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Sugar & Sparrow

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White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

April 5, 2019 · In: Featured, Frosting, Recipes, Seasonal, Valentines, Winter

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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.

chocolate and white chocolate buttercream cake
white chocolate buttercream recipe

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.

white chocolate buttercream by Sugar and Sparrow
white chocolate buttercream cupcakes

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!

white chocolate buttercream recipe

White Chocolate Buttercream

4.93 from 13 votes
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.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:5 mins
Total Time:5 mins
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.

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!

By: Whitney · In: Featured, Frosting, Recipes, Seasonal, Valentines, Winter · Tagged: buttercream recipe, frosting recipe, white chocolate, white chocolate buttercream, white chocolate buttercream recipe, white chocolate frosting

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Femida says

    April 5, 2019 at 11:11 pm

    Thank you for dis recepie. Will try it soon. Can we pipe flowers using dis cream?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 6, 2019 at 8:54 pm

      Hi Femida! This buttercream will work for flowers. If you like it to be stiffer for more intricate flowers, I would add up to 1 cup of extra powdered sugar to stiffen up the consistency.

      Reply
  2. Camila says

    April 9, 2019 at 10:34 am

    that looks pretty yummi… Can I substitute the white for dark chocolate?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 9, 2019 at 11:44 am

      Hi Camila! You can certainly substitute dark chocolate in this recipe. Let me know if you try it!

      Reply
      • Camila says

        April 9, 2019 at 12:53 pm

        Sure I will!!!

        Reply
  3. Demetria says

    April 15, 2019 at 1:03 pm

    What size cake will it frost.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 15, 2019 at 4:02 pm

      Hi Demetria! This is enough buttercream to fill and frost a three-layer 4-inch cake. I would double it for a three-layer 6-inch cake or a two-layer 8 or 9 inch cake. Hope that helps!

      Reply
    • MC says

      October 4, 2021 at 1:50 pm

      Would it be possible to use shortening instead of butter to increase the heat stability of the icing?

      Reply
      • Whitney says

        October 7, 2021 at 2:38 pm

        Hi MC! I have never tried that before but I have a hunch it would work.

        Reply
  4. Kimber says

    April 17, 2019 at 2:46 pm

    I had a snafu with white chocolate ganache last night–I didn’t pay very close attention to the recipe OR to what I was grabbing at the store and ended up with half-and-half. My WCG would not whip. I added meringue powder and powdered sugar, but it only thickened up slightly. Do you think I could cream butter and add some of the WC/half-and-half mixture and get the same or at least similar results as this frosting? I refuse to throw away the mixture–it’s so tasty!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 17, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      Hi Kimber! I think you could totally substitute the melted white chocolate in this recipe with your ganache mixture! If the ganache super sweet, maybe decrease the amount of powdered sugar by 1/2 cup and see how the consistency of the buttercream is. You can always add that 1/2 cup of powdered sugar back in at the end of the recipe if you need it to be thicker. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
      • Karen Calandra says

        June 25, 2020 at 3:56 am

        5 stars
        Delicious! Made enough for 24 smallish cupcakes.

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          June 25, 2020 at 3:48 pm

          So happy you love this recipe, Karen! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!

          Reply
  5. Annie says

    April 20, 2019 at 11:51 am

    Hi Whitney!

    I tried this recipe and it tastes amazing, but when I poured the white chocolate into the mixer it hardened and I got little chunks of white chocolate throughout the frosting. I tried it a couple times and the same thing kept happening. Do you have any tips or suggestions? I love the taste so I really want to get it right! Thank you so much!
    Annie

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 20, 2019 at 1:41 pm

      Hi Annie! That’s so interesting, I haven’t heard of that happening before. The only things I can think of is either 1) the white chocolate was cooled too much before adding it in (it can be warm, just not too hot to melt the butter), or 2) the white chocolate wasn’t completely melted to start with. Let me know if either of those things changes the outcome next time.

      Reply
      • Annie says

        April 21, 2019 at 5:57 pm

        Thank you so much for responding! I think you were right and my chocolate was too cool. Third time was the charm, it came out perfect!

        Thank you thank you!

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          April 22, 2019 at 10:26 am

          Yay!! I am so happy to hear that it worked perfectly 🙂 Glad you’re loving this recipe!

          Reply
          • Becky says

            June 1, 2019 at 12:43 am

            I have the same issue – can I fix it? Or do I need to bin it and start again?

          • Whitney says

            June 4, 2019 at 9:19 am

            Hi Becky! If the white chocolate was too cool before adding it to the buttercream, it will result in little lumps of chocolate in the buttercream. There isn’t a way to fix it once you’ve added it. Next time, make sure that the white chocolate is still a little warm, just not too hot to melt the buttercream, before adding it in.

    • Adriana says

      September 4, 2019 at 7:21 pm

      Hi Whitney ! I would like to know if this recipe works with Italian Merengue Buttercream ¿? Sounds delicious!!

      Reply
  6. Laura Laney says

    May 4, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    Hi Whitney! I’m loving the taste of this recipe…do you have any articles on the consistency and thickness of frosting to get that smooth finish? I’m thinking my batch is too smooth and runny, but maybe it should be?

    Thanks for the help and great recipe!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 5, 2019 at 7:05 pm

      Hi Laura, I do have a bit of info on buttercream consistency after the recipe in this post: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/

      I like a thin consistency for frosting a smooth buttercream finish but if your buttercream is too runny, you can always add another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to thicken it up + a pinch of salt to make sure it doesn’t end up too sweet. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  7. Mariana says

    June 6, 2019 at 6:37 am

    Hi Whitney, do you think we can add color to this buttercream? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 6, 2019 at 12:10 pm

      Hi Mariana! You absolutely can add color 🙂

      Reply
  8. Rosana Jauregui says

    June 21, 2019 at 2:31 am

    Hi Whitney,
    Can I use this recipe with Striped Buttercream Circus Animals Party Cake? I am afraid it could be a little stiff for it, if this is the case, how can I make it thinner?
    Thanks for sharing your recipes with us, love your creativity!!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 21, 2019 at 9:32 am

      Hi Rosana! You can totally use this buttercream with the Striped Buttercream Circus Animals Party Cake tutorial as-is! The consistency should be just right for making stripes. If you feel like you need to thin it out more you can always add another tsp or two of whole milk at the end.

      Reply
  9. Sonia says

    July 3, 2019 at 3:59 am

    5 stars
    How do you do the colour in the middle? It is a mix of both buttercream or is the same as white chocolate but with milk chocolate? Thanks from Spain!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 3, 2019 at 10:13 am

      Hi Sonia! The flavor ombre was created using white chocolate buttercream on the top, chocolate buttercream on the bottom, and a mix of both in the middle. Here is the chocolate buttercream recipe: https://sugarandsparrow.com/chocolate-buttercream-recipe/

      Reply
  10. Nicole says

    July 12, 2019 at 12:16 pm

    Love this and can’t wait to try it out! I’m just wondering how you decide on whether to use a buttercream or cream cheese frosting on cake! I’m just learning as I go and just don’t know how to decide which is best to use!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 12, 2019 at 2:49 pm

      Thanks so much, Nicole! The only deciding factor for me on which buttercream to use is the flavor of the cake. If I think it’ll pair better with cream cheese buttercream (lemon cake, carrot cake, pumpkin cake etc) I’ll use that. If not, I’ll choose a buttercream flavor based on what I think would taste better. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  11. Reena says

    August 22, 2019 at 4:18 am

    Hi! I’ve just discovered your blog and is in baking heaven. I can’t wait to try your recipes and tips and tricks. I want to try and make this buttercream but would like to use food colouring. I know food colour and chocolate doesn’t go well together unless it’s oil-based, will it affect my buttercream if I don’t have oil-based food gel? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 22, 2019 at 11:29 am

      Hi Reena! I’ve actually never tried coloring this buttercream before, but I did see someone on Instagram color this recipe with a vibrant pink Americolor gel. It seems to work fine with water-based food coloring, so I’d say go for it!

      Reply
  12. Reena says

    August 22, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    Thank you so much. I will try with a little bit and see how it goes.

    Reply
  13. Jamie says

    August 29, 2019 at 7:31 am

    Question, I’m making a chocolate cake for my husbands nephew. Found your recipe and was wondering if it was “food color” safe? I didn’t want to put vanilla or just regular buttercream frosting on a chocolate cake and wanted to incorporate a chocolate buttercream frosting but wasn’t sure if food color would work to make the cake colorful like he wants.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 29, 2019 at 8:55 am

      Hi Jamie! This buttercream is food color safe. Go ahead and make it colorful!

      Reply
  14. Rachel says

    September 4, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    5 stars
    I made a triple chocolate fudge cake for my husband’s birthday but needed to have a white outer frosting to decorate it the way I wanted. So, I decided adding another chocolate flavor was best. This recipe was perfect. Amazing flavor and the perfect consistency. My only issue was that the white icing started separating and sliding away from from the other chocolate frosting as the cake warmed up! 🙂 It was all delicious, though!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 4, 2019 at 11:03 pm

      Hi Rachel! That sounds delicious! I’ve paired this white chocolate buttercream with chocolate cake before and it’s so, so tasty. Glad you and your husband loved the recipe and sorry to hear about the cake getting too warm!

      Reply
  15. Adriana says

    September 4, 2019 at 7:25 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Whitney ! I was wondering if this beautiful white chocolate bc recipe be used with Italian Merengue bc as well. Thank you !

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 4, 2019 at 11:01 pm

      Hi Adriana! The process for making Italian Meringue buttercream is quite a bit different than making the above recipe (American Buttercream). I’ve never made it before but I’m sure there are recipes for white chocolate Italian Meringue Buttercream out there from other bakers!

      Reply
  16. Mike says

    September 20, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    I made this. But the ratio of butter to sugar seems off. Is the recipe correct? 1 cup of butter and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar? Mine came out really thin and I did not even add the milk, which would make it more of a glaze.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 20, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      Hi Mike! The measurements are correct, whenever I make this recipe it turns out thick enough to frost and pipe with. The cupcakes in the photos are piped with this exact recipe. I’m wondering if your butter was too soft or the melted white chocolate was warmer than room temperature? It does seem like a small amount of powdered sugar, but when made correctly this frosting should thicken with the addition of the melted white chocolate chips after the whipping step, enough to add the milk without thinning it too much. You can always add less milk if you like your frosting ultra thick.

      Reply
  17. Sheeree says

    September 22, 2019 at 6:38 am

    Hi may i know the shelf life of this buttercream tnxz

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 23, 2019 at 9:02 am

      Hi Sheeree! This buttercream can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temp and re-whip with your stand mixer for about thirty seconds.

      Reply
  18. Aalia says

    November 18, 2019 at 7:45 pm

    Hello,

    I wanted to ask if I could use white chocolate syrup instead of the chips

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 20, 2019 at 5:45 pm

      Hi Aalia! It depends on what you mean by syrup. Like what you would use to flavor coffee? If that’s what you mean I would use this vanilla buttercream recipe and flavor it with a tiny bit of white chocolate syrup (maybe start with 1 tsp and see if it needs more from there): https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/

      Reply
  19. Richa says

    November 19, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    Hi Whitney, I want a really white frosting for my chocolate cake to have a white look. Is there a way to make the white chocolate BC whiter? Or is it already white?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 20, 2019 at 5:01 pm

      Hi Richa! The white chocolate buttercream is already pretty white as-is, but you could always add some Americolor Bright White if you want it to be even more white: https://amzn.to/2Xzg8vC

      Reply
  20. Charlene Oody says

    December 30, 2019 at 10:44 am

    5 stars
    Omg. This is soooooo good! My family just wants the icing instead of cake and I agree lol

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 2, 2020 at 7:42 pm

      Haha that’s amazing, Charlene! I’m glad you all love this recipe as much as I do!

      Reply
  21. Rati says

    January 25, 2020 at 1:10 pm

    5 stars
    Hey Whitney,

    I’ve just finished making this buttercream and it is soo light and soooo fluffy – oh my goodness. I’m pairing it with your chocolate cake recipe (semi naked cake) . Love the recipe and I just wanted to say thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 26, 2020 at 9:42 pm

      So happy you love this recipe as much as I do, Rati! I’m so glad to hear that you’ve paired it with my chocolate cake recipe as well (excellent choice)! Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂

      Reply
  22. Anne says

    February 28, 2020 at 2:56 pm

    Hello, can you please tell me how many standard size cup cakes a single batch of this white chocolate butter cream will frost? I like it piled high. 🙂 thank you.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 2, 2020 at 10:59 am

      Hi Anne! This buttercream recipe yields enough to frost 15-18 cupcakes, so probably more like 15 if you’re piling it high.

      Reply
  23. Teresa Woodard says

    April 24, 2020 at 9:08 am

    Can I make this using a hand mixer?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 24, 2020 at 5:31 pm

      Hi Theresa! You can certainly use a hand mixer for this recipe. Just follow the same speeds and mixing times as the recipe calls for.

      Reply
  24. Jennie says

    May 15, 2020 at 7:16 pm

    Would salted butter be okay to use and skip the kosher salt?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 16, 2020 at 6:18 pm

      Hi Jennie! You could totally use salted butter and skip the kosher salt.

      Reply
  25. Grace says

    August 9, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    Hi! Does this buttercream colpur well?? I’m looking to make a ombré blue cake and my own recipe isn’t colouring well, so was thinking the white chocolate base might make it better. I use oil based gel colours! Pls help xx

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 10, 2020 at 8:54 am

      Hi Grace! This buttercream colors very easily with water-based gels, but I haven’t tried oil-based gels. I’d imagine it would work just fine, but since I haven’t tried it myself I can’t say for sure.

      Reply
  26. Vivienne says

    August 14, 2020 at 1:01 am

    Hi Whitney. Does this buttercream form a crust once on the cake and cooled?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 14, 2020 at 9:14 am

      Hi Vivienne! Yes, it is a crusting buttercream.

      Reply
      • Purni says

        August 14, 2020 at 4:43 pm

        Hi Whitney, Will this buttercream work under fondant? Im planning to make my daughter’s birthday cake and i want the perfect finish. So im wondering the perfect recipe under the fondant.

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          August 14, 2020 at 6:44 pm

          Hi Purni! I’ve used my vanilla buttercream recipe under fondant before, and I’m sure this white chocolate buttercream would work great as well. They’re both “crusting” buttercream recipes, which is what you want when working with fondant. Here’s the vanilla buttercream recipe in case you need it: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/

          Reply
  27. Marie says

    August 17, 2020 at 5:14 pm

    Could I add orange juice to flavor this for a specific cake I’m wanting to try? If so would I take out some of the milk?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 18, 2020 at 8:14 am

      Hi Marie! Flavoring this with orange sounds so tasty! I would either swap half of the milk in this recipe with room temperature orange juice or keep the recipe as-is and add a tsp or so of orange zest. Most of the flavor from oranges comes from the zest, and that is one of my favorite ways to flavor buttercream/cakes.

      Reply
  28. Maaheen says

    August 21, 2020 at 6:44 pm

    Can I used cooking white chocolate instead of Which chocolate chips in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 22, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      Hi Maaheen! I have never tried this recipe with white baking chocolate before, but from a quick Google search it seems like it should be fine!

      Reply
  29. Thoshanka Amarasinghe says

    September 5, 2020 at 11:53 pm

    Can I use normal white chocolate slab chopped and double boiled and added? Would that work? Coz I need to cover the cake and pipe some flowers too.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 6, 2020 at 5:26 pm

      Hi Thoshanka! I’ve never tried using that before, but my assumption is that it would work!

      Reply
  30. Eva says

    September 19, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    5 stars
    Hi whitney.. this is my new favorite for butter cream recipe. I didnt have good quality chocolate chip and used white chocolate compound instead but it still turns out soo yummmy… my family loved it. Made a 2 layers 9″ birthday cake and they finished so quickly as they are that good.. thanks for sharing the recipe..

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 20, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      Hi Eva! That’s so wonderful to hear and I bet this paired so beautifully with the chocolate cake. Glad it was a hit and thanks for taking the time to let me know!

      Reply
  31. Nandhini says

    September 28, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    Mind blowing it was soooo yummy loved the recipe

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 29, 2020 at 8:37 am

      So happy you love this recipe, Nandhini!

      Reply
  32. Anju says

    October 1, 2020 at 4:53 am

    Could you please tell me if this frosting recipe would be enough for a 3 layered cake. My husband’s birthday is coming up and this seems like an awesome recipe. I want to decorate the cake as well. So kind of worried if the frosting would be enough or not. Please help me out..

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 1, 2020 at 10:27 am

      Hi Anju! I would double this recipe for a triple layer cake to have enough for filling, frosting, and decorating. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Anju says

        October 3, 2020 at 5:38 am

        Thank you so much Whitney.. I will update you how it turned out 🙂

        Reply
  33. Hema says

    October 20, 2020 at 2:28 am

    Hi Whitney, I’m looking for a tasty buttercream that’s not too sweet. It’s for my daughter’s birthday cake (she’s 4 and sugar sensitive!). Can I reduce the sugar quantity without impacting flavour and consistency?
    Also, can the milk be substituted for thickened cream for a richer, creamier frosting?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 23, 2020 at 6:49 am

      Hi Hema! Since there’s already very little powdered sugar in this recipe, I do not recommend reducing it in this specific recipe only because the buttercream will end up being too thin in consistency. Instead, I’d recommend finding a recipe online that is reduced sugar as-is. If you do end up going with one of my recipes, you can sub in thickened cream for the liquid in any of my buttercream recipes – I do it all the time!

      Reply
  34. Natalie says

    October 29, 2020 at 11:02 am

    5 stars
    Hi! Thanks for sharing. As for making flowers, how much is confectionery sugar in total? And if add sour cream instead of milk?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 30, 2020 at 11:54 am

      Hi Natalie! I don’t recommend subbing in sour cream in this recipe, as it would alter the consistency too much. Instead you could use heavy whipping cream as an alternative to the whole milk and it would work just fine. This recipe is pretty pipeable as-is, but if you want it to be extra stiff you could add an additional 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar. Enjoy!

      Reply
  35. Faiza says

    November 12, 2020 at 11:23 am

    Hey, does the buttercream become really firm such that it’s easy to do painting and drawing on it?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 13, 2020 at 6:14 pm

      Hi Faiza! When chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, this buttercream will be firm enough to paint/draw on. I would make sure that whatever you’re using to paint/draw is compatible with buttercream though. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  36. Madel says

    December 1, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    Hi Whitney
    I want to try this recipe for a cake for my baby girl’s dedication this weekend. Can I substitute the milk with whipping cream? What difference will it make to the consistency?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 3, 2020 at 9:20 am

      Hi Madel! You can substitute the milk with whipping cream that’s room temperature! I’ve done that in a pinch and it works just fine, the consistency isn’t much different. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  37. Gina says

    December 10, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    Hi Whitney just asking if you can give that recipe for that chocolate cake that’s ombre and has the white chocolate buttercream with the cacao bits? Thank you Gina

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 14, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Hi Gina! That chocolate ombre cake is a combination of a few recipes I have on my blog already. I used this chocolate cake recipe: https://sugarandsparrow.com/chocolate-cake-recipe/ for the inside. For the outside I frosted the cake with this chocolate buttercream recipe on the bottom: https://sugarandsparrow.com/chocolate-buttercream-recipe and the white chocolate buttercream recipe on the top. The middle color is those two buttercreams mixed together. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Gina says

        December 15, 2020 at 6:46 pm

        Thank you Whitney can’t wait to make this cake! I love your work, you are a true artist!!!

        Reply
  38. Lynn says

    December 13, 2020 at 5:36 am

    5 stars
    A favorite frosting that I use often. Get tons of compliments. I pair it with a white cupcake and raspberry mousse filling..huge hit. I just made this yesterday for decorating my little one year old great grand daughters huge smash cupcake I made. This recipe never fails me.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 14, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      So happy to hear you love this recipe, Lynn! That flavor pairing sounds delicious and I am so happy you were able to use it to celebrate your great grand daughter turning one!

      Reply
  39. Courtney says

    January 30, 2021 at 4:10 pm

    Hi there , I’m wondering if I could sub in melted milk chocolate for the white chocolate ? I’ve tried the white chocolate and it’s divine!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 30, 2021 at 4:23 pm

      Hi Courtney! You certainly could sub in melted milk chocolate (or any kind of chocolate)! I also have a recipe for chocolate buttercream that uses cocoa powder here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/chocolate-buttercream-recipe/

      Reply
  40. Iris says

    February 14, 2021 at 3:38 pm

    5 stars
    Made this frosting with Verona White Chocolate from Whole Foods.. OH MY GOSH… this frosting is amazing.. I made a chocolate cake with this frosting and I honestly could have eaten the frosting alone.. so creamy and delicious.. my husband is beyond grateful to you for sharing this recipe.. thank you again.. blessings to you and yours..

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 14, 2021 at 6:04 pm

      Yay, Iris! That’s amazing and I’m so happy the recipe was loved by all! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂

      Reply
  41. Alison Adwell says

    March 29, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I used the ratio of sugar and butter in my go to buttercream recipe, added HWC for the milk ! Definitely will be making again!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 1, 2021 at 9:32 am

      Yay, Alison! Happy to hear that you loved this recipe!

      Reply
  42. Tania says

    April 3, 2021 at 7:42 am

    This looks delicious. I’m new to cake decorating and I don’t like most buttercream I’ve tasted/made. I’d like to try this for my son’s birthday cake, but as a base for fondant. Do you think it would work well?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 3, 2021 at 1:29 pm

      Hi Tania! All of my buttercream recipes work well under fondant, including this one. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Tania says

        April 12, 2021 at 6:12 pm

        Now THIS is a buttercream I could get on board with!! I just made it (in blue!) in preparation for my son’s sea animals birthday cake assembly on Friday. It is DELICIOUS. Thanks for a great recipe, and for restoring my confidence in buttercream!

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          April 12, 2021 at 8:49 pm

          Yay, Tania! That makes me so happy to hear!!

          Reply
  43. Elaine says

    April 3, 2021 at 1:16 pm

    4 stars
    Delicious frosting!! So yummy. The two adjustments I would make, maybe less milk and a bit more powdered sugar. And when adding the melted chocolate chips, to temper them with some frosting before adding it into the rest of the butter mixture. My butter was at room temperature, but at my house, that is 68 degrees and some of the chocolate ended up “freezing”. Do you think that would work? Nonetheless, it turned out so well. If o can post a picture here, I will. Thank you for a great recipe!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 3, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      Happy you loved this frosting, Elaine! My only suggestion to prevent the chocolate from seizing is to try adding it when it’s a little bit warmer than room temp. This will make it less likely to seize. I’ve never tried tempering it with buttercream but you’re welcome to try that as well!

      Reply
  44. Charlotte says

    April 9, 2021 at 2:13 pm

    I just wanted to say this recipe is amazingggg. I have been struggling with normal buttercream but ever since I have used this recipe it works wonders. Smooth cakes and smooth designs on cupcakes

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 10, 2021 at 6:21 pm

      Yay, Charlotte! I’m so happy to hear that!!

      Reply
  45. Delfina says

    April 16, 2021 at 3:28 am

    Hi! I checked and I don’t think this question was asked yet. Can a nut milk be used instead of reg milk? Almond specifically. Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 20, 2021 at 10:48 am

      Hi Delfina! I’ve never tried this recipe with a nut based milk so it would be an experiment. Let me know how it goes if you try it!

      Reply
  46. Patrice B says

    June 4, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    Hello whitney. So glad I’ve found your page. And my little sisters name is also Whitney. I read some of the pins on Pinterest saying the icing was a soft of lose texture. Should I add 1 Tablespoon of meringue powder to stiffen the frosting? Or just add mor sugar? What do you suggest? Sorry if this has been asked already

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 7, 2021 at 9:22 am

      Hi Patrice! This buttercream is stable enough to fill and frost a cake, but if you find you want to thicken it I would add 1/2 cup more powdered sugar.

      Reply
  47. Emily Davison says

    June 8, 2021 at 9:49 am

    Hi , could you use this recipe for a semi naked wedding cake? And how well does it withstand heat? Thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 12, 2021 at 9:30 am

      Hi Emily! Yes – you can totally use this for a semi naked cake. If you’re dealing with heat, I’d recommend refrigerating the cake until you need to display it and making sure it isn’t in direct sun. It should last for a few hours that way before it starts to really soften.

      Reply
  48. Christina says

    July 8, 2021 at 5:58 pm

    I LOVE the height of this cake, curious what size cake pans you used for the ombré cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 11, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      Hi Christina! I used three 6 inch cake layers for the ombrè cake. My pans are 6 inches diameter, 2 inches tall.

      Reply
  49. Ilona says

    August 19, 2021 at 12:20 am

    I tried this recipe out several months ago, and now it’s my go to recipe. When I get cake requests, they always ask for this frosting in particular. Everyone loves it. Thank you for the fantastic recipe!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 20, 2021 at 2:48 pm

      Yay, Ilona! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  50. Kimberly says

    November 11, 2021 at 1:25 pm

    Whitney, I tried this recipe for the first time and it turned out great! After icing the cake does the cake need to be refrigerated ? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 13, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      Yay, Kimberly! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe as much as I do! The cake technically doesn’t need to be refrigerated after decorating, but I always refrigerate my cakes to preserve the decorations. If you do store it in the refrigerator, be sure to take it out an hour or two before serving so it can come to room temp (tastes better that way!)

      Reply
  51. Ella says

    December 19, 2021 at 8:34 am

    Hi I don’t have enough white chocolate and I want to double the recipe for a 2 9 inch layer cake how should I do it

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 22, 2021 at 11:35 am

      Hi Ella! This recipe should make enough to fill and frost a double layer cake. If you want to double the recipe you’ll either need to get more white chocolate. You can try using the same amount of white chocolate while doubling the other ingredients, but the white chocolate flavor won’t be as strong.

      Reply
  52. Kathy says

    January 26, 2022 at 4:10 am

    I want to make this to go with your chocolate cake… I make a 3 layer 6” cake… I also do a crumb coat…and piping… is doubling it enough frosting?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 26, 2022 at 9:55 pm

      Hi Kathy! Double the recipe for a cake that size. That sounds so tasty!

      Reply
  53. kathy says

    February 2, 2022 at 4:29 pm

    OMG!!! I made this to go with your one bowl chocolate cake…it is delicious…my son and husband are eating the cake left from me leveling the cake with the extra buttercream…a big hit…can you freeze buttercream?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 3, 2022 at 8:44 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that! Yay, Kathy! And yes, you can freeze buttercream. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then store it in a ziploc bag or other airtight container. It should last a few months in the freezer that way. The day before you’re ready to use it, move it to the refrigerator to thaw, then bring it to room temp from there and re-whip with your stand mixer on low to bring it back to frosting consistency.

      Reply
  54. kathy says

    February 7, 2022 at 5:45 pm

    I’m attempting to make your heart cake for Valentines Day…I’ve ordered small heart cookie cutters and the Brite white…how much of the Americolor Bright White should you use?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 8, 2022 at 4:44 pm

      Hi Kathy! To whiten the buttercream with AmeriColor Bright White I usually use about 1/2 tsp per batch of buttercream. Excited for you to make my heart cake!

      Reply
  55. Katherine Evans says

    February 27, 2022 at 6:42 am

    Hello . Am making a Wedding Cake 6 8 10 inch tiers . How much buttercream would i need to fill and coat all three tiers . Each tier has 3 cakes which are 6 inch 8 inch and 10 inch the depth of the tins is 3 inch .
    Kind regards

    Katherine Evans

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 28, 2022 at 1:42 pm

      Hi Katherine! For a triple layer 6 inch cake, 2.5x the recipe. For a triple layer 8 inch cake, 3x the recipe. For a triple layer 10 inch cake, 4x the recipe. So the grand total would be 9.5x the recipe to fill and frost those three cakes. I answered your question on a different frosting recipe and the only reason that these quantities are different here is because this white chocolate buttercream recipe yields less than the vanilla buttercream recipe. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  56. Katherine EVANS says

    March 14, 2022 at 3:10 am

    Thank you for your reply .

    Reply
  57. Sheena Yadav Jain says

    May 2, 2022 at 12:05 am

    Hi Whitney! It is an amazing recipe of buttercream. I love it. But as far as i remember it had milk also in the recipe. Have you updated the recipe or its not showing by mistake.

    Thanks & Regards

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 2, 2022 at 7:15 pm

      Hi Sheena! This recipe did have 1/4 Cup of milk in it before I updated it and I found that the addition of the milk made the consistency very thin. This updated version is much more stable for cake decorating. If you want to add the milk though, you can add up to 1/4 Cup of room temperature milk in with the vanilla. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  58. Celia R says

    May 8, 2022 at 4:13 am

    5 stars
    Looking for a frosting that would hold up under 6 layers of cake in a rainbow cake. My sister found this recipe and we thought it might give us a tasty stable option instead of pure ganache. Boy oh Boy! Did this work a TREAT! The frosting was so stable NOTHING seemed out the sides, even with significant weight in the cake. AND it remained creamy after being refrigerated. Incredible!

    Couple of changes we made:
    Added 1/2 again more icing sugar to thicken it up a little more.
    Did a half butter, half shortening combo because we live in a warm area.
    Used salted butter and scaled back the salt a tiny bit.

    Chilled in the fridge for 20mins (we had double sized batches in the fridge that we cycled through as we decorated). Then piped the layers and smoothed.

    This was an absolute dream to work with!

    Side note: Trialled a little lemon juice to the mix and found it very tasty, but lost the white chocolate flavour. However it made me think that if we needed a stable lemon buttercream, this would be a goer!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 10, 2022 at 9:27 am

      That’s amazing, Celia! So happy you loved this recipe and thanks for all the details for making it heat stable!

      Reply
  59. Mariam says

    September 29, 2022 at 2:55 pm

    Hi. How many cups of this would I need for a 3 tier semi naked wedding cake ?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 1, 2022 at 10:02 pm

      Hi Mariam! Will you be using the frosting as filling as well or just the semi naked decoration? And what sizes are your tiers?

      Reply

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Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birt Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birthday Cake) 🙌🏼 🥳 this one is extra nostalgic for me because it’s what my mama made for all my birthdays growing up 💛 this recipe rivals the box mix: super moist and fluffy layers of classic yellow cake (naturally colored with egg yolks) + silky smooth chocolate buttercream. Top with rainbow sprinkles for extra fun! 🎉⁣
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Find this recipe linked in my bio + on page 147 of my book, Anyone Can Cake ✨⁣
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#birthdaycake #yellowcake #chocolatefrosting #chocolatebuttercream #sprinkles #layercake #cakelover #cakesofinstagram #cake #bake #bakingfun #bakedfromscratch #anyonecancake #cakeideas #cakedecorating
Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick’s Day or any day, because rainbow cakes are year round if you ask me 🫶🏽⁣
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🎨 colors: custom mixed with @wiltoncakes color right food coloring system ⁣
🌈 piping tips: @wiltoncakes 1M for the rosettes, 104 for the ruffles, 32 for the swirls and stars⁣
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#ombrecake #rainbowcake #sheetcake #cakedecorating #rainbow #stpatricksday #buttercreampiping #pipingskills #bakingfun #satisfyingfood #bake #cakeideas #cakelovers
I wish you could see that the inside of this cake I wish you could see that the inside of this cake had crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs sprinkled between each layer 😍 best Easter candy of all (name a better one, I dare you!) 🙌🏽 ⁣
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#ombrecake #cadburyeggs #cakedecorating #chocolate #ganache #dripcake #eastercake #cakeideas #cakelover #bakingfun #cake
This Mint Chocolate Chip Cake is just so dreamy 😍🫠 if you’re a fan of the ice cream (or just mint chocolate in general) it’s a must try: layers of ultra-moist mint chocolate cake, mint buttercream studded with chocolate chunks, and decadent chocolate ganache 🙌🏽 find the recipe in my book, Anyone Can Cake AND there’s a version of this recipe that incorporates @girlscouts Thin Mint cookies at sugarandsparrow.com 💚 ⁣
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#mintchocolate #chocolatecake #cakedecorating #chocolate #ganache #dripcake #mintchocolatechip #cakeideas #anyonecancake #bakedfromscratch #baking #cake #cakesofinstagram
I had to see how this fiber art inspired buttercre I had to see how this fiber art inspired buttercream piping looked on a sheet cake and I think I’m in LOVE 😍 obsessed with all these textures! Details: ⁣
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🎨Colors: @americolor Fuchsia, Regal Purple, and Turquoise (each color in a pastel shade + a bold shade)⁣
🎂Piping Tips: @wiltoncakes tip 1M, 104, 4B, 233, 5⁣
👩🏽‍🍳Recipes: my one-bowl chocolate cake + vanilla buttercream (both found at sugarandsparrow.com)⁣
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#satisfyingfood #chocolatecake #sheetcake #satisfying #cakedecorating #fiberart #buttercreampiping #pipingskills #buttercream #frosting #cakes #cakesofig #cakeart #bakinglove #cakelover #cakeideas #undertheseacake

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