How to Make Buttercream Filling

Co-authored by Jessica Banh

Last Updated: July 13, 2022 References Approved

Buttercream filling is a soft, tasty way to join a layer cake together. You can also use it to fill other pastries, such as cupcakes and Twinkies. This article will give you two basic recipes for buttercream filling. It will also give you ideas for how to further flavor your buttercream, and lastly how to use it.

Ingredients

Basic Buttercream Filling^{[1]
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5 ounces (140 grams) butter, softened
10 ounces (280 grams) confectioners/icing sugar
1 – 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cocoa Buttercream Filling^{[2]
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4 ounces (110 grams) butter, softened
6 ounces (170 grams) confectioners/icing sugar
2 ounces (55 grams) cocoa powder
1 – 2 tablespoons milk
Splash brandy or rum (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Basic Buttercream Filling

1
Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Use a handheld mixer or a food processor with a whisk attachment. It will make things much easier. You can use a whisk or a wooden spoon in a pinch.
- For a less sweet buttercream, use salted butter.
2
Add in half of the confectioners/icing sugar. Beat it into the butter until it is smooth. Adding the sugar a little bit at a time gives the butter enough time to absorb it. This gives you a smoother texture.
- If you are using a handheld mixer, start at a slow speed. This will keep the sugar from flying out everywhere.^{[3]
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- To make the texture even smoother, sift the sugar first. This will break up any clumps.
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3
Add the rest of the sugar, milk and vanilla. The vanilla extract will give the buttercream a slight ivory color. If you prefer pure white buttercream, use a clear vanilla flavor or extract instead.
- To give your buttercream color, add in a bit of icing coloring. Using the gel kind instead of the liquid kind will mix easier into the buttercream .^{[4]
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4
Beat the ingredients together until smooth. It will take about three minutes. There should be no streaks, swirls, or clumps.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Jessica Banh
Pastry Chef
Expert Interview. 6 April 2022.}
- If you are using a handheld mixer, you can increase the speed to a higher one once the sugar is mixed in.
5
Check the texture and adjust it, if needed. This will depend on your preferences. If the buttercream is too thin , add in some more sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add in some more milk.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Jessica Banh
Pastry Chef
Expert Interview. 6 April 2022.} Start with a tablespoon or two at a time, mix, and add more as needed.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Cocoa Buttercream Filling

1
Place the butter into a bowl, and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Use a handheld mixer or a food processor with a whisk attachment to do this. It will be faster. You can also use a whisk or a wooden spoon in a pinch.
- Use salted butter if you want less sweet buttercream.
2
Mix half of the confectioners/icing sugar into the butter. Adding the sugar a little bit at a time will allow the butter to absorb the sugar better. You'll get a smoother cream in the end.
- If you are using a handheld mixer, start at a slower speed. This will keep the sugar from flying out.
- Try to sift the sugar into the butter. This will get rid of clumps.
3
Mix in the rest of the sugar, milk, and cocoa powder. Keep mixing until the color and texture are even and smooth. There should be no streaks, swirls, or lumps. It will take about three minutes.
- If you are using a handheld mixer, you can increase the speed after the sugar and cocoa powder are mixed in.
4
Consider mixing in some extra flavor. Chocolate buttercream tastes wonderful, but you can improve your buttercream by giving it a hint of another flavor. Be sure to mix it thoroughly to evenly distribute the flavor. Here are some ideas that work well with chocolate:^{[7]
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- To give the buttercream a hint of sweetness, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- To give the buttercream a hint of extra flavor, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract.
- To cut the sweetness and give the buttercream a richer flavor, add in a splash of brandy or rum.
5
Check the texture and adjust it to your liking. If the buttercream is too thin, add some more sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add some more milk. Start with a tablespoon or two at a time, mix, and add more as needed.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making Other Types

1
Consider adding in some extra flavor to your finished basic buttercream. After you have made the buttercream, consider adding in one of the flavors in this section.^{[8]
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2
Make a coffee flavored buttercream for walnut or chocolate-based cakes. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of instant coffee in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Let the coffee cool, then beat it to the buttercream until everything is smooth. If the texture is too thin, mix in a few extra tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar.
3
Make lemon flavored buttercream for white cakes. Add up to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the buttercream. For more zest, add 2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel. Mix everything together until smooth. If needed, add in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar to even out the texture.
4
Try an orange flavored buttercream. Add up to 3 tablespoons of orange juice or Grand Marnier to the buttercream. For more texture, add 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel. Beat everything together until the buttercream is smooth again. If the texture is too thin, add in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar.
5
Make a raspberry or strawberry flavored buttercream. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of raspberry or strawberry jam into the buttercream. Beat everything together until it is smooth and there are no streaks or swirls. If the texture is too thin, mix in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar.^{[9]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Buttercream Filling

1
Make sure that your pastries are cool before you start to fill them. If you use buttercream on a pastry that hasn't completely cooled off, the buttercream will melt and make an oozy mess.
2
Use a butter knife or palette knife to spread buttercream on the base layer of a cake. Spread the buttercream evenly, right up to the edges. Finish up by placing the top layer on the cake.
3
Add some sliced strawberries along with the buttercream between the cake layers. After you have spread the buttercream filling over the bottom layer, place some thinly sliced strawberries on top of the buttercream. Try to spread them as evenly as you can, so that none of the buttercream is visible. Once you have arranged the strawberries, spread more buttercream on top. When you are done, cover with the upper cake layer.
- You can also use other types of fruit as well.
4
Perhaps spreading some jams over the buttercream before you put the top cake layer on. Once you have spread buttercream over the bottom cake layer, spread some of your favorite jam over the buttercream. Make sure that the jam is spread evenly, and that there is no buttercream showing. When you are done, cover with the upper cake layer.
5
Use a spoon to hollow out a cupcake before filling it with buttercream. You can use a measuring spoon or even an apple corer. Scoop out a hole on the top of a cupcake. Fill the hole with buttercream. Fit a piping bag with your desired decorating tip (such as a star) and swirl more buttercream on top to cover the hole.^{[10]
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6
Use a piping bag to fill homemade Twinkies. Fit the end of the piping bag with a filling tip. Poke three holes into the bottom of the pastry: one at each end, and one in the middle. Squeeze on the piping bag as you poke each hole; this will fill the pastry.^{[11]
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7
Use a paring knife and a piping bag to fill cream puffs. Cut a large slit into the side of a cream puff. Put the tip of the piping bag into the slit, and squeeze the buttercream into the puff. Stop when the buttercream starts to ooze out from the slit. Repeat this step for all of the cream puffs.^{[12]
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Expert Q&A

Question

What are the four types of buttercream?

Jessica Banh
Pastry Chef
Jessica Banh is a Pastry Chef and the Owner of Fancy Flavors in San Jose, California. With over 12 years of technical experience, Jessica has expertise in a wide variety of pastry techniques and has a focus on macarons. Her work has been featured in The SF Chronicle, The Mercury News, and Good Morning America. She received her training from The Professional Culinary Institute.

Jessica Banh

Pastry Chef

Expert Answer

There's American-style buttercream, which is a mixture of butter, powdered sugar, and milk; Swiss meringue buttercream, which is a mixture of egg whites, sugar, and butter; Italian meringue buttercream, which is a mixture of sugar syrup (sugar dissolved in water), egg whites, and softened butter; and French buttercream, which is a mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and softened butter.
Question

Can I freeze cakes with buttercream filling?

Community Answer

You can, but when it thaws the buttercream filling may separate. If it does, it may become watery and this will make the cake soggy. You can freeze buttercream icing by itself for up to three months in an airtight container. Just give it a stir after it thaws completely before using it.
Question

How can the buttercream filling taste less sweet?

Ann Hupe

Community Answer

You could use confectioner's sugar. This actually has less sugar in it, but it does have other additives that might affect the texture of your buttercream filling.