Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

Brown butter buttercream frosting is easy to make and unbelievably delicious. The addition of brown butter gives this brown butter frosting recipe a caramel, nutty, toasty flavor! Perfect for piping or spreading onto cakes and cupcakes!

Ingredients for Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature. Some of the butter will remain as unsalted room temperature butter. Some of the butter we will turn into brown butter.
• Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
• Vanilla extract – Use a good quality vanilla extract in this recipe for the best vanilla flavor.
• Salt – Adds a bit of contrast to the sweetness and enhances the nutty flavor of the brown butter.
• Heavy cream – Helps the buttercream became smooth and creamy.

How to Make Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

1. Make the brown butter: Check out this tutorial on how to make brown butter. Chill the brown butter in the refrigerator until solid and then bring to room temperature to soften before making the frosting.
2. Whip the butters: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the unsalted butter and softened brown butter until it is pale and creamy.
3. Add the ingredients: Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Add in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour in the heavy cream and continue to mix on low speed until the ingredients are well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Whip the buttercream: Turn the mixer speed to medium and whip the frosting for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.

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Brown Butter Buttercream

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cooling Time 2 hours hrs

Yield: 5 cups

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Brown butter buttercream frosting is easy to make and unbelievably delicious. The addition of brown butter gives this brown butter frosting recipe a caramel, nutty, toasty flavor! Perfect for piping or spreading onto cakes and cupcakes!

Equipment

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 18 tbsp (252 g) unsalted butter (1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter to make brown butter)
• ▢ 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp (13 g) vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

Brown Butter (Make Ahead)

• Add 18 tablespoons (1 cup + 2 tbsp) of unsalted butter to a medium-sized saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted. Continue to cook the butter, stirring regularly, until the butter starts to foam. At this point, the milk solids in the butter will start to turn a golden brown color. Stir the butter constantly so the milk solids do not burn. Once your achieve a golden brown color (which will happen quickly), remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the brown butter into a heat-safe bowl immediately.
• Cool the melted brown butter to room temperature, then, cover and chill the butter in the refrigerator until it solidifies. Bring the brown butter to room temperature before making the buttercream frosting.

Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature brown butter and unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
• Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Then add the remaining half and continue to mix on low speed. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix to combine. Drizzle in the heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
• Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. To smooth out the buttercream, mix the frosting on low speed for several minutes.

Notes

• Store the buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To use, bring the buttercream to room temperature and rewhip for several minutes until it is smooth and creamy. 

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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About Courtney

Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author

Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.

Meet Courtney