German Chocolate Cake always reminds me of my Oma. She was full German, so I grew up thinking that this was one of her “cakes from the old country,” but the German Chocolate Cake actually originated in America. Even still, that was the cake we always had for Oma’s birthday – her favorite. This cake is so nostalgic for me, and I’m so happy to have developed a recipe for it that reminds me so much of what it tasted like as a kid and brings back so many beautiful  memories of Oma. I absolutely love how this cake turned out: 

German Chocolate Cake is traditionally a light chocolate cake with Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting, sometimes coated with a layer of chocolate frosting on the outside. While other chocolate cakes are dense and decadent, this version is much fluffier and light, which really makes the frosting the star of the show. These flavors and textures work so well together that the whole thing just melts in your mouth. 

I will say, this recipe is a marathon to make. You’ll be boiling frosting, melting chocolate, toasting pecans and coconut, separating eggs, and folding whipped egg whites into the cake batter at the end. I recommend reading through the entire recipe before you dive right in. That said, it is entirely worth it! Don’t let the complexity intimidate you – it’s basically just a big sequence of easy steps to get to the end. Once you see your final cake, you’ll be so proud and your tasters will be amazed! 

I could not stop eating the Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting by the spoonful. It was so good. It’s made by boiling together a caramel frosting mixture and then folding in toasted pecans and shredded coconut. When you mix everything together, the frosting will look soupy, but it sets up to be perfectly spreadable once cooled to room temperature. 

You can certainly just frost the Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting between cake layers and leave the sides naked, but I chose to add a little semi-naked finish with Chocolate Buttercream. For this look, you’ll want to pipe a circle of the Chocolate Buttercream around the edges of each cake layer before filling in the circle with Coconut Pecan Caramel frosting. This way, the filling won’t bulge out between your cake layers (here are more details about my methods for filling and stacking cake layers). 

After refrigerating the semi-naked cake, I added more Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting to the top of the cake and piped more Chocolate Buttercream around the top edges with Wilton Tip 1M. Then, I sprinkled toasted coconut and pecans all over the top of the cake and pressed some onto the bottom edge as well. I frosted the thinnest layer of Chocolate Buttercream around the bottom edge to make the toasted coconut and pecans stick. 

Whether you’re already a huge German Chocolate Cake fan or you just like the idea of these flavors together, this cake is sure to satisfy. It’s decadent, has amazing texture from the coconut and pecans, and is just overall a delight to eat. Remember, this is a marathon of a recipe, but so so worth every step. Enjoy!

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German Chocolate Cake

Decadent layers of chocolate cake, coconut pecan caramel frosting, and chocolate buttercream to satisfy any German Chocolate Cake lover.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

German Chocolate Cake

• 3 oz Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 Cup (80ml) hot coffee or water coffee recommended
• 1 2/3 Cups (220g) all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 Cup (180ml) buttermilk, room temperature *DIY recipe in notes
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) white granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting

• 1/2 Cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 Cup (100g) white granulated sugar
• 1/4 Cup (95g) packed brown sugar
• 6 Oz evaporated milk
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1/3 Cup (75g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 Cup sweetened shredded or flaked coconut
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 Cup (45g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Additional Toppings

• 1/4 Cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 Cup sweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted

Instructions

Make the German Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Add about an inch of water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Place the chocolate and hot coffee, or water, into a heat safe bowl and place it on top of the simmering saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water in the saucepan. Whisk the chopped chocolate mixture constantly until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is homogenous. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), beat the butter for on high for two minutes until it's light and creamy. Add 1 1/4 Cups of the sugar (set aside the remaining 1/4 Cup) and continue to mix on high for another two minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. 
• Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla and the melted chocolate and beat until incorporated. Turn the mixer back to low and add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until the ingredients start to come together.
• In a separate bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites at high speed. Drizzle in the 1/4 cup of the reserved sugar and continue to beat on high for 2 minutes, until soft peaks form. Fold about one Cup of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then carefully fold the remaining the egg whites into the batter.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans (be sure to fill the pans no more than 2/3 full) and smooth the tops. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack or baking sheet to cool for a few more hours. Make sure they're entirely room temperature before applying any frosting.

Make the Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting

• Place the chopped pecans into a pan and toast them over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugars, evaporated milk, egg yolks, cubed butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and thicken, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pecans, coconut, and vanilla extract. The frosting will look very soupy at first, but will thicken as it cools. Let cool for about an hour, until room temperature and spreadable.

Make the Chocolate Buttercream

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and turn the mixer to low, then add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two full minutes.

Assembly

• Once the cakes are fully cooled, torte each layer to level the tops. Fill a piping bag with Chocolate Buttercream and snip off about 1/2 inch opening. Starting with the bottom layer, pipe a circle of Chocolate Buttercream around the edge of the top and fill the inside with Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting. Add the next cake layer on top and repeat the process of piping the Chocolate Buttercream circle and filling it in with Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting. Add the final cake layer, upside down, on top. If you need it, here's a tutorial on this method of filling and stacking cake layers.
• Frost a thin layer of Chocolate buttercream all over the cake, smoothing the sides and top to create a semi-naked finish. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to let the frosting firm up a bit.
• Fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 1M and fill it with the remaining Chocolate Buttercream. Pipe swirls all around the top of the cake, then fill in the center with Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting. Generously sprinkle the top with toasted pecans and coconut flakes. Frost a very thin line of Chocolate Buttercream around the bottom edge of the cake and press more toasted pecans and coconut flakes onto it.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk Recipe: For every Cup of buttermilk you need, add 1 Tbsp white vinegar to a measuring cup, top it off with whole milk to bring the measurement to 1 Cup. Stir and set aside for 15 minutes before using in a recipe. In the case of this recipe, you’ll need 3/4 Tbsp white vinegar topped off with whole milk to bring the total measurement to 3/4 Cup. 

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The German Chocolate Cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for up to two days ahead of decorating. Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and frosting. 
2. The Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature so that it’s spreadable consistency. 
3. The Chocolate Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and rewhip with your stand mixer to bring back to frosting consistency. 
4. The fully assembled and decorated can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for 4-5 days. If you do choose to refrigerate your decorated cake, bring it back to room temperature before eating. 

 

Did you make this German Chocolate Cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me! I love to see what you create.

The post German Chocolate Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

This Summer, something happened to me that has never happened before (to my knowledge at least): one of my cakes melted in the outdoor heat. I made a birthday cake for a dear friend’s daughter – my vegan vanilla cake with vegan vanilla buttercream. The party was outdoors and the temperature was around 85 degrees. I refrigerated the cake up until I needed to drive it to the party, thinking that would be enough to preserve it for a few hours. But about an hour after the cake was displayed, the thing started melting (along with my heart). Thankfully, these were the kind of friends who were able to laugh about it with me as it all fell apart. Here’s a before and after:

Although it was a first for me, it got me thinking about so many of you who live in hot and humid climates. I’ve even gotten questions over the years from said people wondering how to make their buttercream more heat stable. The fact of the matter is, the butter in buttercream frosting starts to break down when it’s in an environment that’s above 82 degrees, and vegan butter has an even lower melting point. So, I thought I’d do some experimenting on how to add stability to your buttercream (both vegan and non) for those hot and humid days while keeping your frosting nice and tasty. 

For my experiment, I created four mini cakes and frosted them each with different frostings using my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe as a base: 

• All butter (aka the recipe as-is)
• Half butter and half shortening
• Half butter and half shortening + meringue powder for added stability
• Half vegan butter and half shortening (with coconut milk as the liquid)

I refrigerated each cake until firm before placing them in the direct sun on an 88 degree day with 35% humidity and here’s a video of what happened:

If you’re into cake videos like this one, head on over to my YouTube Channel. You’ll find all sorts of cake decorating tutorials, recipes, and my entire Cake Basics series in video format. I’m always adding new videos there, so be sure to hit the subscribe button so you’ll always be the first to know about a new one. 

Buttercream Heat Test Results

Over the course of the two hours I had the cakes in the sun, none of them completely melted, which was kind of disappointing because I wanted things to be more dramatic. The day just wasn’t hot enough. So in the end, I had to break out the hair dryer to see what would happen with more heat applied. 

After I cranked up the heat on these cakes, the all-butter buttercream frosted cake melted into soup:

The cake with the half vegan butter and half shortening got a huge air bubble in the frosting that started to melt:

The half butter and half shortening frosted cake looked pretty good after one hour but this is after two hours out in the direct sun + hair dryer:

And the half butter/half shortening with added meringue powder had relatively no change: 

I did try an all-shortening frosting because I hear that’s really heat stable, but just couldn’t get over how terrible it tasted. You’d have to use a lot of flavoring to get it to taste normal (and even then, the texture is a little weird).

I concluded that when you’re up against crazy heat (according to these test results at least), use half butter and half shortening with meringue powder. If you’re in need of vegan frosting, you can chance it with half vegan butter and half shortening or try the all-shortening route (with the meringue powder omitted) if you can get it to taste good. I’m going to add my preferred recipe below and in the notes, I will show you how to adapt the recipe for using all-shortening, making it vegan, etc. 

What is High Ratio Shortening?

When you think of shortening, what do you think of? Crisco is what I thought of before all my research into heat stable buttercream. It turns out that Crisco (and most shortening) is made with zero trans fat – in other words, it won’t add enough stability to your frosting. So in order to add that stability, you need what’s called high ratio shortening. That means the shortening has a high ratio of fat with added emulsifiers and no added salt or water. In other words, the micro emulsifiers in it help your frosting to hold more sugar and liquid and thus make it more temperature resistant. 

Unlike Crisco though, high ratio shortening can’t be found at your typical grocery store. I found this high ratio shortening on Amazon, which claims to be made specifically for cake making, but there are other brands (Sweetex is one I hear about a lot) that cake decorators use. You might be lucky and live close to a cake decorating shop that sells high ratio shortening, so check your local area to see.  

What is Meringue Powder? 

Meringue powder is basically powdered egg whites, but it also contains cornstarch, sugar for sweetness, gum arabic for thickening, and cream of tartar which helps with stabilizing. If you want to try just adding meringue powder to your buttercream without adding any shortening, add 1 Tbsp (per batch of frosting) by mixing it into the powdered sugar before adding it to the butter in the linked recipe. 

With taste and stability in mind, here’s my new go-to recipe for heat stable buttercream:

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Heat Stable Vanilla Buttercream

A tasty vanilla buttercream that stands up better to hot and humid environments. Makes enough to fill and frost a double layer cake, fill and crumb coat a triple layer cake, and frost about 20 cupcakes.

Servings 3 Cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup (100g) high ratio shortening
• 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp meringue powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp whole milk or heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes.
• Whisk the meringue powder into the powdered sugar. Then, with the mixer on low, add the meringue/powdered sugar mixture one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
• Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: This buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

To Make It with Vegan Butter: substitute an equal amount of vegan butter (I love Earth Balance Sticks) for the unsalted butter, omit the meringue powder, add 1 Tbsp vanilla instead of 2 tsp, add 1 Tbsp dairy-free milk instead of 2 Tbsp whole milk (my favorite is unsweetened coconut milk), and salt to taste. 

To Make It All-Shortening: omit the butter and use 1 Cup of high ratio shortening, 1 Tbsp of vanilla (and ¼-½ tsp of any other flavorings you’d like, such as butter extract, almond extract, etc), 4 Tbsp of whole milk or non-dairy milk, and keep the salt amount the same. 

To Make It Extra White: After all ingredients have been incorporated, add 1-2 tsp of Americolor Bright White or icing whitener of your choice. 

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

Did you try this recipe? I want to know that you think! Let me know in the comments below or feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me. I love to see what you create! And if you have a go-to recipe for heat stable buttercream or technique that you swear by, let us all know in the comments. We’re all in this together!

The post Stable Vanilla Buttercream Recipe for Hot Weather appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I’ve tested a ton of buttercream recipes in my day, but my go-to is a super simple American buttercream recipe that I’ve tweaked to my liking. I’ve used this recipe for frosting countless cakes and cupcakes and I’m a big believer that a good vanilla buttercream is something every baker should have in their recipe box. There’s nothing fancy about the way this recipe is made, but it will certainly taste like you whipped up something special!

Making sure you use a good quality vanilla extract or paste is one of the secrets to success. You can use any kind of vanilla extract or paste, but I always use bourbon vanilla (I get mine from Trader Joe’s!) to give it a rich vanilla flavor. The other secret to success? Room temperature everything. That means taking the milk and butter out and letting them come to room temperature for about a half hour to an hour before you start any mixing. 

Here’s a quick video I whipped up to show you my method for making this buttercream recipe and all my tips for success:

I’ve got more recipe videos like this one + some fun cake decorating tutorials on my YouTube channel if you want to see some more! I’m always rolling out new videos, so click the subscribe button while you’re there to ensure you never miss a new one.

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Vanilla Buttercream

A rich, flavorful vanilla buttercream that is so easy to whip up, but tastes like you made something special. 

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups (420g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp whole milk or heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes. 
• With the mixer on low, add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. 
• Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated. 

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: This buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

To Make It Vegan: substitute an equal amount of vegan butter (I love Earth Balance Sticks) for the unsalted butter, use 1 Tbsp dairy-free milk instead of 2 Tbsp whole milk (my favorite is unsweetened coconut milk), and omit the salt. 

To Make It Extra White: After all ingredients have been incorporated, add 1-2 tsp of Americolor Bright White or icing whitener of your choice.  

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

Tips for the best buttercream consistency

There are three types of consistency for buttercream that you need to know, and each one plays a different role in cake decorating.

Medium Consistency

This is the most versatile of all consistencies. It works perfectly as a filling between layers, crumb coating, frosting a cake (especially if you want a smooth buttercream finish), and even decorating cupcakes with simple piping tips. This buttercream recipe is medium consistency as-is, so it’s super easy to spread smoothly onto cakes. To test and make sure you’ve got a medium consistency going, you should be able to dip your rubber spatula into the buttercream and it will come out with soft peaks and spread easily when you move your finger over it.

Thin Consistency

This is the perfect consistency for painting with buttercream or writing a message on your cake. To achieve it, just add 1-2 additional teaspoons of room temperature milk to thin out the buttercream. 

Stiff Consistency

If you’re piping buttercream flowers, especially ones with petals that need to stand upright, you’ll need a stiff consistency. Add an extra 1/2 cup of powdered sugar per batch of the above recipe to achieve this. When you dip your rubber spatula into the frosting, it should come out with stiff peaks, but when you pipe with it, make sure it’s not so thick that you have to put a ton of extra pressure on the bag or clog the piping tip. If you’re running into these problems, fear not! You can tone it down by adding room temperature whole milk, 1 tsp at a time, until it’s just right.

The post Basic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I’ve been curious about ruby chocolate for awhile now, mostly because of its gorgeous, all-natural mauve coloring. So when I saw these Chocolove Ruby Cacao bars at my local New Season’s, I almost squealed! I thought it was a super rare find but it turns out you can find ruby chocolate bars at most grocery stores now, especially around Valentine’s Day. It’s the latest chocolate confection since the invention of white chocolate, only it’s made from the ruby cocoa bean with no added flavoring or food coloring. 

I was totally (pleasantly!) surprised at the all-natural flavor of this Ruby Cacao bar – it tastes mostly like raspberry with a hint of chocolate. It’s a total pleasure to eat, not too sweet or bitter at all, but a perfect balance of fruit and chocolate flavor. I knew I had to try making it into a buttercream because I imagined it would pair perfectly with my favorite chocolate cake (spoiler alert: it is a match made in heaven). Plus I had to find out what color the buttercream would end up! 

To make this ruby chocolate buttercream, I used the method as my white chocolate buttercream recipe: melt the chocolate, cool it to room temp, and add it after creating the butter/powdered sugar mixture. You’ll notice that this buttercream doesn’t have a lot of powdered sugar in it, but trust me. There’s some sort of magic that happens after you add the melted chocolate and whip it all together. It ends up making more buttercream than you would expect (about 3 cups), frosts and pipes like a dream, and has such incredible flavor! A must try if you’re ready to experiment with a new kind of chocolate.

You’re probably wondering why the color of this chocolate is pink, since cacao beans are typically brown. If you Google image search ruby cacao beans, they’re actually a bit more ruby in color (hence the name), and the resulting chocolate gets even more of a pink hue after the beans have been processed in a specific way. It’s wild, and I’m a fan.

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Ruby Chocolate Buttercream

A silky smooth ruby chocolate buttercream with natural notes of berry and chocolate and all natural color. Perfect for piping cupcakes or frosting a smooth cake finish. Makes enough to frost 18 cupcakes, or fill/frost a 3 layer 4-inch cake.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 3 Cups

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170g) ruby chocolate, chopped into small bits
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (180g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Add the ruby chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until all the ruby chocolate is melted and there are no lumps. Alternatively, you can melt the ruby chocolate using a double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, give the melted ruby chocolate a few stirs and make sure it’s not hot enough to melt the butter (if it is still too hot, wait a few minutes before adding!), then add it in. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla, heavy whipping cream, and salt and beat for another minute on medium.

Notes

Make Ahead Tip: This buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

Did you make this recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram so I can see what you’re caking. I love to see your creations!

The post Ruby Chocolate Buttercream Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I have this friend who is a total chocolate lover. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday cake, she said, “milk chocolate, white chocolate, any kind of chocolate.” So I decided to make her the ultimate chocolate lover’s birthday cake: layers of my favorite chocolate cake recipe frosted with a flavor ombre that went from chocolate buttercream to white chocolate buttercream. It was to die for.

After sharing it on Instagram, I got so many requests for my white chocolate buttercream recipe that I just have to share it here. It’s made with melted white chocolate chips (I use Hershey’s, but feel free to use any brand) to give it a really authentic, decadent flavor. And best of all, it pipes and frosts like a dream, so whether you’re piping it onto cupcakes or looking for a smooth buttercream cake finish, this recipe has you covered.

This white chocolate buttercream recipe pairs well with so many flavors. You can make it ultra decadent by topping a chocolate cake or pair it with some fruity flavors to add a little richness. I’ve even paired it with pumpkin cake in the Fall and the flavor palette was so dreamy! It’s versatile, not too sweet, and the perfect amount of silky smooth.

Here’s a quick video that shows how easy it is to whip up this white chocolate buttercream:

PS: If you’re into recipe videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel! You’ll find more of my favorite recipes, cake decorating tutorials, and so much more. Click the Subscribe button while you’re there so you never miss a new video!

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White Chocolate Buttercream

A silky smooth, decadent white chocolate buttercream that’s perfect for piping cupcakes or frosting a smooth cake finish. Makes enough to frost 15-18 cupcakes.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 2 Cups

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170g) white chocolate chips
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (180g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler, stirring until there are no lumps. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, give the melted white chocolate a few stirs and make sure it’s not hot enough to melt the butter (if it is still too hot, wait a few minutes before adding!), then add it in. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and salt and mix on low for another minute, until fully combined. 

Notes

Make Ahead Tip: This buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

Did you make this recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram so I can see what you’re caking. I love to see your creations!

The post White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

One of my friends described this chocolate buttercream perfectly: it’s the kind you have to put in the sink and cover with water so you don’t eat the whole bowl. I think she’s totally right, because time and time again I find myself eating this stuff by the spoonful. I’m a huge fan of all things chocolate, so it doesn’t surprise my that this is my favorite buttercream of all. Yes, those are strong words, but this is how I feel.

The funny thing is there isn’t anything fancy about the process of making this buttercream or the ingredients involved, but the end result is amazingly tasty! It’s a simple American buttercream with cocoa powder added. I always opt for Hershey’s natural unsweetened cocoa powder for this one, but any unsweetened cocoa powder will do just fine. One thing to note about this recipe is that as soon as you finish whipping it up, the color looks like a light brown at first, but then ends up looking darker as the cocoa powder starts to saturate it. The end result is something more like the medium brown below.

You can pair this chocolate buttercream with just about any cake flavor that goes well with chocolate. My all-time favorite cake combination is pairing this chocolate buttercream with this chocolate cake recipe. I am pretty biased because I’m a huge fan of all things chocolate, but trust me on this one – it’s perfect! But beware, whatever cake you top it with, you’re gonna want to eat the extra by the spoonful. Consider yourself warned!

Here’s a quick recipe video to show you the process before you read all about it below:

PS: If you’re into cake decorating videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel! Click the Subscribe button while you’re there so you never miss a new video.

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Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

A decadent chocolate buttercream that's so easy to whip up, but yields amazingly tasty results. Pair it with chocolate cake for the ultimate chocolate-lover's dessert. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Servings 3 Cups

Ingredients

• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 Cup (45g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and light in color, 4-5 minutes.
• Scrape down the bowl and paddle, then add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Cover the mixer with a clean kitchen towel (to prevent ingredients flying out of the bowl), then turn the mixer to low and mix until all ingredients start to come together.
• Remove the kitchen towel, scrape down the bowl and paddle, then continue mixing on low speed until uniform and smooth, 2-3 minutes.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: this buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and rewhip with your stand mixer to bring back to frosting consistency. 

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

• Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
• Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe. 

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