20 Buttercream Frosting Recipe: Fillings - CakeLovesMe - Recipes - buttercream frosting recipe -

20 Buttercream Frosting Recipe: Fillings

Working with 20 Buttercream Frosting Recipe: Fillings is a dream. Talk about versatility! Add some Lemon Curd and you’ve got whipped Lemon Mousse.  Splash in a little Almond Extract and you’ve got a great unexpected twist on a classic filling.  Or throw in some cookie crumbs and every kid in the neighborhood will be hanging out at your house on baking day!

You’ll find a list of great flavor additions after the basic recipe to get you started. They are really simple but pack a big flavor and variety to your cakes and desserts! 

The Basic Buttercream Frosting Recipe: Fillings

This buttercream frosting recipe can be used for frosting cakes as well as a cake filling. The shortening added helps this recipe become a good “stabilizer” meaning it will hold its shape and texture more so in warmer climates vs frostings without shortening.

This does not mean you can store or present a cake with buttercream in heat, sunlight, or warm temperatures as it will certainly melt. A stabilized buttercream is simply more solid and is also great for decorative piping.

This basic buttercream frosting recipe will make enough to lightly cover and fill three 8-9″ cake layers.

  • 1 pound bag (4 cups) of powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk split (1-2% milk or use heavy cream)
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 1/5 cups: 3 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature) If using salted butter omit the additional salt.
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • With a paddle attachment mix (on low-medium speed) softened butter. Add the shortening to the butter until completely combined.
  • add shortening and whip at the highest speed 10-12 minutes, until volume increases by at least 50%.
  • using the whisk attachment on your electric mixer, mix the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of the milk or cream at low speed until smooth.

Flavor Additions

buttercream – buttercream filling

With these great flavor additions, you can really make your cakes something they’ll talk about long after the party’s over.  Baker’s Note: If I don’t say otherwise, just fold these additions in by hand at the end of the basic recipe.

banana cream pie buttercream filling

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1 package of Banana instant pudding mix added with the powdered sugar

choc chip mocha buttercream filling

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1 cup chocolate chips, crumbled in a food processor
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water

choc chip buttercream

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1 cup chocolate chips, crumbled in the food processor

chocolate fudge buttercream filling

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 7 ounces (1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • mix the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl.
  • heat on high for 1-minute intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted.
  • cool to room temperature before folding into buttercream then chill until completely cooled before use.

Cook’s Note: when chilled, the fudge may be too thick to spread. Just stir for a minute or two until you reach a spreadable consistency.

chocolate hazelnut buttercream

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 3/4 cup Nutella spread (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)

cinnamon swirl buttercream filling

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

coconut lime mousse

This is amazing with Banana Cake!

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk in place of the milk
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup Lime Curd

to make Lime Curd:

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup key lime juice (available at good supermarkets)
  • zest of 3 limes
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth.
  • Stir in lime juice, zest, and butter.
  • Cook for one-minute intervals on high, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
  • Cover the curd with cling film placed directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate until set.

Cookies & Cream Filling

To the basic recipe, you add:

  • 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs, or more to taste

Eggnog Crème

To the basic recipe, you add:

  • 1/2 cup Eggnog in place of the milk.
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Espresso Buttercream

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water.

Gingernut Crunch filling

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Ginger
  • 1 cup Ginger Snap cookie crumbs, or more to taste

Key Lime Pie Filling

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 3/4 to 1 cup Lime Curd (to taste)

to make Lime Curd:

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup key lime juice (available at good supermarkets)
  • zest of 3 limes
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth.
  • Stir in lime juice, zest, and butter.
  • Cook for one-minute intervals on high, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
  • Cover the curd with cling film placed directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate until set.

Lemon Mint Buttercream

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pure mint extract
  • a few drops lemon oil or pure lemon extract
  • Add all ingredients right after butter in basic recipe.

Orange Dream Buttercream

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 3/4 to 1 cup Orange curd (to taste)

to make Orange Curd:

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth.
  • Stir in orange juice, zest and butter.
  • Cook for one minute intervals on high, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
  • Cover the curd with cling film placed directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate until set.

Mint choc chip

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pure Mint extract, added with the mixer running
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips, crumbled in food processor

Vanilla Choc Chip

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • One package vanilla instant pudding mix

Whipped Lemon Mousse

To the basic recipe, you add :

  • 3/4 cup Lemon Curd

to make Lemon Curd:

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth.
  • Stir in lemon juice, zest and butter.
  • Cook for one minute intervals on high, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
  • Cover the curd with cling film placed directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate until set.
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