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baking from scratch, butter, comfort food, cupcake filling, desserts, frost what makes you happy, frosting, fruit dip, housewife, icing, mother of boys, nut-free baking, sandwich cookie filling
I realize that I told you once that I had a recipe for The Only Frosting You’ll Ever Need. I even went so far as to claim that you’d never need to make another frosting ever again for the rest of your life.
A bold assertion, I know.
However, I’ve been on a recipe development jag lately, and my primary focus has been on different cake and frosting pairings. I have volunteered to Guest Post on FrostingForTheCause, in an effort to do my part in raising money for cancer research. Of course, I want offer up something really special for such a great cause. Something perfect to go with a story of one of the ways cancer has touched my life.
Unfortunately, my cake efforts are not quite right, but I’m getting close. And I’m going to be a little obnoxious and make you wait for the story that inspires these efforts until it appears on FrostingForTheCause. (August 16, 2011!)
My failed persistent recipe efforts have yielded a bright spot–a wonderful white chocolate buttercream–which I will boldly proclaim to be The Only Other Frosting You’ll Ever Need.
Yeah. It’s that good.
Start by chopping up some good quality white chocolate, and putting it into a microwave safe bowl. Baking chocolate is fine, but under no circumstances should you use white chocolate chips or candy melts. The waxy coating that helps the chips/melts keep their shape will do weird things to the frosting.
Pop the bowl full of chopped white chocolate into the microwave, and heat for 30 seconds on 60% power. Stir. Continue heating in 30 second increments, and stirring afterward, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set the bowl aside so that the chocolate can cool.
Place the softened butter into a large bowl. Sift the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt over the butter, then cream it together with a hand mixer set on low speed for about 3 minutes, or until it gets fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla, and mix well.
Fold in the melted (but cool) white chocolate, stirring until just incorporated into the frosting.
Increase the mixer speed to high, and whip frosting for an additional 3 minutes to whip it up nice & fluffy like–the resulting frosting is a very sweet, creamy, and medium consistency wonder that goes with just about any flavor of cake. At this point you can thin the frosting with more cream to use as a filling for cupcakes or sandwich cookies, or add more powdered sugar to stiffen it up a bit more for use as decorator icing.
Choose your favorite frosting application, and run with it! I am partial to the cupcake application. I’ll tell you about these little cups of love a little later.
Whipped White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
http://comfortablydomestic.com
Makes about 2 ½ cups
1 C. unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ C. powdered sugar (or more, depending on desired consistency)
Pinch of salt
6 oz. good quality white chocolate, chopped (NOT white chocolate chips or candy melts!)
¼ C. heavy whipping cream
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- Put the chopped white chocolate into a small bowl. Heat the chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave set to 60% power. Stir after each increment, and continue to heat 30 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to completely cool.
- Once white chocolate has cooled, sift the salt and powdered sugar over the butter, in a large bowl. Cream the butter and sugar mixture together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Measure the whipping cream into a cup, and stir in the vanilla extract.
- With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the cream mixture the bowl.
- Once the cream mixture has been incorporated into the frosting, fold on the melted (but cooled) white chocolate until incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat frosting for an additional 3 minutes.
- Makes about 2 ½ cups of frosting.
This makes a medium consistency frosting, which is very spreadable and creamy.
- For a stiff decorator frosting: add more powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until desired consistency (about another cup or so.)
- For a thinner consistency to fill cupcakes or sandwich cookies, add about ½ cup less powdered sugar.
I swear by the use of my heavy whipping cream in frostings now that I used it in my Bailey’s Buttercream. It just transcends all other frostings. Can’t wait to hear your Frosting for the Cause tribute – what a fab cause.
And PS – This sure does look like the only frosting I’ll ever need, thanks Love!
This could be dangerous. Very dangerous.
Especially when imagining it on lemon cupcakes.
I like the way you think, Jeanne. I’m not trying to be a bad influence or anything, but I feel I must tell you that this frosting was awesome on blueberry cupcakes.
If you’re a bad influence, I don’t want to be good!
Hi. Frosting sounds delicious. Could you pls tell me for how many days does it keep and must it be kept in the fridge.
It’ll keep for a day or two. I recommend refrigerating the frosted cake if not eating it within a few hours. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Your food photography has been looking really good lately! I’ve been working on mine…I think I need to permanently steal Jonathan’s DSLR camera.
.
I also have the “Plate to Pixel” in my Amazon cart. Hopefully that will help.
OH, and the frosting doesn’t look too bad either
Thanks, Mads! I was feeling very Bon Appetit-ish when I took those shots. Some days I am inspired & carefully set up shots, or some days I’m on a mission & throw stuff in front of the camera. My amazon copy of Plate to Pixel just shipped! I’m very excited. Jonathan has a DSLR camera? I thought that was *your* DSLR? Didn’t Josie give it to you from Mother’s Day or something?
I really like idea of this. My kids really love chocolate frosting, but it doesn’t look great when I try to decorate their birthday cakes, for instance, and would like more of a contrast between the decorative elements and the frosting background. This way, they can get some of their chocolate fix in but still have a lighter-colored frosting for “event driven” cakes and cupcakes. Thanks!
I never thought to use it in place of regular chocolate frosting–great idea! Give it a try, and let me know what you think. The white chocolate gives a more subtle flavor than straight-up chocolate.
BTW–when you use terms like “decorative elements” you betray your insistence that you are not a cook.
Well, I do bake. Baking involves chocolate, and as you can see, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more of it into my life. Although I must confess, the “chocolate on chocolate” birthday cakes and cupcakes my kids always request are almost a little too (Dare I say it?) chocolatey, so when I saw your frosting recipe, I thought maybe this could work to lighten up the chocolate a little as well as the decorative advantages. Just an idea.
I figured as such. I totally agree with the chocolate-on-chocolate cake being a bit much. I like the idea of the putting white chocolate frosting on a chocolate cake. I will be trying that, as well.
This looks amazing!!! Thank you!
Lady, I am LOVING the pictures that go with this (especially those beaters in the background! I’m sure that once I’ve tasted this for the first time, I too, will be willing to forsake All Other Frostings.
That’s quite a compliment coming from an old married lady, like yourself! I can’t wait to hear all about your honeymoon!
Oh wow! This looks spectacular– rich, creamy goodness. And that last cupcake pic is gorgeous!
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I made this frosting for my husbands birthday cake this past weekend! It was absolutely awesome, velvety goodness! It was funny as I was reading your blog and read over your first frosting recipe, it is identical to the cream cheese frosting I have been makings for years. So there was an instant trust and kinship I have for you. I did not have any decorators vanilla so I swapped almond extract, turned out great. Keep up the great work!
-Julie J
Yay, Julie! I am so glad to hear that you tried liked the white chocolate buttercream. Your sweet comment made my day.
Wow! This looks amazing! I’ve been searching everywhere for the perfect frosting for my husband’s birthday cake next week. I have a question though, people are gonna think this is weird but……. I don’t have a microwave nor a double broiler to melt the chocolate in. I’ve always just made Ganache and I’m trying to tweak the directions here to work with what I have but I can’t seem to figure it out. Does anyone have any pointers?
You can make your own double-boiler by placing a Pyrex, or heat-proof bowl over top of a large pot of boiling water. (Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.) Put the chocolate into the bowl, and stir until the it has melted completely. Be careful not to get even a drop of water into the chocolate, or it will “seize” and clump up, and you’ll have to start over. (That’s never fun.
)
how long will this keep for inside a cake?? Will it stay fresh for a number of days with the cream in?? Thanks
White Chocolate Buttercream will stay fresh for a few days if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temp and stir before using. If using it as a filling, I wouldn’t go more than 2 days, and keep the cake refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring the cake to room temp before serving. :0
I really like idea of this. My kids really love chocolate frosting, but it doesn’t look great when I try to decorate their birthday cakes, for instance, and would like more of a contrast between the decorative elements and the frosting background. This way, they can get some of their chocolate fix in but still have a lighter-colored frosting for “event driven” cakes and cupcakes. Thanks!
Exactly!
So glad you stopped by and found this recipe.
This looks delicious! Do you know how it would hold color? I want to use this as a cupcake frosting and thought of maybe coloring it with black cherry juice concentrate. I thought cherry with the almond extract instead of decorator’s vanilla would be a tasty combination.
Great question! I’m not sure that I would attempt to color this frosting due to the high white chocolate content. White chocolate has a lot of oils in it, and sometimes reforms in tiny, soft ribbons in the finished frosting after chilling, so I’m not sure if the color would fully permeate? Might be worth a try with a cake that is not for a special occasion first.
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Hi, I am making a white chocolate mud cake for a wedding and would like to frost it with this delicious sounding recipe of yours. Would I be able to ice it the night before the wedding? Will I need to put it in the fridge after icing it and if so, will the icing melt (or go funny…can’t think what I actually mean here) once it’s taken out of the fridge? I am going to do rose swirls all over the cake. Thanks!!
Hi, Andrea! I think this frosting would be wonderful on a white chocolate mud cake. I would make it a bit stiffer than normal, though, since you are using it as a decorator icing. (The frosting is a medium consistency, so I would beef it up a bit with another 1-1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar per batch.) You could certainly ice the cake the night before the wedding. I would put the cake in the fridge after icing it to firm it up even more, which will also help keep everything together when you transport the cake. I don’t think you should have any trouble with the icing melting, so long as the cake is kept out of direct sunlight, and the outside temperature isn’t too warm. If the outside temp will be greater than 70 degrees F, then I would keep the cake refrigerated until around 2 hours before you eat it.
Good luck, and please let me know how it all turned out!
Oh my god. This is the best frosting ever! Absolutely perfect consistency!
Yay! Thank you, Alicia! For both trying the recipe, and for coming back to tell me about it.
White Chocolate Buttercream has become one of our favorites.
is it really necessary that i add the heavy cream? may i skip it?
Hi, Gordielle! To answer your question, yes. The heavy cream is necessary because the fat in the cream is what makes gives the frosting its fluffy texture, and binds it all together.
Hey I only found white chocolate chips @ my local supermarket. Why is it bad to use the white chips on the frosting? I’m still gonna try to do this with the chips…
I find that white chocolate chips change the texture of the frosting. White chocolate chips contain wax to help them maintain their shape when heated; the melted chips will incorporate into the frosting, but you may end up with tiny, hard bits of white chocolate if the frosting is refrigerated. Good luck.
can you tell me if this frosting will crust so i can smooth it with paper towels
thanks mary
Hello, Mary! The frosting can be stiffened to use as decorators frosting for piping, and then will form a soft crust after sitting at room temperature. You will have to add around another 2 cups of powdered sugar to reach a firm consistency. Hope that helps!
As an avid recipe reader… just from reading this I taste the success of it! Thanks for sharing!
-newyorkcakeco
Why, thank you!
Oh forgot to ask… do you have a recipe for the Blueberry Cupcakes?!
Sure do! The Comfort Food Recipe tab at the top of the page has a list of all of my original recipes.
This frosting is AMAZING! I’ve just used it to frost 100 cupcakes, plus a 8 inch/7 layer cutting cake for a wedding. When the bride said she wanted white chocolate, I was a little nervous – but this recipe is incredible.
While carefully *ahem* following the instructions and doubling the recipe, I didn’t double the powdered sugar. It turned out beautifully fluffy, soft, sweet and luscious. With the full amount of sugar, I can imagine it being very sweet. Instead, I got a subtle chocolate hit, with a mix the PERFECT consistency for piping swirls onto the cupcakes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Hooray! Zoe, you made my day! I am thrilled to hear about your white chocolate buttercream success! Thank you so much for trying my recipe–especially with such an important event as a wedding.
Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe! I have made it three times and each has been perfect. Perfect consistency, perfect taste and perfect because it’s so darn easy. Yum-a-licious!
Penny–you just made my day! Thanks so much for the feedback!
I have made this twice and while it tastes spectacular, both times I end up with little hard bits in it. I am using 6 oz. of the Merckens white melting wafers and letting it cool as it instructs in the recipe. Any ideas?
Hello Brooke! Thanks for the feedback! Merckens candy melts contain wax to give the melted chocolate a shiny finish once it dries/re-hardens, without having to “temper” the chocolate to get the proper sheen. I suspect that the little hard bits in your frosting are a result of the wax in the chocolate. Chocolate chips will do the same, as they also contain wax to help them retain their shape while baking. Next time try using white baking chocolate, or good quality white chocolate bars. I have great results with Baker’s brand white baking chocolate. Hope this helps!
Success! I got a white chocolate bar (that you would eat by itself) and the icing is now perfect! Thanks so much!
YES!! So glad it worked out better this time! Non-waxed chocolate is the key.
Will fondant stick to this recipe? I need to make a cake and would love to use this icing but I have to put a 3 1/2 – 4 inch piano key border made of fondant around it. How will this work? Thanks
Gosh Susie, I’m really not sure–I haven’t used fondant with this recipe. The frosting made as directed is soft & fluffy. I do know that if you add an additional 1-2 cups of powdered sugar, it will stiffen to a decorator’s consistency & form a “crust” once it sits. You do lose a bit of the white chocolate flavor when doing so, though. Hope this helps.
I need to ice approx 120 cupcakes for my daughters 21 next weekend. I love this reciepe but an concerned that the icing will melt as we live in queensland and the temp here is in its 30. Also how do I transport the cupcakes without having the icing melt.
Oh and how many batches do you think I will need for 120 cupcakes.
Great questions, Mary! Here’s my best answers:
1. Given that your temps are in the 30′s C, that’s roughly 86 F…or HOT! Weather that hot isn’t good for any icing in the long term.
Your best bet is to put the frosting in quart sized Ziploc freezer bags, (or quality equivalent,) refrigerate them, and transport them to the party in a cooler with ice. Once at the party, knead the frosting for a minute in your hands, snip off a small corner of the bag, and pipe the icing on the cupcakes on-site. (The Ziplock serves as a piping bag.)
2. Personally, I transport cupcakes in airtight Tupperware containers, and always refrigerate (or freeze) them first before travelling.
3. The frosting recipe as written will generously frost 18 cupcakes when done with a piping bag in big swirls on top. I can frost 24 if frosting I uses less icing and apply it with a knife.
Hope this helps! Happy 21st to your daughter!
It really really is the absolute best american buttercream I’ve ever made. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Thanks so much!
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I’ve never made icing from scratch before. I just tried this and it is delicious!! I put it on your raspberry filled cupcakes (to which I added almond extract to the batter) and these cupcakes are the best I’ve ever had. They beat grocery store cupcakes any day of the week. Thank you for this easy yet delicious recipe!
Hooray, Sherrie! I am thrilled to hear that not only did you make my cupcakes, but that you chose my buttercream for your first from scratch icing. The almond extract would be an excellent addition to the yellow cake/raspberry combination. Well done!
This icing looks amazing and I am wanting to use it on white choc mud mini cupcakes. Great advice on making the consistency thicker for decorating.
As I am an Aussie, I’m just checking whether the ‘C’ means cup? And as our cups are very slightly different from yours, do you think there would be an issue using those conversions?
Thanks
The American cup is = 8 ounces, or 250 mL for the Aussies.
I doubt you would have any issues if your conversions are correct. Good luck!
This frosting sounds so delicious! I would like to make it this weekend for my dad’s birthday, do you think I could tint it with gel color paste? Also, after I decorate the cake, does it need to be kept in the refrigerator? What if it has a little bit of fondant on it, will the fondant get messed up if I put it in the fridge?
Thank you so much for your help!
Hello, Breinna! Lots of questions, so here goes:
1. I’ve never colored this frosting, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with gel color paste–provided you only use *top quality* white chocolate (as stated in the recipe) and not white chocolate morsels–and also be sure that the melted white chocolate has cooled completely before adding to the frosting. The morsels contain wax, which will clump & not color properly in the frosting.
2. I recommend refrigeration until about 30 minutes before serving. The cake can sit out for several hours, provided it is not too hot or humid where you are located. Directions are included in the recipe to make decorator’s consistency frosting, so making grass should not be a problem. Use your best judgement on how much additional confectioners sugar you will need depending on temperature/humidity in your area.
3. I’ve never refrigerated a fondant wrapped cake, so I’m afraid that I can’t answer that question.
Please let me know how your cake turns out! Happy Birthday to your Dad!
Oh, and will this recipe hold if I make it to look like grass?
Thank you so much for your fast reply! You have been more than helpful!
You’re very welcome, Breinna. Good luck! If you think of it, stop by and let me know how it turned out.
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Hi. This recipe sounds awesome. I am doing key lime cupcakes and wanted a decadent frosting for them. I usually do a key lime cream cheese frosting on these that’s been extremely popular. Since you are a baking goddess, I am wondering. . .do you think adding a splash of key lime juice to this frosting to give just a hint of the flavor would taste ok? Also, do you have a recipe for a Bailey’s flavored buttercream? Thanks for all of your amazing recipes!
Hey Lo! I think you could try replacing the vanilla extract in the recipe with lime juice and see what happens. It’s not much, but it would give a hint of lime. I don’t have a Bailey’s buttercream on my site, but my friend Megan @ Country Cleaver has a good one! Megan’s recipe: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/baileye28099s-irish-cream-whipped-frosting/
I am making many cupcakes for my sons graduation. Can this frosting be frozen? I have frozen other buttercream and cream cheese frostings many times and they defrost perfect. I usually defrost by opening up and defrost in open air and then refrigerate until served.
Great question, Anne! I often freeze buttercream also, but I’ve never frozen white chocolate buttercream. Personally, I’d be leery of freezing this frosting because of what the process may do to the white chocolate.
tanx for sharing this recipe is good for me.
I absolutely love this recipe!! It’s been my go to now for weeks since discovering it! I have a silly question though…I am making a construction cake for my 3 year old and I want the frosting to be a dark brown, could I use this recipe with a dark chocolate to get a brown color? I know that’s silly since its called white chocolate buttercream. But I’ve used Wilton’s chocolate buttercream recipe in the past and wasn’t thrilled with the flavor or consistency. Thank you!
Yay, Jesse! So glad to hear that you love this recipe! You could definitely make this frosting with dark chocolate. Same rules apply: no morsels or chocolate with any wax whatsoever. In fact, I did a modified version with milk chocolate, in which you could substitute dark chocolate: http://comfortablydomestic.com/2012/02/14/milk-chocolate-buttercream/
I’d love to hear how your construction cake turned out!