White chocolate american buttercream in a piping bag and piped into a swirl in a glass cup

This quick and easy White Chocolate American Buttercream is a sweet and creamy frosting that pairs really well with dark chocolate desserts (like Dark Chocolate Shortbread Sandwich Cookies) and other treats that are less sweet. The heavy cream and salt in this recipe help to offset the sweetness and give a more balanced flavor.

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Ingredients for White Chocolate American Buttercream

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
4½ cups (544g) powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream¹, at room temperature
2 tsp (9g) vanilla extract
⅛ tsp (1g) salt
2oz (56g) white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature

Equipment

Digital scale (or dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cup, and measuring spoons)
Stand mixer (or hand mixer with a large bowl)
Silicone spatula

Making the White Chocolate American Buttercream

Making White Chocolate American Buttercream

Place butter in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer. Beat the butter at medium speed for 1 minute until the butter is soft and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla², salt, and melted white chocolate. Mix on the lowest mixer setting until the powdered sugar is moistened. It’s ok if there are a few lumps at this point.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2-3 minutes. This will smooth out any lumps in the buttercream and incorporate air. During this process, the buttercream’s color will lighten, and the volume will increase. Beat the buttercream until it reaches stiff peaks (i.e., the buttercream will stand straight up when you pull out the beater and hold it upright).

Can You Add Food Coloring to White Chocolate Buttercream?

You can definitely add coloring to this buttercream frosting! Add a few drops of gel food coloring and mix it in until you no longer see streaks. I prefer using gel food coloring when coloring frostings and buttercreams as opposed to liquid food coloring so the consistency of the frosting doesn’t change. Gel coloring is more concentrated than liquid colors so you can less to achieve a deeper color.

How to Adjust the Consistency of American Buttercream

This recipe is written to make a stiff buttercream.

If the recipe is too thick (i.e., you need to thin the buttercream), add one Tbsp of heavy cream at a time until you have achieved the correct consistency.

If the recipe is too thin (i.e., you need to make it stiffer), add up to ½ cup (approximately 60g) of sifted powdered sugar.

How to Remove Air Bubbles from American Buttercream

If you over whip the butter (i.e., beat the buttercream at too high of a speed or for too long), you might incorporate large air bubbles into the buttercream.

If you are using this buttercream to decorate cakes or cupcakes, you know how important it is to get a smooth finish without air bubbles. That being said, air bubbles are really only a problem from an aesthetics point of view because the buttercream will still taste the same.

To reduce the air bubbles, use a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir the buttercream by hand. While stirring, push the buttercream up against the side of the bowl to “pop” the bubbles. It will take a couple minutes to reduce the air bubbles. Get ready for an arm workout!

Storing White Chocolate American Buttercream

Use immediately or cover tightly in an airtight container. If you don’t cover the buttercream, it will form a dry crust very quickly.

The American Buttercream can sit out at room temperature for up to 1 day. After that, store it for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw the buttercream in the refrigerator overnight and then beat the buttercream on medium speed for a few seconds until it’s creamy again. Add a small amount of cream or milk when re-beating the buttercream if necessary to achieve the creamy consistency.

Notes

You can make this buttercream recipe with half-and-half or whole milk, but the buttercream will be slightly less creamy and less rich. (Back to “Ingredients” section)
If you want super white buttercream, use clear imitation vanilla. This will still provide a vanilla flavor, but it won’t darken the color of the buttercream. You could also use a small amount of white gel food coloring to brighten the buttercream. (Back to “Making the Buttercream” section)
Tip for decorating with White Chocolate American Buttercream: If at any point the buttercream is getting loose or starts to melt, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes for the butter to firm back up. If you’ve left it in the fridge for too long, beat it for a minute to bring it back to the correct consistency.

Need More Frosting Options?

American Buttercream

Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting (with Carrot Cake)

Italian Meringue Buttercream

Chantilly Cream

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving your thoughts below. Or snap a photo and share it on Pinterest or Instagram (@windycitybaker).

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