Get my recipes, tips, tutorials sent straight to your inbox.

Veena Azmanov

Cook, Bake, Decorate with Confidence

menu icon
subscribe
search icon
×

Different Buttercream Flavors from One Buttercream Recipe

Published - Modified - Veena Azmanov This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and other sides. This blog generates income via ads and sponsoredpost. Please read our Privacy policy and copyright and disclosure for more details

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Why have just one buttercream flavor when you can try so many more. These simple and easy 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.

A collage of cakes decorated with different buttercream flavors.

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:

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.

And, you can also 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? Because, the additional ingredients result in buttercream with the right consistency, and not too soft.

Cupcakes with chocolate frosting.Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting RecipeIMG_0696
An image optimized for social media share for this step by step tutorial for the best buttercream frosting recipe ever. Vanilla buttercream recipe.Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe 4
Two cupcakes with chocolate frosting on a round board.Bakery Style Chocolate Frosting12
Two cupcakes with vanilla frosting on a round board.Bakery Style Vanilla Frosting4

Meringue buttercream recipes

So these flavors work with all types of Buttercream. And, 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

A frosted white wedding cake on a cake stand.White Wedding Cake Recipe29
Buttercream in a wine glass.Swiss Merinuge Buttercream Recipe
A bowl of buttercream.Velvet American Buttercream Recipe
A cupcake with French buttercream frosting.Classic French Buttercream Recipe22
If you plan to pipe the first thing you need is the best stiff buttercream recipe for piping flowers. One that will pipe perfect buttercream flowers for you and will taste as delicious as it looks. This recipe has been my go to for all my buttercream flowers; I think you will love it too.The Best Stiff Buttercream Frosting Recipe for Piping Flowers (3)
Cupcakes decorated with buttercream frosting.Best German Buttercream Recipe17

Step by step instructions

My preferred recipe is my stiff buttercream because it works best in terms of consistency. And, consistency may vary from other buttercream recipes, since it depends on the additional liquid ingredients needed to get the right flavor.

See my chocolate buttercream frosting - recipe video here

A moist strawberry cake can be an absolute treat eaten on its own or frosted with whipped cream or buttercream. This simple, easy and effortless recipe makes the most decadently rich, moist and light strawberry cake that melts in the mouth. Serve it on its own unfrosted as a coffee cake, frost it with whipped cream for a light dessert or with rich decadent buttercream for a more indulgent treat. Moist Strawberry Cake
A slice of layer gingerbread cake on a plate.Classic Ginerbread Cake Recipe
Make a delicious vanilla based cake with fresh cream aka Vanilla cream cake.Vanilla Cream Cake Recipe
This moist carrot cake is my simple, easy and effortless one bowl recipe that you will enjoy making over and over again. It taste delicious on it's own but can be dressed with my luscious cream cheese frosting to create an exotic dessert.Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

More buttercream recipes from scratch

This Earl Grey Cake is the best tea flavored cake frosted with Italian Meringue Buttercream. Simple easy recipe that quick too.Earl Grey Cake Recipe
Butterscotch has a distinct rich flavor that's hard to resist.  This simple, easy and effortless recipe makes the most decadent butterscotch cake with a moist texture and a soft crumb. The batter is flavored with butterscotch sauce, dark brown sugar and sour cream. Decorated with luxurious Swiss Meringue buttercream that just melts in the mouth and dripped with more butterscotch sauce.Butterscotch Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Butterscot
Celebrate the season of fall with pumpkin spice latte cake and maple buttercream frosting.Pumpkin Spice-Latte Cake with Maple Buttercream Frosting 24
This red velvet cake has a classic sponge texture that's light and airy, moist cake with a tender crumb and deep red color in contrast to the white cream cheese frosting. This simple, easy and effortless recipe is a must-have recipe for anyone who loves to bake cakes whether you are a novice or a seasoned baker. Moist Red Velvet Cake

Tried my recipe? Don't forget to rate ★★★ ★★ it and leave a comment to let me know how it was.
You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes on Pinterest.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more.

A collage of buttercream flavors.

Different Buttercream Flavors from One Recipe

Author: Veena Azmanov
4.92 from 34 votes
Print Pin Rate
Share on FB Save Grow
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Calories: 399kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 12 servings

Description

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.

Ingredients 

4 to 6 Cups - any one of these Basic Buttercream Recipes

Chocolate Buttercream

Mocha Buttercream

  • 8 oz (225 g) chocolate
  • 2 tbsp strong Espresso coffee (liquid)

Caramel Buttercream

Salted Caramel Buttercream

Nutella Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (0.75 cup ) Nutella

Lemon Buttercream

  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Strawberry Buttercream

  • 200 ml (7 oz) crushed strawberries
  • ½ tsp strawberry extract (optional)

Raspberry Buttercream

  • 8 oz (7 oz) crushed raspberries
  • ½ tsp raspberry extract (optional)

Peanut Butter Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (0.75 cup ) peanut butter

Pineapple Buttercream

  • 8 oz (200 ml ) crushed pineapple
  • ½ tsp pineapple extract (optional)

Marshino Cherry Buttercream

  • ½ cup maraschino cherries
  • 2 tsp cherry juice

Baileys Buttercream/Kahlua Buttercream

  • ½ cup (120 ml) Baileys or Kahlua

Coconut Buttercream

  • ½ cup (120 g) Coconut cream

Marzipan Buttercream

  • ½ cup (110 g) marzipan

Boston Cream Pie

Follow Veena Azmanov on Pinterest

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.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 399- kcalCarbohydrates: 61- gProtein: 0- gFat: 17- gSaturated Fat: 5- gCholesterol: 0- mgSodium: 141- mgPotassium: 73- mgFiber: 0- gSugar: 56- gCalcium: 6- mgIron: 0.6- mg

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

Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov
Add to Collection

Hungry for more?

A bowl with buttercream and butterscotch sauce.Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting Recipe Cupcakes with buttercream frosting on a round board.Eggnog Buttercream Frosting (Video Recipe) A cake frosted with Kahlua buttercream.Best Kahlua Buttercream Frosting Cupcakes with chocolate frosting.Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe TextOne Chocolate Cake Recipe Many Different Flavors Two cupcakes with maple buttercream frosting on a table.Maple Buttercream Frosting
« Sharp Edges Buttercream Cakes
How to flavor ganache »

Thank you for sharing - Save for later

Author - Veena Azmanov

A photo of Veena Azmanov.

Veena is the author of three blogs - Veena Azmanov, Cake Decorating Tutorials, and East Indian Recipes.
She writes about cooking, baking, desserts, and cake decorating. Being a professional cake decorator and food blogger for over ten years she has been featured in many online magazines and publications around the world. On her blogs, you will find delicious, easy and practical recipes often with instructional videos and tutorials for the home cook.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Would love to hear your thoughts, please comment

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Sue

    If you are adding things to flavor it (example- caramel sauce) do you have to adjust liquids in the recipe? I feel like adding caramel sauce would make it inconsistent for decorating; will it? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Veena Azmanov

      Yes, if you add other liquid ingredients, you must adjust basic liquid as well. Like caramel sauce, butterscotch, curds, etc.

      Reply

  2. Imoiseme

    Week 2, day 3 done. Thanks.

    Reply

Save for later & Share with your friends

Thank you so much for sharing.