White chocolate buttercream – easy to make and perfect for piping onto cupcakes, layer cakes, macarons or special celebration cakes, including my white chocolate cake.
My buttercream recipes seem to be very popular on here. I’ve had a few requests for a white chocolate version so not wanting to leave you without the recipes you need, here it is! If there’s a flavour of cake or buttercream that’s not on here but you’d like to see, then let me know and I’ll do my best to add it.
This white chocolate buttercream is based on my yummy milk chocolate buttercream, where equal quantities of butter and icing sugar are beaten together and then lots of melted white chocolate is added. It gives you beautiful smooth buttercream that is the perfect consistency for piping.
- Melt your chocolate over a bain marie (in a bowl over a pan of simmering water). When I use milk or dark chocolate I’m happy to melt my chocolate in a pan on the hob, but I find that white chocolate is a bit temperamental and can easily go a bit grainy. The heat over a bain marie is gentler. You could also use the microwave using short bursts (20 seconds at first and then 10 seconds, stirring in between each one).
- Use chocolate from the baking aisle in the supermarket (it’s less temperamental than the chocolate from the sweet aisle).
- Make sure you let your chocolate cool to room temperature before adding it to the butter and sugar, otherwise it’ll melt the butter and you’ll end up with runny buttercream.
- You should find that your buttercream is the perfect consistency for piping. If it’s a little stiff then beat in a little milk (no more than 1 tsp at a time). If it’s a little too soft then pop it into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up slightly.
What You’ll Need
Before you start, make sure you have all of the equipment needed.
NOTE – These are affiliate links which means that if you purchase from Amazon after clicking on one the product links below I may earn a small commission. All of the products linked are ones I use in my kitchen.
Weighing Scales- Measuring Spoons
- Knife – to cut the butter
- Something to melt the chocolate in – either a bowl in the microwave, small saucepan, or bowl over a small saucepan.
- Electric Mixer (or a bowl and hand mixer or wooden spoon)
- Sieve
- Piping Bags – if you’re planning on piping the cupcakes
- Piping Nozzle – To pipe the cupcakes as shown in the pictures you’ll need a JEM 1B nozzle.
FREE GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION CHARTS
Subscribe to the Charlotte's Lively Kitchen mailing list to get your FREE printable grams to cups and cups to grams conversion charts for twelve popular baking ingredients
White Chocolate Buttercream
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g unsalted butter - soft at room temperature
- 250 g icing sugar
- 200 g white chocolate
- A little milk - to get the buttercream to the right consistency, this may not be needed
INSTRUCTIONS
- Break the white chocolate (200g) and melt it over a bain marie (in a bowl over a pan of simmering water).
- Once the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the pan and leave the chocolate to cool.
- Beat the butter (250g) on a low speed until soft and then add the icing sugar (250g), 1 tbsp at a time and beat until fully combined.
- Once the white chocolate has cooled to room temperature pour it into the butter and sugar mixture and beat on a low speed until fully combined. You should find that the buttercream has a soft, spreadable consistency, if not add a little milk a tsp at a time until it is soft.
- Your buttercream is now ready to use.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Free From/Suitable For…
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Egg-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Nut-Free
The ingredients for this recipe are easily available free from all these allergens. However, please ensure you double-check allergen information for all ingredients.
Clair says
Would I need double recipe to only cover and decorate a 4 tier unicorn cake?
Thanks ☺️☺️
Charlotte Oates says
It depends on a few things…
1) What size cake are you making?
2) How thick do you want the buttercream around the outside of the cake?
3) Are you planning on adding buttercream swirls? (most unicorn cakes I’ve seen have them)
Carli says
Do you think this would hold for rosettes on a 8inch double layer mud cake? And do you think I’d get away with only doubling the batch?
Charlotte Oates says
Yes, it’ll hold for rosettes. Are you planning to put rosettes over the sides or just on top and in the middle? If it’s just on top and in the middle. A single batch should be enough. To cover the sides too the a double batch should give you plenty.
Bianka says
How long will this last if I didn’t use the entire batch and where is the best place to store it when you’re not using it ? Counter or fridge ?
Charlotte Oates says
Preferably in the fridge, but it’ll be fine for a few days on the counter in a cool room.
Hayley says
Is this ok to use for a drizzle cake. If I cover the cake in the chocolate buttercream, let it set in the fridge then drizzle chocolate over the top? Will the buttercream hold its shape?
Charlotte Oates says
It should be fine as long as you chill it first and the chocolate you are drizzling has cooled to room temperature before you pour it over the cake.
Fadzai Cynthia Chikosha says
can I use this to completely frost a rainbow cake?
Charlotte Oates says
It depends on the size of the cake! Without knowing the diameter and height of the cake I couldn’t say – sorry.
Fadzai says
Understandable. But I meant Is the icing strong enough to hold the cake? Cause normally just plain vanilla buttercream is used for rainbow cakes but I love the taste of white chocolate in buttercream icing so I would prefer to use that
Charlotte Oates says
Sorry, I totally misunderstood 🙂
Yes, this icing is strong enough for the cake. It doesn’t crust in the same way as standard vanilla buttercream though, due to the addition of the chocolate.
Jodie says
If i were to pipe this is cupcakes would they need to stay cooled/ refrigerated x
Charlotte Oates says
Ideally they should be refrigerated if you can, but they’ll be fine in a cool room for a couple of days
Josephine says
What chocolate did you use please?
Charlotte Oates says
I can’t remember as I tend to have a few favourites and then stock up when I spot them on special offer 🙂
I always recommend using chocolate from the baking aisle rather than the sweet aisle in the supermarket as I find that it melts better and is less likely to seize and go grainy. My favourite brands are Tesco own, green and blacks and Dr. Oetker. I also like the white chocolate from Aldi.
Susan says
Hi is this suitable to cover with fondant does it crust and go firm
Charlotte Oates says
It doesn’t crust in the same way as a traditional buttercream (made with 2:1 icing sugar to butter) as the added chocolate gives it a softer texture. However, I have successfully used it under fondant several times
Carol Kershaw says
Hi can I cover a cake with this before covering it with sugar paste
Charlotte Oates says
Yes
Ada Zegarra says
Hi, if I want to get the frosting in differents colors, which kind of food coloring may I have to use?
Thanks
Charlotte Oates says
Use gel colours (the thick colouring in the little pots). Add it to the icing before adding the milk for consistency as if you add a lot it could make the icing a little softer. Add a little at a time as the colouring is quite strong, you can always add more but you can’t take it away.
Jo says
Can I freeze any that I don’t use?
Charlotte Oates says
You can, but the texture goes a bit fudgy and it becomes too thick to pipe (still delicious though).
Jenny says
I just made this recipe for a friend’s birthday cake and it was great! Perfect consistency and easy to make. Thanks for all your tips. It did turn out more pale yellow than in the photo. As I am in New Zealand, I guess our butter may be a deeper yellow in colour?
Charlotte Oates says
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I suspect you’re right about the butter. It could also have been partly down to the white choocolate you used as I know that some have a more yellow colour than others.
Sarah says
Hi I was just wondering how far in advance could i make this recipe ?? Would a few days be ok ???
Charlotte Oates says
It should be fine for about 4 days if it’s stored in the fridge.
Chie Ejercito says
Hi! I’ ve tried this recipe and it was a success. The texture and flavor was really good. I was wondering if I can add color to this. I’m thinking of making it in pastel colors since my daughter is requesting for a unicorn-inspired theme for her birthday treats. If i can add color, at which point in the process should I incorporate it? Thanks!
Charlotte Oates says
Absolutely, this buttercream is great for adding colour. Use the gel colours and add a little at a time until you get to the colour you want.
Kylie Paplauskas says
I need to make 3 batches of this white chocolate buttercream (making 36 cupcakes) should I triple the ingredients or just make 3 sperate batches ?
Charlotte Oates says
There’s no reason to split them unless your bowl isn’t big enough to hold all of the ingredients.
Chie Ejercito says
Hi! I was wondering if the frosting would withstand about an hour of travelling by car. It would be airconditioned though, but would refrigerating frosted cupcakes before travelling help? I’m looking for frosting stable enough for travelling. Thanks!
Charlotte Oates says
It depends on how warm the car is, but I would do this in my car with no worries.
Bethany says
Phenomenal recipe. Delicious flavor and great texture too. I used this recipe with a mud cake for a wedding as a regular buttercream made it too sweet. This was perfectly complimentary. Thanks
Cerys says
Hiya, my butte rcream tastes fine however its lumpy and runny but it needs to be done for tomorrow any advice on how to fix this without any wastage. Xx
Charlotte Oates says
It’s difficult to say without seeing it. If you have a hand blender you could try blitzing it with that to see if you can bring it together.
Sophie Price says
This is a just a tip for next time: sift the sugar before hand even if it doesnt seem too lumpy, add a little more icing sugar if it is runny or fridge it for a bit to see if it firms up. Alternatively, if you notice it thinning stop adding chocolate. x
Sally Smith says
I need green buttercream icing (I’m making a dinosaur cake!). Would the white chocolate buttercream be ok with some green food colouring in?
Charlotte Oates says
It’s absolutely fine. Use the gel colours as the runny ones will make your icing to soft.
Ali says
Hi, I was wondering if this icing would work underneath a fondant? I am making a red velvet cake, and do not think standard buttercream would taste as good underneath! Is it suitable for a crumb cover? Thank you!
Charlotte Oates says
It should work fine as a crumb cover under fondant.