White chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.
A perfectly smooth and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting to spread on all your favorite cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts.

Recipe updated: April 2nd, 2024

This white chocolate buttercream frosting recipe is the easiest frosting you will ever make. The recipe uses basic ingredients such as powdered sugar, white chocolate, unsalted butter, whole milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

This fantastic buttercream frosting is perfect for enhancing the flavor of your favorite cakes, cupcakes, and similar treats. We also like to spread it on banana bread, gingerbread cake, and applesauce cake.

White chocolate buttercream frosting in a bowl.

🥄 Key Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar also known as confectioners’ sugar
  • 6 ounces of white chocolate (baking bar)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter – (1 stick) softened
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
Ingredients for white chocolate buttercream frosting.
Ingredients for white chocolate buttercream frosting.

👩‍🍳 How to Make White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.

Step 1. Prepare the White Chocolate

Take the white chocolate out of the package, then break them apart. Put it all into a microwave-safe bowl.

Tip: You can find white chocolate baking bars in the baking aisle of the grocery store.

White chocolate baking bars in a bowl.
White chocolate baking bars in a bowl.

Step 2. Melt the White Chocolate

Put the bowl of white chocolate into the microwave for one minute on power level six. Take it out, then stir it. Put it back into the microwave again for one minute on power level six, then remove it from the microwave again and stir it. And then one last time, put it back into the microwave for 30 seconds on power level eight. After that, remove it and stir the white melted chocolate and then set is aside for now to cool down to room temperature. We do the lower power levels so that the chocolate won’t burn.

Tip: A double boiler is another option to melt the white chocolate if you don’t have a microwave. A double boiler is a smaller saucepan that fits perfectly atop a bigger saucepan. The lower saucepan is filled with water, and the upper saucepan has the white chocolate in it. As the water heats up in the lower saucepan, it melts the white chocolate in the upper saucepan, which prevents the white chocolate coming into contact with the burner, hence, avoid scorching or burning the white chocolate.

Melted white chocolate in a bowl.
Melted white chocolate in a bowl.

Step 3. Prepare the Butter

Take the butter out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the countertop at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften. Then, put the softened butter in a large bowl.

Note: If you prefer, you can put the butter in a large bowl that is safe for the microwave, then put it in the microwave for about 5 seconds (give or take a few seconds), just until the butter is soft, not melted. It doesn’t take very long at all to soften butter in a microwave, so watch the butter to make sure it is not melting.

Softened butter in a bowl.
Softened butter in a bowl.

Step 4. Make the Butter Creamy

After the butter is softened, use an electric hand mixer, or you can use a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment if you have one, to cream the softened butter into a creamy consistency. If you don’t have an electric mixer, a spoon, fork, or spatula will work just fine.

Creamed butter in a bowl.
Creamed butter in a bowl.

Step 5. Add the Melted White Chocolate

After the butter is creamy, add the cooled melted white chocolate we set aside earlier to the creamed butter.

The melted white chocolate is added to the softened butter.
The melted white chocolate is added to the softened butter.

Step 6. Blend the Butter and Melted White Chocolate

Use the electric mixer to blend the creamed butter together with the melted white chocolate. Start the mixer speed on low speed and gradually work up to medium speed. Mix the butter and melted white chocolate for about 2-3 minutes, or just until the mixture is smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Mix the melted white chocolate together with the softened butter.
Mix the melted white chocolate together with the softened butter.

Step 7. Add the Powdered Sugar, Milk, and Salt

Add 2 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of whole milk, and a pinch of salt together with the butter and white chocolate mixture.

Tip: A pinch of salt is whatever the amount of salt you can pick up with your thumb and index finger.

Add the powdered sugar, milk, and salt together with the melted chocolate mixture.
Add the powdered sugar, milk, and salt together with the melted chocolate mixture.

Step 8. Combine Powdered Sugar, White Chocolate Mixture, Milk, And Salt

With the electric mixer, blend the powdered sugar together with the white chocolate mixture.

The powdered sugar, milk, and salt are mixed together with the melted white chocolate mixture.
The powdered sugar, milk, and salt are mixed together with the melted white chocolate mixture.

Step 9. Add the Vanilla

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together with the powdered sugar and white chocolate mixture.

The vanilla extract is added together with the frosting.
The vanilla extract is added together with the frosting.

Step 10. Blend in the Vanilla

Use the electric mixer (or spatula) to blend the vanilla extract just until it is incorporated together with the powdered sugar and white chocolate mixture.

The vanilla extract is mixed together with the white chocolate buttercream frosting.
The vanilla extract is mixed together with the white chocolate buttercream frosting.

Step 11. Mix until Super Smooth

Blend the white chocolate buttercream frosting until it is a thick consistency yet super smooth and spreadable. It should not fall off of a spoon, knife, or spatula.

Thick and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting in a bowl.
Thick and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting in a bowl.

Step 12. Spread the Frosting on Prepared and Cooled Baked Goods

We used a 9×13 inch baking dish and made a chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside it. Then we spread our delicious white chocolate buttercream frosting on it. The frosting was thick and easily spreadable, and it covered the entire cake. The frosted cake was incredible.

White chocolate buttercream frosting is spread on a chocolate cake.
White chocolate buttercream frosting is spread on a chocolate cake.

⭐️ Recipe Variations

  • We made white frosting, but you can take this creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting to the next level by adding food coloring to create any color your imagination can muster up.
  • Get the perfect consistency every time by using less milk for thicker frosting, and more milk for thinner frosting. If the consistency of the frosting is a little bit too thin for you, just add a little more powdered sugar. The frosting should have a smooth, creamy consistency that is easy to spread over cakes and cupcakes.
  • To make white chocolate buttercream icing, add more milk.
  • Use white chocolate chips instead of the white chocolate baking bar.
White chocolate buttercream frosting spread on a chocolate cake.
White chocolate buttercream frosting spread on a chocolate cake.

☝️ FAQs

What do I do with Leftover White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting?

Put any leftover white chocolate buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use. Make sure the container is one with a lid. Do not use plastic wrap to cover the frosting, as it will stick to it. This frosting is best if used within a week’s time.

Is it Okay to Freeze White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting?

Yes, white chocolate buttercream frosting can be stored in the freezer for about four months, give or take a few months. When you are ready to use the frosting, take it out the night before and put it in the refrigerator to thaw.

A slice of chocolate cake with white chocolate buttercream frosting on it.
A slice of chocolate cake with white chocolate buttercream frosting on it.

💭 Final Thoughts

This delicious white chocolate frosting is prefect to spread on single layer cakes, double or triple layer cakes, and even chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. The rich and creamy taste surpasses store-bought frostings without a doubt.

So the next time you need some smooth buttercream frosting that tastes amazing, you can make this recipe within a matter of minutes. This recipe is enough to cover a chocolate cake made in a 9×13 rectangular baking dish.

A close up shot of white chocolate buttercream frosting in a bowl.

📁 Recipe Card

White chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Avatar for FloFlo
A perfectly smooth and creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting to spread on all your favorite cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts.
5 from 2 votes
Cost $3
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings 2.5 cups

🫕 Equipment

🧂 Ingredients
  

  • cups powdered sugar
  • 6 ounces white chocolate (baking bar)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened ( 1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

👩‍🍳 Instructions
 

  • Put the white chocolate into a bowl safe for the microwave.
  • Microwave the white chocolate for one minute on power level six, then stir.
  • Again, microwave the white chocolate for one minute on power level six, then stir.
  • And one last time, microwave the white chocolate for 30 seconds on power level eight. Remove the white chocolate from the microwave and stir, then leave it on the countertop for now to cool down to room temperature.
  • Let the butter sit on the countertop for about 15 minutes to soften.
  • After that, put the butter in a large bowl and cream the butter with an electric mixer to a smooth consistency.
  • Add the cooled melted white chocolate to the creamy butter. Mix thoroughly.
  • Add the powdered sugar, milk, and salt to the white chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the vanilla extract. Mix until all is blended well.

*️⃣ Recipe Notes

  • You can use a double boiler to melt the white chocolate if you don’t have a microwave.
  • Add less milk for thicker frosting, and add more milk for thinner frosting.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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