anything. Haha. But I think this would be perfect for plain sugar or butter cookies.
Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
I hear ya!! I have the same problem when I made it – it’s so delicious on it’s own.