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Different Buttercream Flavors from One Buttercream Recipe

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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.

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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

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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

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A collage of buttercream flavors.

Different Buttercream Flavors from One Recipe

Author: Veena Azmanov
5 from 34 votes
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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 tablespoon strong Espresso coffee (liquid)

Caramel Buttercream

Salted Caramel Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (0.75 cup) caramel sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ( ) rock salt

Nutella Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (0.75 cup ) Nutella

Lemon Buttercream

  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Strawberry Buttercream

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

Raspberry Buttercream

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

Peanut Butter Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (0.75 cup ) peanut butter

Pineapple Buttercream

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

Marshino Cherry Buttercream

  • ½ cup maraschino cherries
  • 2 teaspoon 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

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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 tablespoon 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

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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.

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    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