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White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

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White chocolate buttercream may look like plain old frosting, but the flavor and texture will tell you otherwise. So if you are looking for a way to add more flavor to buttercream but still want white frosting that works for piping or spreading, you are in luck!

Vanilla cupcake with swirl of white chocolate frosting on top.

White chocolate lovers, you are in the right place. This delicious buttercream is fluffy, flavorful, and perfect decorating cakes, cupcakes, and more.

This frosting is good.  I mean really good!

You would think adding so much melted white chocolate to the buttercream would weigh it down and make it heavy, but it doesn’t.  It is so light and fluffy and has a great flavor.

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law several years ago. She is quite the cake artist, so I take her recommendations pretty seriously.

piece of frosted peanut butter sheet cake being lifted out of pan.

She has been using this white chocolate frosting as a base for her fondant rather than using a classic buttercream, and it knocked my socks off. It is a great way to add another layer of flavor.

Plus, she prefers it because she doesn’t like how much some buttercreams taste like powdered sugar. The melted chocolate allows you to use a little less confectioners sugar and gives you a really smooth result.

Why We Love This White Chocolate Frosting

It is extra rich and creamy thanks to the melted white chocolate. Yet it is still easy to make.

It spreads like a dream, so it works well for filling, crumb coating, or final coating a cake.

It works great for piping as well. Making it perfect for decorations, borders, or big fluffy swirls on cupcakes.

close up of group of bunny cupcakes with piped buttercream and marshmallow ears.

It goes well with so many different flavors. Almost anything goes with white chocolate. Especially berries, other fruits, peanut butter, and more.

While it has added flavor, this frosting is still nice and white. That makes it perfect for wedding cakes and other instances when you want a nice white base.

However, it also takes color well. So you can dye it with food coloring gel and make any color you would like.

round layer cake iced with white chocolate buttercream and red laces to look like a baseball.

If you aren’t a fan of super sweet frostings, this recipe has a bonus for you.  The powdered sugar to butter ratio is much lower than most American buttercream recipes.

The addition of white chocolate helps give it stability without needing all that powdered sugar.  So it is less sweet than a lot of frostings.

Tips and Tricks

Start with good quality white chocolate. You can find bars in the baking aisle or in the candy aisle. Make sure it is actual white chocolate made with cocoa butter.

Ingredients including white chocolate bars, butter, powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla ready to be made into buttercream frosting.

White chocolate melts at a lower temperature than darker chocolate, and it scorches easily, too. So microwave it it short 10 second intervals, stirring after each one, until it just stirs smooth.

Melt the white chocolate before you start anything else. That will give the melted chocolate a chance to cool before you add it to the buttercream mixture.

You are going to want to make sure your butter is at room temperature before you start.  If the butter and sugar mixture is still cool when you add the white chocolate, you increase your chance of getting little bits of congealed chocolate in your frosting.

If your butter is brought all the way to room temperature and your white chocolate is cooled but still liquid, it should incorporate nicely. Just keep the mixer going and drizzle it in!

If you need to store your frosting, place it in an airtight container.  You can leave it on the counter for several hours or even overnight.

For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months.  Just bring the frosting back to room temperature and rewhip before using.

Cakes We Have Enjoyed With White Chocolate Buttercream

If you are a frosting fanatic like me, check out my Frosting 101. It goes through the different types of frosting and links to all sorts of delicious recipes!

Vanilla cupcake with swirl of white chocolate frosting on top.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Carlee
This delicious white chocolate buttercream recipe is based on a classic American buttercream recipe, but has good quality white chocolate mixed in. The flavor is amazing and it is fluffy as can be. It is the perfect buttercream to use as a base for fondant and it also holds its shape well for piping. It is great on layer cakes, cupcakes, sheet cakes and more!
4.80 from 20 ratings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 Serving
Calories 204 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces high quality white chocolate bars*
  • 1⅓ cups unsalted butter softened
  • 2⅔ cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Melt the white chocolate in the microwave by cooking for thirty seconds, then stirring. Continue to microwave in ten second increments until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside.
    8 ounces high quality white chocolate bars*
  • In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about a minute.
    1⅓ cups unsalted butter
  • Add powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated.
    2⅔ cups powdered sugar
  • With the mixer still going on low speed, drizzle in the melted white chocolate. Once it is completely added, turn the mixer back up to medium-low speed and beat for two more minutes.
  • Add the vanilla, salt and 2 Tablespoons of cream. Beat for another minute or so. Add more cream as necessary until you get the perfect consistency.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Frost your cake!

Notes

You want to use actual white chocolate, not almond bark, candy melts, or vanilla chips. I usually use a bar or Lindt, Ghirardelli or Baker's.
The paddle attachment is ideal for making buttercream. It add enough air to make a fluffy frosting without incorporating too many air bubbles.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 204kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 39mgSugar: 18g
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Recipe Rating




Annette

Tuesday 4th of July 2023

I’ve never had such a perfectly light and fluffy frosting. I’ve been baking for years and this is hands down my favorite! Thank you

Rachel

Friday 15th of July 2022

What temperature does the white chocolate need to be before adding it to the buttercream? I am so worried about adding it when it is too hot and causing it to seize. Thanks.

Carlee

Saturday 16th of July 2022

I've never taken a temperature, which I know isn't very helpful. So I am sorry about that. White chocolate has a lower melting temperature than regular chocolate. So you want to be careful when melting it so it doesn't scorch and seize at that point. I melt the white chocolate before I start anything else, then let it cool while I get everything else ready. So it probably sits for about 10 minutes by the time I get back to it. It should feel maybe lukewarm, but not at all hot. The good thing is, if you either drizzle it in or add it in small bits, the volume of warm chocolate to the rest of the ingredients is low and with the mixer running it will cool quickly. Using that method I've never had it melt the butter or form little chunks of white chocolate in the frosting. If everything is pretty close to room temperature, you should be in good shape! If you are really worried, you could add some of the heavy whipping cream to the white chocolate when you melt it and basically make a white chocolate ganache to add to the frosting.

Unknown

Sunday 4th of October 2020

Is it possible to provide the ingredient list with gms as the measurement unit?

Carlee

Sunday 11th of October 2020

I wish recipes were easily converted. I don't cook in grams often, so I'd have to use a calculator to convert it. I am not sure how accurate those are, so I'm hesitant to do it.

LaraQ

Sunday 28th of May 2017

It looks and sounds delicious. I'd like to give it a try as soon as I get my hands on some white chocolate bars. :)

Carlee

Tuesday 30th of May 2017

It is really good! I just picked up some white chocolate bars to make it again. I need to figure out what I want to put it on this time!

Frugal Hausfrau

Tuesday 14th of February 2017

Carlee, I used this buttercream on my Raspberry Filled Cupcakes. It was divine. There's just no other word for it!! I did short the cream just a tad because I wanted to pipe so I wanted it just a bit stiffer and it looked (and tasted) gorgeous!

Thanks much for the recipe, and I linked my Cupcakes up to here for your recipe.

Mollie

Carlee

Wednesday 15th of February 2017

Isn't it amazing? You're cupcakes look awesome! Thanks so much, Mollie!