Creamy white chocolate buttercream made from scratch.
Ingredients
- 230 grams (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 375 grams (3Â cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons whole or full fat milk, room temperatureÂ
- 150 grams (1 cup) good quality white chocolate, pieces
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add softened butter. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until butter is smooth and creamy.
- Add vanilla, half of the sugar and all the milk. Start mixing on low speed, then turn up to medium speed until combined – approximately 1 minute.
- Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can use a double boiler to melt your chocolate – but you’ll need to ensure your chocolate has cooled before adding it to your frosting.
- Add remaining sugar and melted white chocolate – ensuring the chocolate is still smooth and melted but is not hot to the touch. Beat on low speed, then turn up to medium speed until combined. Â
- Add pinch of salt. Continue to beat buttercream on medium speed for a further minute until the mixture becomes noticeably fluffy and creamy.
- Finish by stirring buttercream with a spatula to get rid of any air bubbles.
Notes
Butter: The key to smooth buttercream is using softened butter. If your butter is too cold, you’ll find there are still small lumps of butter in your buttercream. If you use salted butter, omit the salt included in the recipe.Â
Icing sugar: Also known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. It’s important to sift your sugar, otherwise, your buttercream will be lumpy. Do not use any other sugar, like caster sugar or granulated sugar.Â
White chocolate: I prefer to use a good quality block of chocolate over white chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape so can seize slightly and make a thicker, denser frosting. I like to use Nestle, Cadbury or Lindt chocolate.
Milk: It’s very important that your milk is also at room temperature. If you use cold milk, your buttercream may seize, making it split with a grainy texture.Â
Make-ahead and storage instructions:
FRIDGE: Transfer your buttercream to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to one week. When you’re ready to use it, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon of milk and beat it on low speed until it is smooth and creamy again. Add a little more milk as needed – but add it sparingly, otherwise, your buttercream may become sloppy.
FREEZER: You can transfer your buttercream to an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to three months. To use, simply leave it at room temperature for 1-2 hours and then follow the instructions above – adding a tiny bit of milk and beating again until smooth.
Quantity: This recipe makes approximately 3 cups of frosting. This is enough to frost 12 cupcakes, an 8-inch two-layer cake or a 6-inch three-layer cake.Â
