White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Fluffy white chocolate frosting perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and as a pastry filling. Recipe covers 12 cupcakes with high piped frosting or 24 cupcakes with regular (spread) frosting. Recipe yields a little over 2 cups.
This White Chocolate Frosting recipe will be your new go-to for everything! It’s a delicious buttercream to pair with any flavor and it’s perfectly sweetened with the right amount of white chocolate flavor.
Use white chocolate frosting for cupcakes, as a spread or filling for cookies, as a filling for layer cakes, or in place of pastry cream in donuts.
Ingredients:
White chocolate chips – you’ll need 6 ounces (about 1 cup). Use a chopped white chocolate bar instead, if you prefer.
Unsalted butter – let this sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using for best results.
Vegetable shortening – I like Spectrum organic palm shortening, but any brand works.
Vanilla – the white chocolate chips usually have vanilla in them, but adding some directly gives more bakery flavor.
Milk or cream – just enough to give the frosting a smooth, creamy consistency
Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar – you’ll need 2 cups. Sift before using for best results.
A little salt – I usually add about 1/8 teaspoon, but it’s just enough to keep the sweetness in check.
Process:
Melt the white chocolate chips and let cool slightly (about 5 minutes, until chocolate is lukewarm to the touch).
While chocolate is cooling, beat the butter with the shortening until mixture is creamy, about 1 minute.
Add in the melted chocolate and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
Begin folding in one cup of the powdered sugar with a spatula*, then beat the frosting on low speed until combined.
Add in remaining ingredients and beat again on medium-low speed (mark 2 on a hand mixer) until frosting is fluffy and light, 1 to 2 minutes.
*Using a spatula to initially work in the powdered sugar helps avoid a powder cloud when mixing. This doesn’t take long but helps ensure all of the sugar ends up in the frosting.
FAQs and Tips:
Can I make this frosting by hand?
Yes, but the frosting may not be as smooth or everything may not be as incorporated as if using a mixer. The results will be fine for use as spreading frosting, though!
How to make white chocolate buttercream without a mixer: whip together the butter and shortening with a wooden spoon or spatula, then stir in the chocolate and vanilla. Stir in the powdered sugar, a little at a time, adding some milk as needed, until desired consistency is reached.
Does cooling the chocolate really matter?
Yes! Making buttercream frosting with melted chocolate is easy, but the chocolate has to cool slightly before use to avoid melting the butter/shortening.
It’s worth noting: chocolate that has cooled TOO long will not incorporate as well. Don’t let the chocolate firm up.
Will this recipe work as a filling?
Yes, it can be used as is for a filling OR if you’re wanting a bakery-style filling (closer to Little Debbie cream or donut filling) — substitute some of the butter for shortening (I recommend using 3/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup butter).
Try White Chocolate Frosting with mocha cupcakes, yellow cupcakes, on Gingerbread Bundt Cake, or to frost your favorite sugar cookies!
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- large bowl
- hand mixer
- spatula
Ingredients
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips or white chocolate bar, chopped
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened sit at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes prior to use
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening see below
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk or cream as needed
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- fine salt to taste
Instructions
Prep:
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Make the frosting:
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl on medium speed, beat together the softened butter and the shortening until creamy and light.
- Beat in the slightly cooled white chocolate and the vanilla until combined. Scrape down sides.
- Using a spatula, add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and mix just until incorporated (mixture will be stiff). Then use the mixer to beat on low speed until creamy.
- Add in the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, a little salt, and 2 or 3 Tablespoons milk (as needed to desired consistency). Beat again on medium-low speed until fluffy and light.
Storage:
- Store frosting in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 weeks. Let stand at room temperature 15 or 20 minutes then beat again before using.This frosting is good at room temperature up to 4 days (on baked goods tightly covered).
Notes
- 6 ounces of white chocolate chips = roughly 1 cup
- Shortening helps with texture and piping, but use all butter if you like!