Learn how to make homemade rainbow chip frosting. This from scratch frosting tastes even better than the real deal, without additives or preservatives. It’s not as cloyingly sweet and you can have fun customizing the colors of the rainbow chips! Use it to frost cupcakes, cakes, and more.
Not sure if you’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing the tub of miracles otherwise known as rainbow chip frosting. It’s a tangy-sweet, but mostly sweet, vanilla frosting that has soft and colorful chips swirled inside. If unicorns owned a bakery, rainbow chip frosting is what they would sell. But in real life, it’s sold in the baking aisle, so let’s make our own at home!
This Rainbow Chip Frosting Is
- Fun to make
- Infinitely better than the canned version
- Silky smooth with festive rainbow chips
- Sweet and a little tangy
- Completely homemade—rainbow chips and all
- Perfect for birthdays
- A party in frosting form!
Overview: How to Make Rainbow Chip Frosting
For the full recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Melt the white chocolate. Use a double boiler or microwave. I recommend Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands of white chocolate. They’re sold in bars in the baking aisle, typically right next to the chocolate chips.
- Add color. Pour the melted white chocolate into 4 bowls. Add 2-3 drops of food coloring to each. I like to use Americolor gel food coloring (affiliate link). Don’t use too much food coloring—this can cause your white chocolate to seize up.
- Spread the chocolate onto baking sheets. Line each baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Make the frosting base. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until completely smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, then vanilla extract and salt. Set aside.
- Chop the white chocolate into “chips.” Remove the white chocolate from the refrigerator, place white chocolate rectangles on a cutting board, and chop it up into tiny squares or pieces. Fold a big handful of chips into the frosting using a rubber spatula. You’ll have a few chips leftover—great for decorating the cake/cupcakes/whatever you’re making!
You can use any color you like, but stick with just 4 because you won’t have enough white chocolate for more.
Spread the colors out onto a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, refrigerate for about 15 minutes until solid, then cut into little tiny pieces.
What Tastes Best with Rainbow Chip Frosting?
- Yellow Cake or Yellow Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cake or Vanilla Cupcakes
- Vanilla Sheet Cake
- White Cake
- Pistachio Cake
- Confetti Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cake or Strawberry Cupcakes
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Soft Cakey Sugar Cookies
Pictured in these photos is my yellow sheet cake baked in a 9×13 pan. Takes 40 minutes in that size pan if you want to try it yourself.
If you love fun frosting flavors, try my strawberry buttercream frosting next!
PrintHomemade Rainbow Chip Frosting
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 and 1/2 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade sweet and creamy rainbow chip frosting tastes even better than the real deal!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170g) pure white chocolate, coarsely chopped*
- food coloring: red, green, yellow, blue
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 6 ounces (170g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate. Use a double boiler or microwave. If using the microwave, stop and stir the white chocolate every 20 seconds to help avoid seizing. Pour the white chocolate into 4 small bowls and stir in 2-3 drops of coloring to each. Don’t use too much food coloring, as your white chocolate will seize up. Spread chocolate out onto a silicone baking mat (recommended) or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. You’ll have 4 rectangles. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, get started on the frosting base. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, beating on low at first then increasing to high speed. Once incorporated, add the next cup. Once creamy and combined, beat in vanilla extract. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if you’d like. Set aside for a moment.
- Remove white chocolate from the refrigerator. The rectangles should peel easily off the silicone baking mat. Chop up into tiny squares or pieces. Fold a big handful of chips into the frosting using a rubber spatula. Add more if desired. You’ll have a few chips leftover. (Would be great for decorating the top of the cake/cupcakes/whatever you’re making!)
- Store any leftover frosting or chips in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make this frosting 1 day before you need it. Keep it covered tightly in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Double Boiler or Glass Measuring Cup | Americolor Gel Food Coloring | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- White Chocolate: I recommend Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands. They’re sold in bars in the baking aisle, typically right next to the chocolate chips.
- Adapted from Not Without Salt.