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.
Have you tried my white chocolate cupcakes? You must. They are very popular on this blog and for good reason. Personally, I am a dark chocolate person, the darker the better. And yet, there is something about white chocolate buttercream that is just wonderful.
My favorite combination with white chocolate is tart raspberries or mixed berries. I have a white chocolate raspberry cake recipe I want to share with you soon and you will love it.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Butter - I prefer unsalted butter, so I can add just the right amount of salt in the recipe. If salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it, and yet remember to omit salt from the recipe. And if you want you can substitute the butter for more vegetable shortening.
- Powdered sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar. This does have a healthy amount of sugar in this recipe and that is why we need to make sure we have a high saturated fat ratio.
- Cream - I use whipping cream with no less than 38% for my frosting.
- Vanilla - When it comes to frosting, always use a good quality vanilla extract, homemade or commercial. I love to use vanilla bean paste in my recipe, but it usually has vanilla specks in it.
- White chocolate - You want to use good quality chocolate, no candy melts or baking chocolate. After all, you are going to eat this.
Step by step instructions (Save/Pin)
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or double boiler - set aside to cool.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and foamy.
(no cheating. Whip for a good few minutes so you incorporate some air in) - Add vanilla and salt - and mix some more.
- Lastly, add the cooled white chocolate.
- The chocolate will make the buttercream firm, which is great for piping.
- If necessary, add one or more tbsp cream to bring to piping consistency.
- Place buttercream in a large piping bag with a star tip and pipe a bit swirl on top.
- Sprinkle more chocolate chips while the buttercream is still wet.
White Chocolate Buttercream Variations
- Raspberry white chocolate buttercream - add ½ cup crushed fresh or frozen raspberries
- Strawberry white chocolate buttercream - add ½ cup crushed fresh or frozen strawberries
- Orange white chocolate buttercream - add 2 tbsp orange juice instead of cream and ¼ tsp orange extract + ½ tsp orange zest
Frequently asked questions
This buttercream is high in sugar and will keep at room temperature for a few days - 3 to 4 days. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.
Perhaps not. This is a very light and creamy buttercream and the white chocolate does add some stability to it. You will be able to make perfect swirls on cupcakes and even pipe borders and patterns on the cake, but it will not be the best for piping buttercream flowers. I highly recommend using my stiff buttercream recipe for piping buttercream flowers.
Perhaps not. As I explained above this is not the best for piping buttercream flowers and the same with Russian piping tips.
Yes, you can certainly use dark chocolate. I do have a chocolate buttercream recipe as well.
What are the different types of buttercream?
The number of buttercream and frosting recipes can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing. In general, we can categorize them as:
- Butter-based buttercream - Simple all-purpose buttercreams like this velvet American buttercream, vanilla buttercream (eggless).
- Decorators buttercream - Often, with all or some vegetable shortening to prevent the frosting from melting easily. For example, my Bakery style frostings - Vanilla and Chocolate Frosting.
- Cream cheese based - Made with cream cheese and with or without butter. For example, my classic cream cheese is made with butter, which adds more stability. And my no-butter cream cheese frosting is perfect 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. For example, my Swiss Meringue or Italian Meringue.
- Egg-based buttercream - Like the 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 whipped cream. I shared 5 different methods to make whipped cream at home. As well as a whipped cream buttercream frosting.
- Meringue buttercream with Meringue powder - There is Italian meringue buttercream with meringue powder as well as Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Meringue Powder.
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White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or double boiler – set aside to cool.
- Cream Butter and sugar until light and foamy.
- (no cheating. Whip for a good few minutes so you incorporate some air in)
- Add vanilla and salt – and mix some more.
- Lastly, add the cooled white chocolate.
- The chocolate will make the buttercream firm, which is great for piping.
- If necessary, add one or more tbsp cream to bring to piping consistency.
- Place buttercream in a large piping bag with a star tip and pipe a bit swirl on top.
- Sprinkle more chocolate chips while the buttercream is still wet.
Recipe Notes
White Chocolate Buttercream Variations
- Raspberry white chocolate buttercream - add ½ cup crushed fresh or frozen raspberries
- Strawberry white chocolate buttercream - add ½ cup crushed fresh or frozen strawberries
- Orange white chocolate buttercream - add 2 tbsp orange juice instead of cream and ¼ tsp orange extract + ½ tsp orange zest
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
Janine Louwrens
Hi Veena
Hope you are well. Does this frosting do well in heat?
Kind regards
Janine
Veena Azmanov
Janine. It depends on how hot it is. Ideally the chocolate helps stabilize the buttercream but it is still white chocolate so will melt in very warm conditions.
Janine Louwrens
Thank you for getting back to me Veena.
One more question. If I put half butter and half shortening would that work but still keeping the taste?
Kind regards
Janine
Veena Azmanov
Yes, that would work. Butter is a wonderful flavor and I'm sure the shortening will hold up better.
Bari
Week 2, Day 3 done
Avril Nel
Week 2 day 3 done
Mehakdeep Kaur
Week 2 day 3 done
Shivanthi
Week 2 day 3 done
Nitya John
White chocolate buttercream frosting is an amazing recipe...The white chocolate in the BC gives it an oomph. If I had an option I Would have loved to post a pic. The consistency is just right for piping borders.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Nitya. You can sure share a picture in our Facebook group. Or upload it on Pinterest below my image.. you will find the links in the post.