How to make Different Buttercream Flavors from one Buttercream 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.
One Buttercream Recipe Many different buttercream Flavors. How to customize buttercream recipe
The Basic Recipes
How many buttercream flavors have you tried? I bet many!! And yet, did you know that you can make one basic buttercream and then use that to create different flavors?
First of all, I have already given you a few of my basic Buttercream Recipes:
- Stiff Buttercream Frosting for piping sugar flowers
- Best Buttercream Frosting (eggless)
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (eggless)
- Velvet American Buttercream (ABC) (contains meringue powder)
- Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC) (with raw egg whites)
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) (white raw egg whites)
- Classic French Buttercream (FBC) (with whole eggs)
- German Buttercream (GBC) (with vanilla pastry cream)
These are the basic buttercream recipes. And yet, often you get asked to make different flavors. While sometimes you have to start from scratch, often it’s easier to use the basic recipe and create new buttercream flavors.
You can use any of the above recipes as your base recipe to create new flavors. And yet I find that using my Stiff Buttercream Frosting for piping sugar flowers works best as a base to create more flavors. Why? The additional ingredients result in buttercream with the right consistency, and not too soft.
Meringue Buttercream Recipes
So these flavors work with all types of Buttercream. In some cases, the consistency may be soft or even too soft. Also, I often prefer to have a soft consistency meringue buttercream for my cakes.
Since you are the cake decorator, I’ll leave it for you to decide what consistency you need for your cake. Hence, you can use either my Velvet American Buttercream, Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Italian Meringue Buttercream, Classic French Buttercream or German Buttercream
One Buttercream Recipe – Many different buttercream flavors (Save/Pin)
My preferred recipe my stiff buttercream because it works best in terms of consistency. While consistency may vary from other buttercream recipes since it depends on the additional liquid ingredients needed to get the right flavor. One Buttercream Recipe – Many different flavors aka Different Buttercream flavors from one recipe.
Chocolate Buttercream – See my chocolate buttercream frosting – recipe video here
- 200 grams of chocolate
Mocha Buttercream
- 200 grams of chocolate
- 2 tbsp strong Espresso coffee (liquid)
Caramel Buttercream
- 3/4 cup caramel sauce
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 3/4 caramel sauce
- 1 tbsp rock salt
Nutella Buttercream
- 3/4 cup Nutella
Lemon Buttercream
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Strawberry Buttercream
- 200 ml crushed strawberries
- 1/2 tsp strawberry extract (optional)
Raspberry Buttercream
- 200 ml crushed raspberries
- 1/2 tsp raspberry extract (optional)
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
Pineapple Buttercream
- 200 ml crushed pineapple
- 1/2 tsp pineapple extract
Maraschino Cherry Buttercream
- 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries
- 2 tsp cherry juice
Baileys Buttercream/Kahlua Buttercream
- 1/2 cup Baileys or Kahlua
Coconut Buttercream
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
Marzipan Buttercream
- 1/2 cup marzipan
Boston Cream Pie
- 3/4 cup vanilla pastry cream
More buttercream recipes from scratch
- Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe – Vanilla Buttercream
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Bakery Style Vanilla Frosting
- Bakery Style Chocolate Frosting
- Velvet American Buttercream Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Meringue Buttercream From Meringue Powder
- Stiff Buttercream Frosting for piping buttercream flowers
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- No-Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Best Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Perfect Pink Champagne Buttercream
- Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- Caramel Buttercream
- Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting
- Rich Dark Nutella Buttercream Frosting
- Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
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One Buttercream Recipe Many different buttercream Flavors. How to customize buttercream recipe
Different Buttercream Flavors from One Recipe
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Ingredients
4 to 6 Cups - any one of these Basic Buttercream Recipes
Chocolate Buttercream
- 200 grams (7.05 oz) chocolate
Mocha Buttercream
- 200 grams (7.05 oz) chocolate
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp ) strong Espresso coffee (liquid)
Caramel Buttercream
- 3/4 cup (0.75 cup ) caramel sauce
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 3/4 cup (0.75 cup) caramel sauce
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp ) rock salt
Nutella Buttercream
- 3/4 cup (0.75 cup ) Nutella
Lemon Buttercream
- 1/4 cup (0.25 cup ) lemon juice
- 1 tsp (1 tsp ) lemon zest
Strawberry Buttercream
- 200 ml (7.05 oz) crushed strawberries
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp ) strawberry extract (optional)
Raspberry Buttercream
- 200 ml (7.05 oz) crushed raspberries
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) raspberry extract (optional)
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 3/4 cup (0.75 cup ) peanut butter
Pineapple Buttercream
- 200 ml (200 ml ) crushed pineapple
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp ) pineapple extract (optional)
Marshino Cherry Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (0.5 cup) maraschino cherries
- 2 tsp (2 tsp ) cherry juice
Baileys Buttercream/Kahlua Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (0.5 cup) Baileys or Kahlua
Coconut Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (0.5 cup ) Coconut cream
Marzipan Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (0.5 cup ) marzipan
Boston Cream Pie
- 3/4 cup (0.75 cup ) vanilla pastry cream
Instructions
Chocolate Buttercream
- Add melted cooled chocolate to the buttercream.
Mocha Buttercream
- Add melted cool chocolate and espresso to the buttercream.
Caramel Buttercream
- Add caramel to the buttercream.
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- Combine thick caramel to the buttercream - mix well.
- Sprinkle over the rock salt and barely mix.
Nutella Buttercream
- Add Nutella to the buttercream - stir well.
Lemon Buttercream
- Add lemon juice and zest to the buttercream.
Strawberry / Raspberry/ Pineapple Buttercream
- Stir in the crushed fruit and extract to the buttercream.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- Combine the peanut butter to the buttercream - stir well.
Baileys Buttercream / Kahlua Buttercream
- Stir in the Baileys or Kahlua to the buttercream.
Cherry Buttercream
- Add a few tbsp. canned MC juice + chopped cherries.
Boston Cream Pie
- Stir vanilla pastry cream to the stiff buttercream frosting recipe.
Coconut Buttercream
- Add coconut cream to the buttercream.
- You can add either toasted coconut flakes or toasted desiccated chocolate to add texture.
Marzipan Buttercream
- Soften one cup Marzipan with a few drops of water. Add it to the buttercream.
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Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Sonia
This is such a great post! You have explained it so well :).even an amateur like me can think of doing it . Saving it for later❤️
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Sonia.
Christie
I fail at buttercream all the time. It’s the one thing I just cannot seem to master for macaron. I’ll be putting yours to the test, for sure! Especially with all those flavors. Perfect for macaron.
Veena Azmanov
Oh.. Christie. I have many step by step and videos that might be just what you need. For both Macarons and Buttercream. You must check them out.
Tara
Yum! I love all these flavors. I definitely need to try the mocha and the Kahlua buttercream sometime.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Tara. Yes the Kahlua is my favorite too.
Tayler Ross
I have tried a few of these and have loved them all! I can’t wait to try the rest!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Tayler. So happy you enjoyed these. Love to hear which you tried and enjoyed. Thanks
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
OMG — Veena — I had no idea there were so many styles of buttercream! I want to try them all to determine my favorite — and then I’ll get to the different flavorings. I have some passion fruit simple syrup — and I’m thinking that would be excellent in one of your buttercream recipes.
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Lisa. Make a passion fruit buttercream with it. These are so amazing.
RDW
Hi. Please forgive me, I am new to all of this. I would like to make lemon flavored buttercream. Do I make the original buttercream with the vanilla and almond plus the lemon extras, or replace it with the lemon juice and zest? Thank you.
Veena Azmanov
Hey RDW. Welcome.
For lemon buttercream – you can make any on of these buttercream recipe – Velvet American buttercream or Vanilla Buttercream frosting
But by replacing some of the liquid in the recipe with Lemon juice. Ideally, 1/4 cup lemon juice is plenty. For a light flavor reduce the lemon. You can always add more later.
Add the vanilla extract in the recipe and additional lemon extract (1/4 tsp)
You can omit the lemon extract as well but it does enhance the flavor.
If you want you can add 1/4 tsp lemon zest (if you don’t mind the little zest all over your icing)
Feel free to ask any questions.
XX
Janice
How many cups of swiss meringue buttercream will be needed to frost 30 cupcakes, with a decent size swirl? Also, is one batch, a 6 egg quantity equivalent to 4 cups?
Veena Azmanov
Hey Janice. A 6 eggs batch of SMBC will make about 5 to 6 cups frosting depending on how you whip and that should be good for 24 cupcakes. I like to use more frosting on my cupcake so I tend to use more. Hope this helps.
Francesca
Hello, does the raspberry or strawberry buttercream need to be refrigerated?
Veena Azmanov
Any time you use fresh fruits in frosting you need to refrigerate it. If you use freezer dry fruit powder you can keep them out depending on the other ingredients of course.
Pam
I just stumbled on your site. I am making 200 mini cupcakes and need to make black frosting to use for piping decorations on top of the mini cups. I have tried 3 different recipes one using dark and black cocoa and one with melted chocolate. So far the taste isn’t there and the AMC buttercream are gritty. I’m using Americolor Super Black Gel Paste. I see a black frosted cake picture but I can’t find a recipe for how you achieved it. Can you please help me with this. I have spent way too much time and money on ingredients.
Thank you.
Veena Azmanov
Hi Pam. Yes black buttercream can be tricky. The best way I achieve black frosting is I use half dark chocolate ganache and half chocolate buttercream frosting. I make sure my chocolate buttercream is fairly stiff consistency. Then I add black food color. I have to use much less gel color with this method.
The other thing I always do is, I make the frosting a few days ahead of time. That way the black color intensifies more.
I hope this helps.
Siob Hans
Oh these are such a treat. Every time I need a buttercream recipe I come back to this post. I have tried a few of them with your Velvet Buttercream. Love the lemon and Strawberry. The Baileys is a treat and the pineapple is to die for. Thank you so much for always sharing all your tried and tested recipes. Your blog is my go to place for recipes
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Siob!! So happy to hear that you enjoy my recipes! And thank you so much for coming to leave this feedback. Appreciate it very much
Cindy
I’m a little lost can you send me step by step on how to make chocolate frosting. I need to make chocolate butter cream for some cupcakes .
Veena Azmanov
Use my basic Velvet Buttercream Frosting and add melted cooled chocolate to it.
Angelina Check
Is it baking chocolate?
Veena Azmanov
NO I use good quality eating chocolate. Thanks.
Fred
I am making French buttercream and I want to flavor it with caramel. How might I do that? Love all your recipes. This one is amazing
Veena Azmanov
I usually add less liquid in the buttercream and then add the caramel later so it won’t be too soft in consistency. I’d go with 1 cup caramel for every 4 to 5 cups buttercream – more or less.
Abdul Rasid
Tq good tips. I really enjoy reading all your post on Facebook ! THank you for your kindness
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Abdul
Ana Gabriela
minha querida sempre e maravilhozo ler suas receitas, porque vc sempre faz maravilhas e maravilhozas tortas que sao uma preciozuras em obra de arte, obrigada por compartir esses tips com a gente. obrigada querida
magy maxy
I tried the buttercream, it was really tasty but i could still feel a bit of the sugar. Although i didn’t use all the 250 ml liquid since i wanted to pipe with it. But everyone loved the taste and it was so easy to make. Thanks
Veena Azmanov
Check the sugar you are using. some brand sugars tend to leave a gritty taste.
The liquid helps melt the sugar too..
Dee
I am anxious to try your buttercream recipe. Am wondering if the non-dairy creamer adds a taste, so will make a batch. My family are great taste testers.
Veena Azmanov
Taste? NO!! Unless you use one that is flavored lol!!
Jamex Japos
thanks, love it, i've learned a lot. You make everthing look so easy. I love trying your recipes they always work for me.
Ruth Markley Tanner
wonderful , <3 thanks for the recipes. love this site. You are truly appreciated. Thank you so much
Ruth Markley Tanner
wonderful , <3 thanks for the recipes. love this site
Ruth Markley Tanner
wonderful , <3 thanks for the recipes. love this site
Kathryn Marshall-Streeter
Thanks for sharing. I already try your recipes. Your buttercream recipe is the best!! Can’t wait to try these flavors.
Kimberly Burns
I love your site. It has been extremely helpful. I love trying different buttercreams. My all time favorite is French buttercream. The process is a bit lengthy, but the end result is well worth it. You have things posted on your site, that I've had to pay for on tutorials, so again, thank you!!
Magda Shand
baie dankie
Barbara Traylor
Veena, your buttercream recipe is fantastic. Taste very much like Swiss Meringue Buttercream. My family loved it. Made two cakes this past weekend with your buttercream recipe.
Debbie Cannon Kelly
Love your tips and all your info your share. Glad I found you..you are awesome!
Adriana Tovar
Maravilloso todo lo que acabo de descubrir en esta pagina, felicitaciones!!!!!!!!
Adriana Tovar
Maravilloso todo lo que acabo de descubrir en esta pagina, felicitaciones!!!!!!!!
Tinni Espiritu
I <3 Veena's Art of Cakes because of her tips every Thursday. These tips make baking and decorating cakes easier than going though some mistakes that I wouldve made if not for these gems. Thank you for your blog, and for having a facebook page too. You are awesome. Keep leaving your fantastic gifts online for the whole world to see!