This easy coffee buttercream frosting tastes just like coffee ice cream and uses only 5 ingredients, and can be made in less than 15 minutes!
If you’ve never made coffee buttercream before, you’re seriously missing out! It’s such a simple and unique frosting. It’s an American buttercream frosting, so it only has a few ingredients and is super easy. Plus, it tastes just like coffee ice cream!
It’s a delicious frosting for Macarons, Chocolate Cake, Cupcakes, Cakesicles, basically any dessert that needs frosting this is great for!Â
Ingredients
- Instant Coffee: You can also use finely ground espresso powder
- Unsalted Butter: you can sub salted butter in place of the unsalted butter, just omit the added salt or reduce to just a pinch
HOW TO MAKE coffee buttercream
Step 1: Mix instant coffee and hot water
Heat up your water and stir into your instant coffee. And don’t worry – if you taste the coffee mixture by itself it can taste a bitter, strong, and well, not good. But I promise once you mix it into the frosting it is so delicious!Â
While this recipe is for an American buttercream frosting, you can mix the coffee mixture into any type of buttercream! It will work with Ermine Frosting, Swiss Meringue buttercream, Russian buttercream, basically any type of buttercream to create a delicious coffee frosting.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar
Using a hand-held mixer with a large bowl, or a standing mixer with either a whisk or beater attachment (both are fine) cream the butter for 3-5 minutes.
It should go from darker yellow to a pale yellow. Then, add the powder sugar and continue mixer another 3-5 minutes. Mixing for so long really helps keep the frosting light and fluffy.
Step 3:Â Add Coffee, Salt, and Milk or Cream
Add the coffee, salt, and milk or cream and mix until fully combined. I recommend adding the milk or cream 1 tbsp at a time until you get your desired consistency.Â
That’s it! Add to your favorite desserts and enjoy!Â
TIPS and tricks
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. You want it pretty soft so it will incorporate all the sugar.
- You want to mix the butter for a few minutes before adding the sugar. Mixing the butter until it is very pale makes for a really light and fluffy frosting.Â
- If your powdered sugar is very stiff or hard, you might need to put it through a sifter so there are no lumps in your buttercream. I don’t normally need to do this but it is something to be aware of if your powdered sugar is old and has visible lumps that don’t break up when you press them.
- You can add less sugar (as little as 1.5 to 2 cups), just know it will be less stable for sitting out or piping.
Storing Coffee frosting
Like most buttercream frostings, this recipe keeps in the fridge and freezer very well. It can last up to a week in the fridge and 2-3 months in the freezer.
 Make sure it is very tightly covered in an airtight container in the fridge and in a freezer bag for the freezer so the butter does not take on flavors from your fridge or freezer.
When you’re ready to use, let defrost in the fridge. Then, remove the frosting from the fridge and let it soften. Some people simply stir the frosting and then use it, but I like to remix it with a mixer so it gets really light and fluffy again.Â
FROSTING CAKES AND CUPCAKES
This coffee buttercream recipe makes 2.5-3 cups frosting. This is enough to cover about 18-24 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you use) or a 9×13 inch cake. Â
Frosted cakes and cupcakes can sit out up to a day, provide it’s not too warm out and there is nothing else in them that would need to be refrigerated.Â
Looking for more unique Frosting recipes? Check these out!
- Champagne Frosting
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cookie Dough Frosting
- Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
- Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
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Coffee Buttercream Frosting
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature see notes for using salted butter
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- â…› tsp salt omit if using salted butter
- 2 tbsp milk or heavy whipping cream up to ¼ cup if desired
Instructions
- In a small bow, mix boiling water and instant coffee until combined.
- In a standing mixer or large bowl with a hand held mixer, cream butter for 3-5 minutes until very light and creamy. It should be a pale yellow.
- Turn off mixer and add powdered sugar. Beat on low until it starts to combine, about 30-60 seconds. Once it starts to combine and get crumbly, turn up the speed to medium/medium high and mix another 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add coffee mixture and salt and mix until combined.
- Mix in milk or heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
- Use with your desired dessert and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If using salted butter, omit extra salt.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. You want it pretty soft so it will incorporate all the sugar.
- If your powdered sugar is very stiff or hard, you might need to put it through a sifter so there are no lumps in your buttercream. I don’t normally need to do this but it is something to be aware of if your powdered sugar is old and has visible lumps that don’t break up when you press them.
- You can add less sugar (as little as 1.5 to 2 cups), just know it will be less stable for sitting out or piping.
- This recipe will last 5-7 days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer in an airtight container.Â
- This recipe makes about 3 cups frosting which is enough to cover about 18-24 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you use) or a 9x13 inch cake.Â
- The recipe can be doubled or halved as needed.
Ashley says
So easy and flawless. Delicious
Michelle says
This is my kind of frosting! And with the chocolate cupcakes it tastes like mocha!
Sophia says
Yes, chocolate cake and cupcakes is one of my favorite pairings 🙂
Gina Abernathy says
Love this buttercream frosting with the addition of coffee. Perfect for my mini cupcakes.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That looks so fluffy, light and delicious!
Anjali says
This buttercream frosting was so delicious on these cinnamon cupcakes I made yesterday!! Yum!
Beth says
You had me at 15 minutes! I love that this delicious recipe is in my belly so fast! Delicious!