This Champagne Buttercream Frosting is a simple champagne frosting that uses 5 ingredients and can be made in 15 minutes!
Champagne frosting! It sounds so luscious and decadent, but it's actually super simple to make.
It's an American buttercream frosting, and just as easy. I was looking for a frosting to go with a pink champagne cake, and decided to add champagne to my vanilla buttercream. And, it was perfect. Just a slight touch of champagne flavor that pairs really well with a light cake.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: this recipe calls for unsalted butter, if using salted butter, omit the added salt.
- Champagne or Sparkling Wine: Be sure to use a champagne you actually like and want to drink! You can also use pink champagne, strawberry champagne, etc.
- Vanilla Extract: This is optional, but pairs well with the champagne flavor.
- Salt: Omit if using salted butter.
How to Make
Step 1: Cream Butter
Add the softened butter to the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl with a hand held mixer. Whip the butter for 3-5 minutes. This helps with getting the frosting light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add Sugar and Salt
Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar and salt. Start mixing on low speed until the buttercream gets crumbly. Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated turn up the mixer and mix another 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients
Add the champagne or sparkling wine and optional vanilla. If needed you can add up to ¼ cup of champagne to get the desired consistency.
This recipe gives a very mild and light champagne flavor to the buttercream.
If looking for a stronger champagne flavor:
- Reduce ⅔ cup of champagne on a stovetop until it is about 2-4 tablespoons of liquid.
- Let cool completely before adding to the frosting in place of the unboiled champagne.
That's it, add to your favorite cake or recipe and enjoy. You can also add this reduction to Swiss Meringue Buttercream or Italian Meringue Buttercream.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you like the type of champagne or sparkling wine you use. If you don't like it, you might not like the flavor of the frosting.
- Mix the butter for a good 3-4 minutes before and after adding the powdered sugar. Mixing the frosting for so long makes for a very light and fluffy buttercream, and helps cut the graininess of the powdered sugar.
- This frosting has a mild champagne flavor, see above for how to give it a stronger flavor.
- This recipe can easily be halved or doubled for small or large batches of frosting.
Cake and cupcake pairing
This is a very versatile frosting that pairs really well with most cakes or cupcakes, especially light flavored cakes like vanilla cake, white cake, yellow cake, and most fruit flavors including strawberry and raspberry.
It also goes great this pink champagne cake, and is a wonderful filling for this macaron recipe.
FAQ
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting and can easily be halved or doubled as needed.
One batch should cover about 18 -24 cupcakes, one 9x 13 inch sheet cake, or a two layer cake. If making a 3 layer cake, I recommend you can 1.5 or doubling the recipe.
Yes, you can easily color with frosting with food coloring. I recommend gel food coloring because it brighter and more vibrant than the liquid kind.
Yes, like most buttercream frosting recipes this is very freezer friendly. Store tightly wrapped in a freezer bag or airtight container. When ready to use defrost and let come to room temperature, then remix.
Storing and Making Ahead
Like most buttercream frostings, this recipe keeps in the fridge and freezer very well. It will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Looking for more unique frostings? Check these out!
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Champagne Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Hand Held of Standing Mixer
- Rubber Spatula
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
- 16 oz powdered sugar 1 pound about 3.5-4 cups
- 2 tbsp champagne or sparkling wine up to 1/4 cup
- pinch of salt omit if using salted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Using a hand held mixer or standing mixer, cream the butter using a paddle or whisk attachment on medium high until pale yellow, about 4-5 minutes. If necessary, half way through scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing.
- Turn off the mixer and add powdered sugar and salt. Mix on low for a minute until it incorporates and starts to look crumbly.
- Once crumbly, turn up the speed and continue mixing on medium to medium high, about 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the champagne and vanilla. Mix until combined. Gauge frosting consistency, you can add another 1-2 tablespoons of champagne if a thinner frosting is desired. This frosting has a mild champagne flavor- see post for getting a stronger champagne flavor.
- Add to your favorite dessert and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure you like the type of champagne or sparkling wine you use. If you don't like it, you might not like the flavor of the frosting.
- Mix the butter for a good 3-4 minutes before and after adding the powdered sugar. Mixing the frosting for so long makes for a very light and fluffy buttercream, and helps cut the graininess of the powdered sugar.
- This frosting has a mild champagne flavor, see the post for how to give it a stronger flavor.
- This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting and can easily be halved or doubled.
- This recipe will last up to two weeks in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer.
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