Whipped Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting recipe is a light brown sugar whipped frosting that’s made without powdered sugar!
I love the whipped buttercream frostings because they are so light and creamy without being heavy or greasy.
They’re also pretty fantastic because you make the frosting without powdered sugar, so they’re perfect for those times when you don’t have any on-hand.
I’ve been thinking about making a brown sugar version for a while because some cakes pair so well with the caramel-y tones in brown sugar.
Anyway, this whipped brown sugar buttercream frosting doesn’t disappoint. It is incredibly light and super creamy.
It isn’t overpoweringly sweet either, so it pairs well with sweeter cakes. It’s especially good with fall-flavored cakes (i.e. pumpkin, apple, spice).
If you’ve never tried a whipped buttercream, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how good they are. This recipe makes enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes or a 9-inch 2 layer cake.
How to make whipped brown sugar buttercream frosting
Step 1: In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. It will be the consistency of a thick paste.
Step 2: Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Stir in vanilla.
Step 4: While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy on medium high, about 3 minutes.
Step 5: Then add the completely cooled milk mixture.
Step 6: Beat it for about 5 minutes on medium-high to high until it looks like whipped cream. If you can still taste the sugar granules, keep beating it until you can’t.
Tips
There are a few places where things could go wrong in this recipe.
- First, not cooking the milk mixture long enough. The mixture should be a thick paste. If it’s too wet, the frosting will be too loose.
- Second, the cooked milk mixture needs to cool completely. If it’s too warm, it will melt the butter, and you’ll end up with loose frosting that doesn’t come together.
- Third, using butter that’s too warm. The butter should be at cool room temperature. It should dent if pushed, but it shouldn’t be too warm and certainly not beginning to melt.
- Fourth, using old brown sugar. Brown sugar that is hard and lumpy won’t mix well with the butter. It’s best to use soft, fresh brown sugar.
- Fifth, not whipped the frosting long enough. The frosting needs to be whipped to get the right light and airy texture. Cutting the time short could leave you with a grainy frosting or a frosting that separates.
Storage
Any leftover frosting or cake/cupcakes frosted with the frosting should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More whipped buttercream frosting recipes!
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Whipped Brown Sugar Buttercream
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups salted butter at cool room temperature1
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. It will be the consistency of a thick paste.
- Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Stir in vanilla.
- While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy on medium high, about 3 minutes.
- Then add the completely cooled milk mixture.
- Beat it for about 5 minutes on medium-high to high until it looks like whipped cream. If you can still taste the sugar granules, keep beating it until you can’t.
Video
Notes
- So, what is “cool room temperature”? A lot of people think that room temperature butter means that the butter is on the verge of melted or is partially melted. That’s too warm. Cool room temperature butter means that if you press it with your finger, your finger will leave an indentation in the butter, but the butter should still hold its shape and should still feel cool to the touch.
- Check out the tips and tricks section above the recipe for more helpful hints.
- Nutrition facts have been estimated.
Nutrition
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Published 7/21/14. Updated with new photos and hints on 5/8/18.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Glenda says
Is it ok to prepare this frosting and frost the cake the day before serving it?
Kate says
Yes, that should be fine. The frosting will set up some in the fridge, so you’ll probably want to give it a few minutes to come up a bit in temperature before slicing. Hope that helps! =)
Stephanie says
Love this frosting! I’ve made this type of recipe with regular granulated sugar, but when I came across this recipe with the brown sugar I was so excited! It is amazing and those caramel-y notes are on point. I’ve used it to frost pumpkin cakes so far, it’s better than the traditional cream cheese for that, thanks for the great idea!
Kate says
Thank you so much! =) I’m so glad that you like the frosting. And thank you for coming back to comment!
Rebekah says
This is one of my go-to frosting recipes. I love it!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the frosting! =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Nancy says
First time making it So far so good!!!
Kate says
Great! I’m glad it’s going well! Hope you enjoy the frosting! =)
Jackie says
I made this for a banana cake. I followed the recipe EXCEPT for the milk and flour part. I added 1 cup bittersweet chocolate morsels. The frosting whipped up like mousse. It was AMAZING. Thank you!!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked it! =) The chocolate bits sound like a tasty addition. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Kylie says
The frosting tastes like pure butter when I made it. It’s probably just me though. Any suggestions?
Kate says
Yes! You can use dark brown sugar for a more pronounced brown sugar flavor. You can also increase the vanilla to 2 tablespoons. Depending on the type of cake that you’re pairing it with, you could even try adding cinnamon (or other spices) or try using different flavors of extract. Hope that helps! =)
Anna says
I’m on the final step of beating the frosting and it won’t thicken to look like whipped cream.
Kate says
Can you tell me what it looks like? It should whip up to be light and fluffy once you combine the thickened milk mixture and butter/sugar mixture.
Bridgett says
I’ve had this happen in the summer, just put it in the fridge for a little bit and then whip it up.
Kate says
Thank you!
Tammara says
I just made this frosting. I may have A. not quite let my milk/flour mixture thicken enough, maybe. And B. may not have let it quite cool enough. So as a result the frosting did seem to separate. But I beat the heck out of it and it seems to have come together. It is a little looser than I am used to, and so I am putting in the fridge and waiting until closer to serving, before piping on my apple spice cupcakes. However…that being said, the frosting itself is so light, so airy, so mildly delicious and such a nice alternative to American buttercream and cream cheese frosting. I am in love with this and will surely make it again:) Also, yours is the first recipe I came across when searching brown sugar buttercream. I cannot believe how many others use confectionary sugar which seems to defeat the purpose? Thanks!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I hope that chilling helps. If not, I’m happy to help you troubleshoot. I love this frosting, and I make several versions of it, and I have a lot of experience troubleshooting frosting issues. =) Thanks for commenting!
Jae says
OH WOW! I can’t wait to try this. Frostings with powdered sugar just don’t have the flavor/texture I want anymore and anything with ‘brown sugar’ in the title has to be good, not to mention ‘buttercream’ to boot. SO glad I stumbled across this recipe. It has to be a 5 star, just from reading the ingredients. THANK YOU!
Kate says
Thank you! I hope that you enjoy it! I also have a few other flavors of this frosting if you’re interested. =)
Jacki says
I just made this recipe and it is amazing!!! It will pair perfectly with my chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes!
Kate says
Thank you! That sounds like a delicious combination. Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Kendall says
I found this recipe in a panic when I was making a cake at 9pm for a birthday the next day and realized I was out of powdered sugar. While I did not have regular cow’s milk, I used coconut milk in it’s place. The roux still came out very well with the coconut milk and the frosting was very fluffy (very much like a thicker whipped cream). I highly recommend this recipe and I loved the flavor of the brown sugar!
Kate says
I’m so glad that it came out well for you! Thanks for your note about using coconut milk. I could see that adding some extra creaminess to the frosting. =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Denise says
This was so delicious! We can’t do dairy at the moment, so I subbed unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and earth balance vegan “butter” sticks. I also only had cake flour left because I used up all my all purpose right before. Turned out great.
Kate says
Thank you! I appreciate your notes about using vegan subs in this recipe! I get questions about using varios subs, and it’s so helpful to hear from people who have done it. Thanks again! =)
Rochelle says
Could you substitute water for the milk?
Kate says
I don’t think that it would give you the same results. Is there a reason why you wouldn’t want to use milk? I might be able to help you figure something out if you give me more info.
Janine says
Hi, I have tried this for the first time and I am getting little lumps when beating the icing? Looks like they are flour lumps but I can’t get rid? Also, my icing isn’t firm enough, any ideas? Thanks
Kate says
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble! It sounds like the flour wasn’t fully incorporated in the milk. That could cause both the lumps and the milk mixture not thickening enough. You could try straining it and then chilling it. It firms up quite a bit once it has been chilled. I hope that helps!
Kathryn says
I am going to make a 9 x 13 “Texas sheet cake” and want to frost it with the Whipped Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting. You don’t say how much frosting this recipe will yield in terms of cake layer sizes and quantity. If I have leftover frosting, will it freeze well?
Kate says
One batch of frosting should frost a 2 layer 9-inch round cake, 9×13 sheet cake, or 24 cupcakes. I haven’t tried to freeze the frosting. It does keep well, covered, in the fridge.
Kinsley says
My icing will not thicken. Any suggestions on how to fix this issue?
Kate says
What step are you having trouble with?
Cari says
It looked yummy at first the butter was not mixing. So I put it in the blender and with a little dash of milk best frosting ever.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you worked it out. Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
Nan Wilson says
This icing was a big hit on my Fathers birthday cake with coconut on it. Everyone who had a piece of cake raved over it. Now I am having to “help” Make 72 cup cakes and a smash cake for my cousin’s daughter 1st birthday party. Lady bugs ? in sand I guess. Lol
Kate says
Yay!! That’s so great! Sounds like you’re going to be the go-to for family celebrations. =)
Daynah says
Love this! I cut butter back to 1 cup (out of necessity) and it still came out GREAT! Put it on Butter Pecan loaf cake! Amazing combination!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad it worked out for you! I hadn’t tried it with less butter. It’s always good to hear what has worked for other people. =)
Amy says
I tend to really be aweful at making frosting but this turned out perfectly! !!!! Light fluffy whipped perfection! I used unsweetened almond milk because it was what i had in the fridge i also added a little cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture because I made a sweet potato cake. Im in shock about how amazing this turned out! I highly recommend this not gritty at all!
Kate says
Thank you so much! Also, thanks for your notes about your changes! I get lots of questions about using different types of milk, and it’s helpful to hear from people who have tried it.