How to Use Leftover Buttercream

You’ve made a massive batch of buttercream to cover your cake or frost your cupcakes. Unfortunately, now you’re saddled with a decent amount of extra frosting. It seems too wasteful to just throw it out, so what options do you have? Here are some great ideas on how to use leftover buttercream!

 

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Buttercream Storage

 

I guess I ought to walk it back just a bit. If you’ve got leftover buttercream from a recent baking project, you probably don’t need (or want) to use it right away. Generally speaking, you can keep buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for 1- 3 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

As soon as I’m done using a batch of buttercream, I like to transfer the leftovers to a quart sized freezer bag. Then I squeeze out the air and label the baggie with the flavor, date, and amount. I keep baggies of leftover frosting in a larger gallon bag in the freezer just for easy storage. 

 

But you’re here to find out what comes next. How can I use leftover buttercream? I’ve got you covered.

 

 

How to Use Leftover Buttercream

 

Really, the number of ways to use extra frosting is only limited by your imagination. Having said that, I still sometimes have to pause and think about what I’m going to use it for. So let’s dive in!

 

Sampler Pack

 

Make a small batch of mini cupcakes (I use extra batter and freeze them until needed) and take out 3 or 4 baggies of leftover buttercream. Pipe and decorate your mini cupcakes inside of the little clam shell. Now you’ve got a variety of flavors for friends, family, or customers to try.

This is an especially great option if you have your own home bakery. When I had mine, I would create one of these sampler packs of mini cupcakes and do a raffle on Facebook. I got a ton of engagement and one of my customers got free cupcakes. It’s a win-win situation! 

 

 

Macarons

 

Compared to cupcakes or cake, macarons do not need nearly as much buttercream. If you have a decent amount (8- 12 oz) of one flavor, that’s probably all you’ll need for a moderate sized batch of macarons.

However, if you don’t think you have enough of one flavor, you have options. You can combine complimentary flavors (coffee + chocolate) to create a new flavor. Another option is to use the buttercream as a dam and add a filling like caramel or ganache. 

 

Cupcakes

 

This is basically the same idea as the sampler pack. That being said, I don’t generally have enough extra buttercream to frost an entire batch of full sized cupcakes. 

Instead, I may have a few extra cupcakes stored in the freezer. When I need a sweet treat, I’ll thaw some cupcakes and buttercream, and frost one or two. 

 

Related Reading: FREE Buttercream Course for Beginners

 

Sandwich Cookies

 

You could whip up a batch of shortbread cookies, butter cookies, or what have you and fill them with your leftover buttercream! Honestly, you could even do this with graham crackers or store bought cookies if you felt so inclined.

When you’re picking out a cookie for this application, you want something nice and tender. If the cookie is too firm, the frosting will squeeze out the sides when you take a bite. That’s not the end of the world, but it is a tad messy.

 

Thumbprint Cookies

 

You can fill thumbprint cookies with curd, jam, ganache, or even leftover frosting. Since these cookies are small, you don’t even need a lot to fill them! Check out my family’s recipe for thumbprint cookies to make your own batch.

 

 

Sugar Cookies

 

Lofthouse style sugar cookies are nothing without their delicious frosting on top! Leftover buttercream probably won’t be enough to frost an entire batch of sugar cookies, but you can combine flavor or just frost one at a time as desired.

You can find recipes for ube and raspberry sugar cookies right here on Bakes & Blunders. Both of these soft sugar cookies have a layer of buttercream on top.

 

Buttercream Flowers

 

I looove buttercream flowers, but I still need more practice. You can pipe practice buttercream flowers, then freeze them. Once frozen, you can layer them gently in an airtight container. Next time you’d like to add flavor to your cupcakes or cakes, take out your premade flowers.

Keep in mind, once piped and frozen, you can’t alter the flavor or color of the buttercream flowers. If you plan on using them, you’ll want to stick with a neutral flavor and colors that you use often.

 

 

What Did I Miss?

 

Like I said earlier, the number of ways to use extra frosting is only limited by your imagination. I am positive that there are many more fantastic ways to use leftover buttercream. Tell me another way that works for you in the comments below!

I love being able to have a dialogue with other home bakers like you. If you’re on Facebook, you should absolutely follow Bakes & Blunders so that we can talk about baking, flavors, and more.

 

Happy Baking!