30 Frosting Recipes to Make at Home

Long gone are the days of canned frosting!

I have pulled together 30 fabulous homemade frosting recipes that are sure to add new layers of flavor to your next dessert. 

This list is far from bland, and packed with simple frosting recipes your family will love. F

rom rich chocolate buttercream, to decadent white chocolate amaretto frosting, this list has it all. 

Whether you are an experienced baker looking for new icing for your baked treats, or a novice baker aiming to impress, I have you and your cakes covered.

I hope you enjoy each of these incredible icings, and I am sure you will come back to these time and time again!

1. Vanilla Frosting

Every baker needs the perfect vanilla frosting recipe in their repertoire. 

This simple five-ingredient recipe is perfect for simply topping cakes or cupcakes, and can be used to decorate as well.

The best part is it is so easy to color to fit any theme!

2. Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate buttercream is heavenly on cakes, but even better spooned onto graham crackers. This recipe has the perfect balance of chocolate. 

By adding espresso, the cocoa flavor is gently elevated, and you’ll end up with a perfect chocolate buttercream frosting every time. 

3. Cream Cheese Frosting

Simple cream cheese frosting is so flexible for baking. Whether on your favorite carrot cake, piled onto cinnamon rolls, or layered into a rich red velvet, this recipe is perfect!

You’ll only need a few ingredients for this frosting recipe. If you’re using salted butter, you can omit the added salt, but be sure your mix has salt in it to balance the sweetness. 

4. Powdered-Sugar Frosting

This style of frosting is my go-to when I’m baking cakes. The recipe is so simple and produces frosting that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet.

If you want to have bright colors for decorating cakes or cupcakes, use clear vanilla rather than traditional brown vanilla flavor.

5. Homemade Strawberry Frosting Two Ways

Strawberry frosting is a pleasant twist to traditional buttercream on most cakes. For this recipe, you can use freeze-dried strawberries or fresh strawberries. 

You’ll love how fresh this frosting tastes, whether on a lemon cake, vanilla cupcakes, or even just taste testing off of the beaters. 

6. Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Lemon frosting is seriously so easy to make, and there’s just something so sophisticated with the citrus notes in this recipe. 

This recipe results in a sweet-tart frosting that is wonderful on fruit cakes, sugar cookies, or even by the spoonful.

7. Peanut Butter Frosting

Looking for a rich and creamy frosting for your next chocolate dessert? Look no further.

With just six ingredients, this recipe is so simple and delicious! Of course, peanut butter frosting is fabulous on chocolate cupcakes, your favorite fudge brownies, or even banana cake!

8. Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting

My family loves the way mint balances with chocolate desserts. You’ll fall in love with the cool peppermint paired with coarse chunks of chocolate in this recipe. 

Not that you need anything more than a spoon to enjoy this frosting, but it’s out of this world on chocolate chunk cookies!

9. Chocolate Mint Buttercream Frosting

If you love mint chocolate chip frosting, you’ll love chocolate mint frosting! This chocolatey buttercream is elevated with pure peppermint extract.

This frosting is the perfect start and finish to dark chocolate cupcakes or cake, and it’s the perfect way to take classic chocolate frosting to the next level!

10. Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Meringue buttercream frosting has a huge reputation for being a delicate frosting with a complex preparation process. Stress no more!

This recipe makes Swiss meringue so easy to make, you will wonder why you ever thought it was difficult.

Not only is this frosting delightful in flavor and texture, but it makes for beautiful decorations as well.

11. Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is less a frosting and more an incredible glaze to slather on any dessert. Of course, you can whip your ganache to pipe it onto cupcakes or between cake layers if you’d like.

There really isn’t anything to complain about when it comes to ganache. You’ll only need two ingredients and a saucepan to make this chocolate dream come true.

12. Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

If you love peanut butter cups, you’ll have to try this recipe immediately! This recipe is so creamy and rich, it is perfect on a simple yellow cake or cupcake. 

For this recipe, you’ll need softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, creamy peanut butter, vanilla, and a splash of milk. If that doesn’t sound rich and delicious, I don’t know what to tell you.

13. Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

This blackberry frosting is angelic and so easy! I’m sure this pairs well with chocolate cupcakes or sugar cookies, but it was truly heavenly on a simple white cake.

The earthy tones of blackberry puree are gently lifted with lemon zest in this fantastic recipe. 

14. Fresh Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Everything about this recipe is so wholesome, you’ll feel as though you’re eating from a home-style bakery.

Fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and rich cream cheese create a creamy spread for your sweets.

The author does disclaim this is not a piping recipe, so do not plan to decorate or have picturesque peaks with this recipe. Do expect an incredible flavor that you’ll fall in love with!

15. Ermine Frosting

Ermine frosting is an old-fashioned “flour frosting” that has survived the ages for good reason. 

It results in the perfect smooth texture every time that is perfect for piping and decoration, and it’s less sweet than other frostings.

If you’ve only prepared buttercream before, this frosting will feel very light to you, especially when still warm.

Be sure to take your time and relish in the nostalgia of this incredible frosting recipe.

16. Whipped Cream Frosting

Whipped cream frosting is a lovely option when you want a less rich frosting to layer on cakes or pipe onto cupcakes in comparison to buttercream frostings.

This recipe uses cream, white chocolate instant pudding, and a small amount of powdered sugar. 

17. White Chocolate Amaretto Frosting

White chocolate has such a rich and decadent flavor, especially when paired with almond amaretto! This recipe is so easy and is a delicious twist on French flavors. 

Be gentle with your pouring of almond liqueur, as it can become overpowering very easily. 

18. Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Raspberry buttercream has a very natural, sweet flavor that’s both light and earthy and is an excellent recipe for frosting.

A couple of important notes: be sure to strain your raspberry puree of any seeds, and allow the puree to cool completely before folding into your frosting. 

Just be sure you make enough for plenty of taste tests, as you won’t be able to get enough of this frosting! 

19. Caramel Buttercream Frosting

What a creative way to prepare frosting. Rather than creaming your butter, you’ll use the butter in creating your caramel base.

After making your caramel sauce, you’ll mix in powdered sugar and end with a sweet, creamy, buttery, caramel frosting!

20. Funfetti Homemade Frosting

I remember the thrill of Funfetti cake and frosting as a kid. I’m not sure if it was the rainbow of colors or the added sweetness from sprinkles.

You’ll be so impressed with how easily Funfetti frosting can be made from scratch and how much better it tastes with real butter and vanilla! 

21. Key Lime Buttercream Frosting

This Key lime frosting is so light and refreshing. The gentle tart from lime zest and juice is well balanced in this buttercream.

Do keep this frosting cold as long as possible, especially if you’re enjoying it on a hot summer day. 

22. Orange Frosting

Citrus will always be one of the best partners with sweets. This orange frosting is a fabulous way to level up your carrot cake or frost your favorite sugar cookies.

I prefer to leave the natural color of this frosting as opposed to adding the orange food coloring, but if you’re going for looks, feel free!

23. Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Cinnamon buttercream frosting is perfectly spiced and sweet for your next baking extravaganza. 

When using cinnamon frosting, I recommend you prepare this a day in advance. By allowing the frosting to refrigerate overnight, the cinnamon profile will be much more balanced. 

If you rely on the flavor the day of, be wary you won’t keep adding cinnamon. 

24. Caramel Apple Frosting

Caramel apple is a fall favorite and for great reason! The tart apple flavor balances perfectly with buttery caramel, and comes together to make a confection masterpiece!

This recipe does call for apple flavor, which is less common than most extracts. You can find this flavor at craft stores that sell baking supplies or order it online. 

25. Coffee Buttercream

Coffee is life in our home, so it makes perfect sense to bring that amazing flavor into our baking. 

In this recipe, you can use instant coffee or espresso powder depending on how intense of coffee flavor you want. 

26. Salted Caramel Frosting

Some may say pumpkin spice is the queen of fall, but did they forget about salted caramel? 

You will soon find out how flexible salted caramel frosting really is, whether on apple spice cake, vanilla cupcakes, or even brownies.

I like to use the sea salt on top of the frosting for a crunch that balances so well with the sweet caramel frosting.

27. Easy Maple Frosting

Maple is definitely an underrated and complex flavor that deserves more recognition.

The complexity and depth with hints of caramel and vanilla create the perfect addition to your sweet treats.

This maple frosting is incredibly easy to prepare, as it relies on maple flavoring or extract rather than syrup. You’ll love how well the maple balances with the butter base of this frosting. 

28. Lavender Buttercream

Lavender is a delicate herb to cook with, but when used appropriately, it can add a lovely floral tone to your buttercream. 

This buttercream is well-balanced with blueberry juice to pair with the lavender. This frosting is fabulous on lemon or white cakes. 

29. Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting

Who needs gingerbread cookies when you can have gingerbread frosting? 

Of course, this frosting is a delightful addition to your holiday treats, but it’s honestly delicious any time of year. 

30. Banana Whipped Cream Frosting

Banana whipped frosting is so light and tasty! It’s the perfect balance to go with rich chocolate cakes and only takes three ingredients.

While this recipe isn’t one you’ll use to pipe and decorate with, it tastes fabulous dolloped on cupcakes or spread evenly on cake.