Vanilla Espresso Ginger Buttercream

Aug 20, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Extract Easy

Cupcakes piped with vanilla espresso ginger buttercream

This buttercream is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Ginger adds flavor and texture. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works.

Prep 15 min

Cook —

Total 15 min

Servings 24

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

1.0 cup (227.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ cups (400.0 g)confectioners' sugar
3.0 tbsp (45.0 ml)heavy cream
¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt
1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml)VanillaGoods vanilla extract
1.0 tsp (2.0 g)instant espresso powder

Flavor Accent

1.0 tsp (2.0 g)ground ginger

Make it at home

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Instructions

Beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color.
Add the confectioners' sugar in three additions on low speed, mixing each addition in before adding the next. Start slowly so the sugar stays in the bowl.
Add the vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the cream. Beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the instant espresso powder until evenly dispersed. Beat in the ground ginger until evenly dispersed. The buttercream should look smooth and fluffy, not grainy.
Beat in the remaining cream only if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. For piping, keep the buttercream slightly firmer than you would for spreading.

Tips

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla espresso ginger buttercream?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep. It makes 3 cups.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.

This buttercream is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Ginger adds flavor and texture. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

140 Calories / serving

8.3g Fat

16.8g Carbs

0.1g Protein

16.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3360 cal · 199g fat · 403g carbs · 2g protein · 394g sugar

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

Per serving · 140 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 26 min·1.5 mi·~3050 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 19 min·1.0 mi·~1900 steps
Moderate cycling 14 min·2.8 mi
Swimming laps 20 min
Jogging 14 min·1.2 mi·~2250 steps
Stair climbing 13 min·~1150 steps
Dancing 23 min
Bodyweight circuit training 14 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 33 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.

Made with VanillaGoods

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