German Buttercream Frosting

Sep 5, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Madagascar Vanilla: Extract Medium

Cupcakes piped with German buttercream frosting

A classic German buttercream frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a two-layer 8-inch cake.

Prep 20 min

Cook 8 min

Cool 1 hr 30 min

Total 1 hr 58 min

Yield 24 cupcakes

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

cupcakes

1.0 cup (240.0 ml)whole milk
3.0 (54.0 g)large egg yolks
½ cup (100.0 g)granulated sugar
3.0 tbsp (24.0 g)cornstarch
⅛ tspfine sea salt
2.0 tsp (10.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
1.0 cup (227.0 g)unsalted butter, 2 sticks, softened but cool

Make it at home

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Instructions

Heat the milk in a saucepan until steaming. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolks, return to the pan, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling; whisk 1 minute more.
Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.
Beat the butter on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the cooled custard 1 spoonful at a time until silky.

Tips

Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make german buttercream frosting?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 8 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 30 minutes to cool. It makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a two-layer 8-inch cake.

How should I store german buttercream frosting?

Refrigerate for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

102 Calories / serving

8.6g Fat

5.7g Carbs

0.8g Protein

4.8g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~2448 cal · 206g fat · 137g carbs · 19g protein · 115g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 102 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 19 min·1.1 mi·~2200 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 14 min·0.7 mi·~1400 steps
Moderate cycling 10 min·2.0 mi
Swimming laps 14 min
Jogging 10 min·0.8 mi·~1600 steps
Stair climbing 9 min·~800 steps
Dancing 17 min
Bodyweight circuit training 10 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 24 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.