9 Ways to Flavor Buttercream

Buttercream is super versatile and can be used to frost cupcakes, cover cakes, fill macarons, and then some! With so many uses, it’s important to remember just how many different ways you can flavor buttercream. From standard extracts to more adventurous fruit curd, you’ll never get bored.

 

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Yummy Ways to Flavor Buttercream

 

Generally speaking, these flavor options should work with just about any style of buttercream. These 9 ways to flavor buttercream are not the end all be all though. It can be fun to think outside the box and experiment with creating fresh flavors. 

 

 

Spices

 

There are so many incredible spices that work with the sweet flavors you’ll find in the baking world. Add ground ginger to frosting to create a spicy sweet treat, or throw a dash of cinnamon into cream cheese buttercream to create a cozy vibe.

I once made Turmeric Latte Macarons and added a ton of spices to the buttercream filling. If you’re baking with any spices, they’d probably taste great thrown into the frosting. Go crazy and mix spices or use spice blends to create really unique flavors.

 

Alcohol

 

You won’t be able to add enough alcohol to make you feel tipsy, but it’s a great way to add complex flavors to a batch of buttercream. I like to grab the tiny bottles of liquor from the store! This is the perfect amount, plus you won’t end up with a ton of huge bottles of alcohol lying around. Add the liquor a tablespoon at a time until you’re satisfied with the booziness, flavor, and consistency.

 

 

Freeze Dried Fruit

 

Not only does freeze dried fruit add flavor, but they tend to bring a gorgeous natural color as well. Raspberries pack the most punch and color. I like to pulse the freeze dried fruit in a food processor and sift out the seed and larger bits.

You don’t necessarily have to sift out the large chunks of strawberries. Leave them in to create a deeper flavor, or sift them out and use as natural sprinkles! Freeze dried mangoes can work too, but them don’t pack as much of a punch.

 

Related Reading: FREE Buttercream Course for Beginners

 

Extracts & Emulsions

 

Using flavor extracts and emulsions is one of the easiest ways to flavor buttercream. You can find just about any flavor under the sun. Some of my favorite’s are LorAnn Oils and Watkins. There are a ton of flavors available in grocery stores, but you should also check out craft stores or local cake supply shops.

Emulsions tend to have a stronger flavor than extracts, but you can use them interchangeably. If you’re not following a recipe, start with a small amount, taste, then adjust as needed. You can’t exactly take it back if you add too much.

 

Powders & Mixes

 

If you dissolve a bit of jello powder in warm water, you can mix that into your buttercream to create hard to achieve flavors. I did this with my son’s strawberry explosion cake and it worked great! There is a small chance of getting tiny flecks of jello bits in the finished frosting, but it’s not a big issue for me.

When Ben wanted a watermelon flavored cake for his birthday, I was at a loss. Until I decided to try using drink powder to flavor buttercream! Just like jello, there are so many unique drink powders out there that you can use to make those hard to capture flavors.

 

 

Fruit Curd

 

Any flavor of curd can be used to flavor buttercream. I recently used a batch of eggless lemon curd to flavor a batch. It was delicious! Just add dollops of the curd until you have a good consistency and/or flavor.

 

Chocolate

 

This one is another no brainer. You can use cocoa powder, melted chocolate, or even chocolate ganache to create many different types of buttercream. The form and quantity of chocolate you choose will affect the final product, so be sure to check out some different options.

• Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream with cocoa powder
• Dark & Black Cocoa Buttercream
• Chocolate American Buttercream
• Chocolate Italian Meringue Buttercream
• Black Cocoa Buttercream
• Chocolate Ganache Buttercream
• Easy Chocolate Buttercream

 

 

Fresh Citrus

 

Fresh zest and juice from citrus fruits can add a certain zing to your buttercream! While fruit curds are more mellow, fresh citrus adds more punch. I used three grapefruits to jazz up my grapefruit cake.

 

Related Reading: How to Frost a Cake with Acrylic Cake Discs

 

Caramel

 

This is definitely a yummy way to flavor buttercream, plus it’s very easy. Simply mix in caramel sauce to a batch of buttercream until you have the right flavor. You could mix the caramel from scratch (look at you being all extra!), or just buy store bought stuff.

You can leave it just at caramel or add a bit of extra salt for a salted caramel buttercream. Whatever you do, use a caramel sauce that you like, otherwise how can you expect to like the final product? I personally prefer to use cajeta, which is caramel made with goat’s milk.

 

Got Any Ideas?

 

Are you feeling creative and inspired? Tell me which way to flavor buttercream you want to try next! The only thing limiting you is your imagination. Thinking outside the box can help you find fun, new ways to capture unique flavors in your frosting.

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