Learn how to make sweet and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting with this easy recipe. Although it looks plain, the frosting is made with melted white chocolate, so there’s extra flavor hiding in each creamy swirl. The frosting is very rich and wonderfully thick, so it holds beautiful shape when piped. Try it on vanilla cupcakes with raspberry filling!
One reader, Amy, commented: “I don’t usually write reviews on any recipe that I’ve tried, but today—yes. This is the best buttercream icing ever. I’ve tried so many different ones and they just fall short. Today was different—this one was all that and then some… I’m still licking my fingers. ★★★★★”
One reader, Fred, commented: “This is the perfect frosting for pretty much anything. I used it on my first ever wedding cake for our granddaughter. It frosts so smoothly and pipes exquisitely… ★★★★★“
Move aside, vanilla buttercream and cream cheese frosting, and make way for the new white frosting in town. (I still love you both, though. There is room in my heart—and my kitchen—for all the frostings.)
But maybe you’re tired of the same ol’ vanilla frosting. And while I love cream cheese frosting, I know a lot of people in other countries have trouble making it, because it’s not always easy to find brick-style cream cheese outside the U.S. So I wanted to publish another option for a delicious white frosting that tastes good on a variety of desserts.
Why You’ll Love This White Chocolate Buttercream
- Extra creamy and rich from melted white chocolate
- Holds shape when piped
- Spreads easily onto baked goods
- Can tint it a color (see it colored on top of these white chocolate peppermint cupcakes)
- White chocolate tastes great with so many different flavors
If you love white chocolate, you’ll enjoy these white chocolate strawberry cupcakes too. I add freeze-dried strawberries to make a delicious strawberry white chocolate frosting on those!
Grab These 6 Ingredients
- White Chocolate: For the best flavor and texture, we need real white chocolate. Do not use white chocolate morsels or candy melts here—get the real-deal bars of white chocolate.
- Unsalted Butter: Start with room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is cooler than you think. If the butter is too warm, the frosting will be thin and taste greasy.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: We’re using less confectioners’ sugar in this frosting than we do in vanilla buttercream, because the white chocolate is already sweet.
- Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half: Liquid thins out and adds even more creaminess to the frosting. You can use heavy cream or half-and-half. Milk works in a pinch.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds incredible flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt offsets all the sweetness.
Best White Chocolate to Use in Frosting
The best white chocolate frosting starts with real white chocolate. Do not use white chocolate morsels because they contain stabilizers preventing them from melting into the correct consistency. You need the bars of “baking chocolate” found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I like Baker’s and Ghirardelli brands, which come in 4-ounce bars. You need 6 ounces of white chocolate for this recipe, so you’ll use 1 and 1/2 bars.
Start by chopping up the white chocolate and placing it in a microwave-safe bowl. (I usually use a glass liquid measuring cup.) Microwave it in 20-second increments, stopping and stirring after each increment. The short bursts of heat allow the white chocolate to melt without burning. Once it’s completely smooth, set it aside to let it cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
The rest of the recipe is similar to making regular vanilla buttercream or strawberry buttercream, and you’ll add the cooled melted white chocolate during the process. You’ll need a handheld or stand mixer.
It looks like vanilla buttercream, but it’s silkier, smoother, and has an extra-rich flavor. You’ll love it.
What Tastes Best With White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting?
White chocolate pairs beautifully with so many flavors, like chocolate, raspberry, lemon… the list goes on and on! This recipe makes enough for 12–16 cupcakes, a 3-layer 6-inch cake, or a 9×13-inch quarter vanilla sheet cake. I recommend you 1.5x the recipe for a 2-layer cake.
Try this white chocolate frosting on:
- Lemon Cupcakes or Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Banana Cake
- Vanilla Sheet Cake or Spice Cake
- Vanilla Cupcakes filled with Raspberry Filling
- Confetti Sprinkle Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cake Roll or Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Cupcakes, or use as the filling in these Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
- Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes
- Homemade Brownies (yum!)
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes or Pumpkin Cake
- Gingerbread Cupcakes or Gingerbread Cake
- Chocolate White Chocolate Cupcakes
- White Chocolate Brownies
Really, it’s great on pretty much anything you might typically top with vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting!
It also makes for a wonderful cupcake filling. See my post on How to Fill Cupcakes for how to do so and for recipe pairing inspiration.
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2.5 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make sweet and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting with this easy recipe. Although it looks plain, the frosting is made with melted white chocolate, so there’s extra flavor hiding in each creamy swirl. Be sure to use real white chocolate, and not white chocolate morsels. See recipe Notes.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream or half-and-half*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate: Chop the white chocolate, then melt in a double boiler on the stove, or simply use the microwave: Place chopped white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (I usually use a glass liquid measuring cup), and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after every 20 seconds until completely smooth. Set it aside to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes. (Be sure the melted white chocolate has cooled for 20 minutes, so it’s still melted but not scorching hot, which would melt the butter.)
- In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Switch the mixer to low speed and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar.
- Stir the cooled white chocolate so that it is smooth, and then add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Switch the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until combined and creamy.
- Add the cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for 1 minute until combined. Taste. Add 1 more Tablespoon of heavy cream/milk if needed to thin out, if desired. Add another pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed. (It stiffens in the refrigerator.)
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Liquid Measuring Cup or Double Boiler | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer)
- White Chocolate: Do NOT use white chocolate morsels in this frosting. Use pure white chocolate, which typically comes in 4-ounce bars, and can be found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands.
- Cream: For the frosting, milk is OK to use instead of heavy cream or half-and-half. However, cream is preferred for creamiest texture.
- Quantity: This recipe is enough to frost 12–16 cupcakes, a 3-layer 6-inch cake, or a thin layer on a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake. 1.5x the recipe for a 2-layer cake. (Doubling the recipe would be far too much.)
- Decorating Tips: Be sure to check out my post on how to use piping tips (with video tutorial!), and my recommendations for essential cake baking & decorating tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I found this recipe too soft for filling and covering a cake, I had to pop it in the freezer for short bursts and stir it back up again to gain a firm consistency.
Still tastes really good though, just wasn’t my day in the kitchen.
I would love to make this recipe for a a number cake 80 …each number with be two layers and both 10 inch in length. My question, is there anyway you can give me the recipe enough for the size above? I’m scared to mess it up and it’s a big birthday Thank you
Hi Nicole, we’re unsure of the exact amount, as it will really depend on how heavily you wish to frost and decorate it. This recipe as written yields enough for a thin layer on a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake, so we imagine you’ll at least want to double it.
I’m making my wedding cake and am wondering if this recipe will hold in-between 4 x1 inch layers or will it become too soft?
Hi Natalie, while this frosting does hold shape, your cake might be more stable with a sturdy buttercream like vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream. It would be great on the top tier, though!
Hi I was just wondering, is this buttercream good for piping decorations such as borders or buttercream roses? Had been planning to use SMBC, but the person I’m baking for was hoping for white cholate . Thanks!
Hi Hannah, yes, this buttercream pipes beautifully!
Hello I am wanting to frost a 4 layer 8″ cake how much would you scale the recipe?
Hi Elan, we would double or triple the recipe, depending on how heavily you’d like the cake to be filled and frosted.
This buttercream is absolutely delicious! Even guests who were not cake fans went back for seconds! The only question I have is: Is there a way to make this a crusting buttercream? Otherwise, perfection!
Hi Tina, you can try replacing some (not all) of the butter with shortening for a “crustier” buttercream. Let us know if you try it!
How long does it keep out of fridge or does it need to go in fridge with having cream in it?
Hi Kaya, confections topped with this frosting should be fine at room temperature for up to 24 hours, but we recommend refrigerating beyond that.
When you say to use bar chocolate, do you mean that chocolate chips aren’t good enough for this buttercream, it has to be bar chocolate kind?
Thank you
Hi Kala, that’s correct – see the recipe notes! Do NOT use white chocolate morsels in this frosting. Use pure white chocolate, which typically comes in 4-ounce bars, and can be found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips.
Hi! Do you think I could add cocoa powder to this recipe to make it chocolate colored and flavored?
Hi Abigail, we haven’t tested it this way, so are unsure of the results. I’d recommend you simply make this tested-and-beloved chocolate buttercream instead! (Also easier!)
Hi, is this quantity enough to frost the inside and outside of a 3 layer 6” cake or just the outside?
How hard does the frosting set? Am i able to beat the ganache for a softer filling on the inside? And leave the ganache unbeaten for a harder frosting on the outside?
Hi Cally, this is enough to lightly frost the inside and outside of a 3 layer, 6 inch cake. Feel free to scale it up by 1.5x if you’d like to heavily frost or decorate the cake. You can certainly try whipping it for a bit longer for a lighter texture. You’ll need to whip in the chocolate either way. Hope you enjoy the frosting!
Is this ok to use for piping
Hi Tobi, this frosting is wonderfully thick, so it holds up well for piping. Let us know if you try it!
Hi. I have made this buttercream and it is beautiful. I just wondered do you think it would it work if I add crushed Oreos? Or I would be better adding them to a vanilla buttercream? Thank you so much
Hi Amy! We haven’t tested adding crushed Oreos to this recipe, but it should work just fine. Here’s our Oreo Buttercream recipe (included in the brownies).
Thankyou so much, I will give it a try!
This is the perfect frosting for pretty much anything. I used it on my first ever wedding cake for our granddaughter. It frosts so smoothly and pipes exquisitely. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. You helped me give my granddaughter the wedding cake she wanted.
Hi! I’m desperately searching for a delicous buttercream that will meet Nevadas extremely strict cottage laws. This white chocolate buttercream looks like it is SO close but we aren’t allowed to use milk or cream. Do you have any substitution recommendations?
Hi Natalie, we do not have any alternate recommendations for the milk or cream (they’re necessary to thin it our and give it the creamy texture), but let us know if you do any experimenting!
Hi! I want to make your vanilla cupcakes with this frosting and a raspberry filling. If I make this the day before and frost the cupcakes, do they need to be stored in the fridge and would that make the frosting stiffen? Or should I leave the frosted cupcakes at room temp overnight?
Hi Jessica! Cover the cupcakes and store them at room temperature overnight.
Hi,
Could I put some gel food coloring in this icing?
Hi Camille, absolutely! Add in step 4 when you add the vanilla extract.
Hi do you think I can cover my cake with fondant after using this frosting?
Hi Rachel! This frosting should be just fine under fondant.
Sally I am wondering you discuss ingredients needing to be “room temperature “ does that apply to the HWC here in this recipe?
Hi Michele! Here’s more information on using room temperature ingredients in baking recipes. Here, you want the white chocolate to cool for 20 minutes, so it is still melted, but not scorching hot.
I am hoping to use this recipe to drizzle over a bundt cake and then once set, and just before serving, drizzle a raspberry sauce over the frosting. I’ve never done this before and am wondering how thin would recommend making the frosting?
Hi Gail, would you consider just using melted white chocolate as the drizzle instead of this buttercream? It won’t really drizzle; you’ll have to spread it on. To thin it out, you could slightly reduce the confectioners’ sugar and butter, and make sure the heavy cream you use is slightly warmed (which will thin it all out).
This is so much tastier than regular buttercream. I have made all kinds of frosting flavors is this is by far the best.
I have to decorate a 2 tier cake. (6” and 9”). Can I double the recipe or should I make 2 batches?
Hi Rosa, you can double this frosting recipe.
would it work in tropical environment
Hi Amna, is your kitchen cooler? If so, it shouldn’t be a problem to make this frosting. We don’t recommend leaving it out on baked goods for too long in especially hot and humid environments, but if storing in a refrigerator is an option, that works great!
In response to this old post, I added a couple ounces of cream cheese to my frosting at the end to reduce the sweetness a bit. It was just enough. It still piped beautifully on my cupcakes and was perfectly fluffy. My guests loved it. Otherwise, loved the recipe.
This is so incredibly good ! I made a cardamom and pistachio cake and this icing went brilliantly with it. So good that I am making it for one of the tiers of my son’s wedding cake. Thanks for so many great recipes. You are my go-to now !
Hi Sally- I am making a cross cake for my grandson’s Baptism using your your vanilla cake recipe. I have baked two 9″x!3″ sheet cakes and I plan on trimming and stacking them in the form of a cross. Would this frosting hold up and not become runny? I have used a easy buttercream recipe using egg whites in the past and it just gets too runny very quickly. I love your recipes- they always work for me so I would love to try this frosting but I wan to be sure it will hold up- Thanks so much!
Hi Pat, this buttercream should hold up well for your cake, as long as it doesn’t get too warm. Let us know how it goes!
Hi Sally..
You have a collection of unique recipes which are drool worthy… Kudos to you… and coming to this white choc buttercream recipe.. will it hold well under fondant cakes? Will it be firm in hot climate regions.. though we refrigerate and keep cake in AC room.
Hi Sabrina, This frosting should be just fine under fondant. Anything frosted with this should be fine for 1 day at room temperature/in AC. After that, it’s best to refrigerate it. As always, use your best judgment and whatever you are comfortable with.
Could this frosting be made in advance?
You bet! See the last step of the recipe.
I had some left after frosting a cake and it has been in the fridge for over a week and is still fantastic !
Hi Sally! Would this be good to use as the outer frosting for a german chocolate cake? I’m trying to figure out a way to make a german chocolate cake look nice for a 50th anniversary cake and drawing a blank.
Hi Kaylie, you certainly could if you’d like!
Perfect frosting for the strawberry cake I made. My family loved it!
I made this using 4 oz unsweetened and 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, and it made a wonderful alternative to cocoa buttercream. Very rich and silky smooth. This recipe yielded plenty for a 12×17 half sheet cake (I think the frosting is thicker than the cake!). Looking forward to trying it strawberry- white chocolate style. Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe make my cake looks & taste very good.
I’m planning to decorate with edible rose petals. Do I have to apply the rose petals just before the cake is served? The cake should not be refrigerated once it’s decorated with the rose petals?
Hi Beth, yes, we’d recommend applying the rose petals closer to when it’s served.