Learn how to make sweet and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting with this easy recipe. Although it looks plain, the frosting is made with melted white chocolate, so there’s extra flavor hiding in each creamy swirl. The frosting is very rich and wonderfully thick, so it holds beautiful shape when piped. Try it on vanilla cupcakes with raspberry filling!
Move aside, vanilla buttercream and cream cheese frosting, and make way for the new white frosting in town. (I still love you both, though. There is room in my heart—and my kitchen—for all the frostings.)
But maybe you’re tired of the same ol’ vanilla frosting. And while I love cream cheese frosting, I know a lot of people in other countries have trouble making it, because it’s not always easy to find block-style cream cheese outside the U.S. So I wanted to publish another option for a delicious white frosting that tastes good on a variety of desserts.
Why You’ll Love This White Chocolate Buttercream
- Extra creamy and rich from melted white chocolate
- Holds shape when piped
- Spreads easily onto baked goods
- Can tint it a color (see it colored on top of these white chocolate peppermint cupcakes)
- White chocolate tastes great with so many different flavors
If you love white chocolate, you’ll enjoy these white chocolate strawberry cupcakes too. I add freeze-dried strawberries to make a delicious strawberry white chocolate frosting on those!
Grab These 6 Ingredients
- White Chocolate: For the best flavor and texture, we need real white chocolate. Do not use white chocolate morsels or candy melts here—get the real-deal bars of white chocolate.
- Unsalted Butter: Start with room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is cooler than you think. If the butter is too warm, the frosting will be thin and taste greasy.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: We’re using less confectioners’ sugar in this frosting than we do in vanilla buttercream, because the white chocolate is already sweet.
- Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half: Liquid thins out and adds even more creaminess to the frosting. You can use heavy cream or half-and-half. Milk works in a pinch.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds incredible flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt offsets all the sweetness.
Best White Chocolate to Use in Frosting
The best white chocolate frosting starts with real white chocolate. Do not use white chocolate morsels because they contain stabilizers preventing them from melting into the correct consistency. You need the bars of “baking chocolate” found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I like Baker’s and Ghirardelli brands, which come in 4-ounce bars. You need 6 ounces of white chocolate for this recipe, so you’ll use 1 and 1/2 bars. Save the rest for a batch of strawberry and cream cookies!
Start by chopping up the white chocolate and placing it in a microwave-safe bowl. (I usually use a glass liquid measuring cup.) Microwave it in 20-second increments, stopping and stirring after each increment. The short bursts of heat allow the white chocolate to melt without burning. Once it’s completely smooth, set it aside to let it cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
The rest of the recipe is similar to making regular vanilla buttercream or strawberry buttercream, and you’ll add the cooled melted white chocolate during the process. You’ll need a handheld or stand mixer.
It looks like vanilla buttercream, but it’s silkier, smoother, and has an extra-rich flavor. You’ll love it.
What Tastes Best With White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting?
White chocolate pairs beautifully with so many flavors, like chocolate, raspberry, lemon… the list goes on and on! This recipe makes enough for 12–16 cupcakes, a 3-layer 6-inch cake, or a 9×13-inch quarter vanilla sheet cake. I recommend you 1.5x the recipe for a 2-layer cake.
Try this white chocolate frosting on:
- Lemon Cupcakes or Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Banana Cake
- Vanilla Sheet Cake or Spice Cake
- Vanilla Cupcakes filled with Raspberry Filling
- Confetti Sprinkle Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cake Roll or Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Cupcakes, or use as the filling in these Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
- Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes
- Homemade Brownies (yum!)
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes or Pumpkin Cake
- Gingerbread Cupcakes or Gingerbread Cake
- Chocolate White Chocolate Cupcakes
Really, it’s great on pretty much anything you might typically top with vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting!
More Frosting Recipes
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2.5 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make sweet and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting with this easy recipe. Although it looks plain, the frosting is made with melted white chocolate, so there’s extra flavor hiding in each creamy swirl. Be sure to use real white chocolate, and not white chocolate morsels. See recipe Notes.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream or half-and-half*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate: Chop the white chocolate, then melt in a double boiler on the stove, or simply use the microwave: Place chopped white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (I usually use a glass liquid measuring cup), and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after every 20 seconds until completely smooth. Set it aside to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes. (Be sure the melted white chocolate has cooled for 20 minutes, so it’s still melted but not scorching hot, which would melt the butter.)
- In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Switch the mixer to low speed and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar.
- Stir the cooled white chocolate so that it is smooth, and then add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Switch the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until combined and creamy.
- Add the cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for 1 minute until combined. Taste. Add 1 more Tablespoon of heavy cream/milk if needed to thin out, if desired. Add another pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed. (It stiffens in the refrigerator.)
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Liquid Measuring Cup or Double Boiler | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer)
- White Chocolate: Do NOT use white chocolate morsels in this frosting. Use pure white chocolate, which typically comes in 4-ounce bars, and can be found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands.
- Cream: For the frosting, milk is OK to use instead of heavy cream or half-and-half. However, cream is preferred for creamiest texture.
- Quantity: This recipe is enough to frost 12–16 cupcakes, a 3-layer 6-inch cake, or a thin layer on a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake. 1.5x the recipe for a 2-layer cake. (Doubling the recipe would be far too much.)
- Decorating Tips: Be sure to check out my post on how to use piping tips (with video tutorial!), and my recommendations for essential cake baking & decorating tools.
Does this buttercream crust?
Hi Nicole, it doesn’t.
I love your site so much. It’s unbelievable how quickly you respond to questions. Thank you for your dedication!
I do have another question. Can you please help me estimate how many cups of frosting would be needed to frost and decorate a 2 layer half sheet cake? (The pans are actually 12”x18”)
Thank you!
Hi Nicole, it depends on how heavily you’d like to frost it, but we’d estimate you’ll need about 2x the recipe.
HEY SALLY. I will be trying the recipe soon and just wanted to know how much will be needed for a 2 layer 7 inch cake.
Hi Areeba, we would 1.5x the recipe for a 2 layer cake. Enjoy!
Would this frosting hold up in 85 degree weather?
Hi Jill, If it’s not placed directly in the sun, and the weather isn’t especially hot, it should be fine outside for a few hours. Storing it in the refrigerator until it’s time to put out will help, too.
Hi! Is it possible to freeze this buttercream? I plan on freezing a batch and taking it with me to a flight to San Jose then decorating the cake there. Thanks!
Hi Michelle, yes, you can keep the buttercream for up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator, then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
This is now my new go-to icing! Love it ❤️
Hi! What happens if you use white morsels instead of the baking bar?
Hi Amber, white chocolate morsels contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting into the correct consistency.
Hi. I am thinking about using this frosting for a wedding cake. Do you know how many cups a single recipe takes? Do you have any tips about air temperature – the wedding is inside an AC room but it is Los Angeles in August and will need to be transported. Thank you for your help!
Hi Tom, this recipe yields about 2.5 cups. If you’re transporting the decorated cake in an air conditioned vehicle straight to the air conditioned venue, it should work out fine. Hope it’s a hit!
Could I also add cream cheese to the recipe to have a white chocolate cream cheese frosting? Tangy yet subtly sweet?
Hi Caitlin, we haven’t tested it ourselves, but you could try swapping some (not all) of the butter with some cream cheese. You may need to tinker with the confectioners’ sugar bit since cream cheese will make the frosting softer. Let us know what you try!
Hi!
I would suggest replacing the cream with cream cheese instead of the butter, I have found that cream cheese when whipped behaves more like a liquid than butter. Hope this helps!
Can this buttercream be used for piping?
Hi Sharon, sure can!
Hello, Is this recipe is temperature sensitive? I would like it for a 3 tier wedding cake. Wedding will be outdoor. What would you recommend. thanks
Hi Francely, it really depends on the temperature/humidity for each situation. If it’s not placed directly in the sun, and the weather isn’t especially hot, it should be fine outside for a few hours. Storing it in the refrigerator until it’s time to put out will help, too.
So I had some Valrhona Passion Fruit Couvertures that I needed to use up. As those are flavored white chocolate discs I thought I could use them in this frosting. And boy did it work! Delicious! I made Sally’s Vanilla Cupcakes and topped with White Chocolate Passion Fruit Buttercream. Excellent!
Hello, could this be made ahead of time, and stored overnight in the fridge before using on the cake?
Hi Alycia, absolutely. After refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed. (It stiffens in the refrigerator.)
Can white chocolate powder be used in place of melted chocolate? Ghirardelli has a white chocolate powder
Hi Teresa, we haven’t tried it before, but if using a white chocolate powder we would use this chocolate buttercream recipe instead, swapping the cocoa powder with the white chocolate powder. Let us know if you give it a try.
I plan to make this 3-layer 9 inch Vanilla Cake: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/vanilla-cake/, but use this as frosting instead of the one in that recipe.
1. Will this frosting go well with that cake?
2. I plan to use raspberry filling in the cake, so will only pipe enough frosting for a dam in the layers. Will the above recipe be enough or should I make 1.5X?
Thanks!
Hi Naren! This frosting would be delicious with our vanilla cake. Will you also be frosting the outside of the cake? This recipe as written should be enough to pipe the dams, but we would make a double batch to ensure you have enough to frost a 3 layer cake.
Yes, I would frost the outside of the cake too, so I will do 2X. Thanks!
Such a great recipe! I’ve decorated a cake with this, can I refrigerate the decorated cake overnight and take it out a few hours before needed to come to temp – will this ruin the consistency?
Hi Miranda, you sure can!
Can you use this frosting to ice a birthday cake like you would normally with buttercream?
Hi Sarah, absolutely!
Sally…you never fail me. This frosting is so easy and so delicious.
This looks so delicious!!! In my state I cannot use cream in frosting. Do I substitute for milk/water or leave it out completely?
Hi Amber, For the frosting, milk is OK to use instead of heavy cream or half-and-half. However, cream is preferred for creamiest texture.
I need to frost 3 dozen cupcakes. Should I double the recipe or only use 1.5x? Thanks!
Hi Teena, this recipe is enough to frost 12–16 cupcakes, so we would at least double the recipe for 3 dozen cupcakes (depending on how heavily you’d like to frost them).
Morning, Sally. This looks wonderful. Just wondering if this might be a good frosting to put onto sugar cookies. Don’t need to flood the cookies – just a taste of frosting. Thanks.
Hi SR, absolutely! You could spread this frosting on sugar cookies or even do some piping (if desired) like we do for these St. Patrick’s Day cookies.
Thank you Sally. Will be making this week. I will try the piping. Shamrock cookies are SO nice.
This was the first time I’ve made a white chocolate buttercream frosting. I followed the directions precisely and I used real white (Baker’s) chocolate as recommended. I made this to frost a homemade chocolate birthday cake for one of my colleagues, tomorrow. I tasted the frosting before I used it on the cake. It was very difficult NOT to have more than just a taste! I almost had to take an unfrosted chocolate cake to school (work) tomorrow! Delicious, and I will add this to my frosting recipes! Thank you, Sally!
My son asked for something white chocolate for his birthday cake and Sally had just published this recipe. I thought, ‘perfect timing.’ Amazing recipe. This frosting is so good and it isn’t overly sweet and so silky smooth and light. I put it on your most popular vanilla cupcake recipe. They were a hit! Thanks for another goodie!
So yummy! I love this twist on frosting rather than traditional American buttercream…I’m just wondering if you can use food coloring gel to make this different colors?
Hi BreniLee, sure can!
Sally thank you so much for another great recipe. I used it on a pair of half sheet pan cakes. I have made the cakes before but this frosting added so much to the cake. Each bite just melted in your mouth. I served it to around fifty people and more then half of them made a special trip into the kitchen to let me know how delicious the cake was. Thank you for making me a hero
I see you’d recommend 1.5x for a 2 layer cake. Would you recommend a full 2x for a three layer 9in cake? Thanks!
Hi Alex, Yes you can double this frosting for a three layer 9 inch cake. Enjoy!
I loved the texture and flavor but I had too add two more cups of sugar. I reread the instructions and I did not let the chocolate cool for 20 minutes, it was probably more like 5 minutes as I added it in following the directions except cooling. Would this make the icing thinner?
Hi Linda! Yes, hot chocolate would melt the other ingredients, making it thinner. Hope you still enjoyed it!
So tasty. I used no sugar added white baking chocolate and added some Irish cream. Kept it from getting too sweet. I used ot on a chocolate stout cupcake for St. Patrick’s treats. Great and easy recipe. Thank you, again, Sally!
Would it be possible to make a whipped version of this? I love your not-so-sweet whipped frosting but also love white chocolate! Just wondering if it would work to combine.
Hi Melanie, I haven’t tested the whipped frosting with a white chocolate addition. Let me know if you try anything!
To make this extra smooth and a tiny bit less sweet, I beat the butter for five minutes instead of one, reduced the sugar slightly to about 200g or 220g, and reduced the cream to one tablespoon. SO delicious on top of pistachio cupcakes!
Posted just in time this will be perfect for the birthday cake im making tomorrow! I have a question about the vanilla, I have vanilla bean paste, would I use the same amount or would the flavour be too strong?
You can use the full amount, but it will be a strong vanilla flavor. Or you can halve the amount, taste, and then beat in more if desired.
This looks great. Would you think this frosting would hold up for a three tiered wedding cake? I want a sturdy icing to prevent any bulging. Thanks Sally! I love your recipes!
Hi Annie, while this frosting does hold shape, your cake would be more stable with a sturdy buttercream like vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream. It would be great on the top tier, though!
hi! why do you use soooo much sugar in your recipes? i’m european and 240gr of sugar blows my mind!!! i would use 70gr, max 100gr for this quantity….sugar is something to be used in moderation….i’d love to test your recipes but i’m always put off by the sugar quantity. the american buttercream is unedible. i make swiss-italian version.
for 4.5 cups of mascarpone cream frosting we use 90 gr of sugar here in Italy.
Hi Eva, American style frosting is certainly very sweet and in order for the frosting to set up, you need this much sugar. I have a Swiss meringue buttercream recipe that I love, and also this whipped frosting which uses significantly less sugar for a similar volume.
Hi Eva, could you please share your swiss-italian buttercream recipe? I’d love to try it!
Hi Chrissy, I have successfully reduced the amount of sugar in a lot of recipes from this site. Google the term “baker’s percentage”, for most baked goods (like cake, cupcakes, muffins, etc.) reducing the sugar is no problem at all. Same for the Swiss meringue buttercream. I have used Sally’s recipe and halved the amount of sugar. No problem whatsoever. I am also based in Europe and find American recipes overly sweet.
I have a question. Why so much butter in this recipe compared to your vanilla frosting. A cup of butter for 2 cups of sugar seems like a lot.
Hi Martha, the white chocolate thins and smooths out the frosting, so it’s best to have a thicker base. Also, there isn’t as much confectioners’ sugar because the white chocolate adds sweetness.
Can I substitute in dark chocolate for the white chocolate? Not a fan of white chocolate.
Shouldn’t be a problem!