How to Make Cupcake Frosting

For many cupcake lovers, the frosting is the most important part. The cupcake provides the perfect foundation for your favorite flavor of rich and delicious frosting. Choose from classic buttercream frosting (either vanilla or chocolate), cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting or berry frosting to top your cupcakes. Each recipe makes enough for a dozen cupcakes.

Ingredients

Buttercream Frosting

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Optional: 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Berry Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry jam
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Buttercream Frosting

  1. 1
    Cream the butter and sugar. Place them in a medium bowl and use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every once in a while to make sure all the butter and sugar get mixed in.
    • If you want to make chocolate buttercream, add the cocoa powder to the bowl and cream it with the butter and sugar. Make sure the cocoa gets completely mixed in, and beat until the mixture is light brown and fluffy.
  2. 2
    Mix in the vanilla and cream. Add the vanilla and cream to the bowl and mix them in thoroughly with your electric mixer.
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  3. 3
    Beat the mixture for three minutes. This will help you achieve the right light, fluffy, spreadable texture you want for your cupcake frosting. Keep beating until the frosting is slightly stiff.
    • Add the food coloring if you're making colored frosting.
    • If the frosting seems too thick, add another tablespoon of cream and keep beating.[1]
    • If it seems too runny, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and keep beating.
  4. 4
    Frost your cupcakes. Buttercream frosting pairs wonderfully with any type of cake flavor. You can spread it on with a knife or pipe it on in swirls, and it will hold its shape until you're ready to eat the cupcakes.
    • Make sure you wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before you frost them; otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide off.
    • Store extra frosting in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. 1
    Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar. Place them in a medium bowl and use a mixer to cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every once in a while to make sure everything gets mixed in.
  2. 2
    Mix in the vanilla extract. Add the vanilla to the bowl and mix it in thoroughly with your electric mixer. Taste the frosting and add a little more vanilla if you'd like.
  3. 3
    Beat the mixture for three minutes. This will help you achieve the right light, fluffy, spreadable texture you want for your cupcake frosting. Keep beating until the frosting is slightly stiff.
    • If the frosting seems too thick, add a tablespoon of heavy cream and keep beating.
    • If it seems too runny, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and keep beating.
  4. 4
    Frost your cupcakes. Cream cheese is classically paired with red velvet, chocolate or spice cupcakes. You can spread it on with a knife or pipe it on in swirls, and it will hold its shape until you're ready to eat the cupcakes.
    • Make sure you wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before you frost them; otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide off.
    • Store extra frosting in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Peanut Butter Frosting

  1. 1
    Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugar. Place them in a medium bowl and use a mixer to cream the butter, peanut butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every once in a while to make sure everything gets mixed in.[2]
  2. 2
    Mix in the vanilla and cream. Add the vanilla and cream to the bowl and mix them in thoroughly with your electric mixer.
  3. 3
    Beat the mixture for three minutes. This will help you achieve the right light, fluffy, spreadable texture you want for your cupcake frosting. Keep beating until the frosting is slightly stiff.
    • If the frosting seems too thick, add another tablespoon of cream and keep beating.
    • If it seems too runny, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and keep beating.
  4. 4
    Frost your cupcakes. Peanut butter frosting is classically paired with peanut butter, chocolate or vanilla cupcakes. You can spread it on with a knife or pipe it on in swirls, and it will hold its shape until you're ready to eat the cupcakes.
    • Make sure you wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before you frost them; otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide off.
    • Store extra frosting in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Berry Frosting

  1. 1
    Cream the butter and sugar. Place them in a medium bowl and use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every once in a while to make sure all the butter and sugar get mixed in.
  2. 2
    Mix in the vanilla, cream and jam. Add the vanilla, cream and jam to the bowl and mix them in thoroughly with your electric mixer.
  3. 3
    Beat the mixture for three minutes. This will help you achieve the right light, fluffy, spreadable texture you want for your cupcake frosting. Keep beating until the frosting is slightly stiff.
    • If the frosting seems too thick, add another tablespoon of cream and keep beating.
    • If it seems too runny, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and keep beating.
    • Taste the mixture to determine if the berry flavor is strong enough. You can add up to another tablespoon if desired.
  4. 4
    Frost your cupcakes. Berry frosting pairs wonderfully with vanilla or strawberry cupcakes. You can spread it on with a knife or pipe it on in swirls, and it will hold its shape until you're ready to eat the cupcakes.[3]
    • Make sure you wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before you frost them; otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide off.
    • Store extra frosting in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    I want to bring some cupcakes to my son's school for his birthday. What is the best frosting that would hold its shape longer?
    Qamar
    Qamar
    Top Answerer
    Buttercream frosting is thick and creamy, and should be able to hold its shape the best.
  • Question
    What kind of frosting can I use if I am allergic to all tree nuts?
    Qamar
    Qamar
    Top Answerer
    Consider trying the buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting. They don't contain any peanuts or tree nuts.
  • Question
    I want to make frosting that looks like snow to make Christmas themed cupcakes for my daughter's school. How do I get the white color?
    Qamar
    Qamar
    Top Answerer
    You can try making either buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting. These frosting recipes have a natural white color.
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Things You'll Need

  • Mixing bowl
  • Mixer
  • Piping bag
  • Star tip

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/quick-vanilla-buttercream-frosting-recipe.html
  2. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe.html
  3. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/strawberry-frosting-recipe.html

About This Article

Maha Mohamed
Co-authored by:
Maha Mohamed
Custom Dessert Artist
This article was co-authored by Maha Mohamed. Maha Mohamed is a Custom Dessert Artist and the Owner of Sweet Treats SJ. Maha has over ten years of experience creating custom treats for special occasions. She specializes in custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate-covered treats. This article has been viewed 433,586 times.
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Co-authors: 42
Updated: February 14, 2023
Views: 433,586
Categories: Cupcakes
Article SummaryX

To make buttercream cupcake frosting, start by creaming 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1 cup of butter. Then, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat the mixture for 3 minutes. If your frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon of cream, and if it's too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. To learn how to make cream cheese, peanut butter, and berry frostings, scroll down!

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