This custard-based German buttercream is made with just a few simple ingredients. Perfect for those who like a rich and silky frosting that isn’t too sweet!
I’m so excited to be sharing a new buttercream recipe with you guys today! Last week I told you all about How to Make Pastry Cream and today I’m going to tell you how to use that to make a delicious buttercream.
As you know, I am a die-hard Swiss Meringue Buttercream fan. It is THE best buttercream, as far as I’m concerned, but it’s not for everyone. It’s a bit high maintenance and some people find it either too buttery or too sweet, or both.
American Buttercream, on the other hand, is super easy to make, but gritty due to the powdered sugar and usually very sweet.
There are a variety of different buttercreams out there and I’m going to be experimenting with a bunch of them this year. I’m kicking it all off today with this German Buttercream!
What is German Buttercream?
German buttercream is a custard-based buttercream that consists simply of pastry cream, butter, and any additional flavourings you may want.
This buttercream is perfect for someone who likes a creamy, buttery frosting, but one that has a very subtle sweetness. How sweet you make it is up to you — the sweetness will come from the pastry cream itself.
I kept the sweetness fairly mild in mine but you can increase the sugar if you like. Alternatively, you can add additional powdered sugar at the very end.
How to Make German Buttercream
This buttercream is very easy to make, but it does require some pre-planning as you need to make the custard (pastry cream) in advance and let it cool. Here’s the step-by-step process of making German buttercream:
Step #1 – Prepare Pastry Cream
Make your custard in advance and chill to set. Refer to my How to Make Pastry Cream post for a detailed tutorial.
Step #2 – Bring your Butter and Pastry Cream to Room Temperature
The pastry cream will be thick and gelatinous and needs to be rewhipped before use. I just do this by hand with a whisk. It smooths out very quickly.
Step #3 – Beat your butter until Pale & Fluffy
Don’t skip this step. Whip it for a good 3 minutes on high. I use a paddle attachment because I like that mine scrapes the sides of the bowl, but you can use the whisk attachment if you prefer.
Step #4 – Add Pastry Cream a bit at a time
Slowly add the pastry cream about 1 Tbsp at a time while the buttercream is whipping. This is kind of like adding butter to a Swiss meringue buttercream. Incorporate it slowly.
I just used a regular soup spoon to add it in, it doesn’t have to be precise.
Step #5 – Beat until fluffy and smooth
Once all of the pastry cream is incorporated, beat the buttercream on high for 2-3 minutes until it is smooth and fluffy. Taste it to see if you want to add any more vanilla or powdered sugar for sweetness.
Storage and Perishability
You can store German buttercream like any other. It will last for a week or two in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before use.
I like to store mine in an airtight container in the fridge, but if I’m freezing it I spread the buttercream on a large sheet of plastic wrap, wrap it up, flatten it, and place it in a freezer bag.
Who is German Buttercream best for?
Like all buttercreams, custard buttercream is not for everyone. It is best suited for someone who likes a frosting that is:
- rich and silky
- not too sweet
This frosting is very buttery, which is why it’s important to whip that butter very well at the beginning and then again once you incorporate the custard.
You want to lighten it up as much as possible.
Since the buttercream is made mostly of butter (yellow) and pastry cream (yellow-ish), it will be more on the yellow side. Again, whipping that butter will really help lighten it up!
Take a look through my How to Make White Buttercream for tips and tricks on how to neutralize that yellow color.
Flavouring German Buttercream
You have a few options here when it comes to flavouring the buttercream. You can infuse the milk — I talk about this a bit in my Pastry Cream post, but the flavour will be diluted a bit once you add it to the butter. Or you can just add in flavouring at the end like any buttercream.
Here are some flavouring options to add in at the end:
- 8oz cooled, melted chocolate
- 2 Tbsp Instant espresso powder (of instant coffee) dissolved in 1 tsp hot water
- 1/2 cup caramel or dulce de leche
- Beat the butter with 1 Tbsp lemon zest and then add more lemon juice at the end if desired
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried berry powder
- 1/4 cup peanut butter powder
I can’t wait to hear what you guys think of this German Buttercream recipe.
I love that it’s silky smooth, not too sweet, and that I can add more sugar at the end if I want it sweeter. It’s much easier than Swiss meringue buttercream, but does require a bit of prep and planning.
If you find most frostings too sweet, but want something more stable than whipped cream, this is the frosting for you! Let me know if you try it!
Looking for more tutorials?
- How to Make Lemon Curd
- How to Make Caramel
- How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- How to Make Simple Syrup
- Homemade Cake Release (How to Prepare Cake Pans)
- How to Bake Flat Cake Layers
Tips for making German Buttercream
- Be sure to read through my How to Make Pastry Cream post for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make the custard portion of this buttercream.
- Add powdered sugar or more vanilla at the end to taste if desired.
- The pastry cream will last for 5-7 days in the fridge. It should not be frozen on it’s own.
- The buttercream will last for 2 weeks in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before use.
German Buttercream
Ingredients
Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere):
- 2 cups milk divided
- 1 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 cup cornstartch
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
German Buttercream:
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- powdered sugar to taste, if needed
- vanilla to taste, if needed
Instructions
Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere):
- Place 1 1/2 cups milk and the vanilla into a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring often until it just starts to simmer. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- While whisking vigorously, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil.
- Pass through a strainer and into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool to room temperature then place in the refrigerator for a couple hours to set.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Do not freeze.
German Buttercream:
- Ensure pastry cream and butter are at room temperature. Whip pastry cream by hand until smooth.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter on high until pale and fluffy (3 mins). Add the room temperature custard 1 Tbsp at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Add powdered sugar or more vanilla if desired. Beat for 2-3mins until smooth and fluffy.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow buttercream to come to room temperature and rewhip before use.
Recipes You May Like
Notes
- 8oz cooled, melted chocolate
- 2 Tbsp Instant espresso powder (of instant coffee) dissolved in 1 tsp hot water
- 1/2 cup caramel or dulce de leche
- Beat the butter with 1 Tbsp lemon zest and then add more lemon juice at the end if desired
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried berry powder
- 1/4 cup peanut butter powder
Merle says
Hi! I’m not really a baker, and I don’t really know much about different types of frosting, but in preparation for my first time making macarons, a frosting using egg yolks was perfect! Also, the methods on this blog are simple and easy to follow for a beginner like me. However, I don’t have any cornstarch so I found a way to substitute in flour. Also, I didn’t want to make *too* much, so I made a rather small batch of custard. Since I didn’t use the exact measurements of the pastry cream recipe, I was wondering if there was a pastry cream-to-butter ratio so I could determine the amount of butter that way?
Olivia says
Hi Merle! So happy you liked this recipe 🙂 You can scale the recipe up or down by changing the Servings. In terms of ratio I would use the same amount of butter that you do of milk to make the custard.
Ari says
Hi! I was wondering at what step should I add the freeze dried strawberry powder? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Ari! I would add it in right at the end.
Aida says
Do you think this will work for Russian piping! American buttercream is too sweet 🙁
Olivia says
Hi Aida! I think it would work fine, but it is a little softer. Have you tried Swiss meringue buttercream? That would work for sure! https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Alissa says
Can you add fresh berries?
Olivia says
Hi Alissa! For best results, I would use freeze-dried berry powder as it won’t affect the texture as much. Or something like jam. You can try with fresh berries but I worry that the liquid would cause the buttercream to split and/or be too soft.
Melinda Perry says
Hey Olivia.
I am debating and would like some advice or your opinion. My daughter’s 4th Birthday is on the 12th and we will be outdoors.. but I would really like to have a buttercream that isn’t overly sweet.
Seeing as it’s my 4 years old Birthday I don’t want anything to sweet.
So I guess my question is.. would this buttercream be okay to have in.. +16-17 ° Weather? For an hour or 2? (That’s what the forecast says its going to be)
Olivia says
Hi Melinda! What I would do is chill the cake before taking it to the venue. The frosting will be firm once chilled and will soften over time as you’re outside, until you’re ready to dive into it 🙂 I would keep it out of direct sunlight though.
Marla says
I’m a little late to the party, but wanted to thank you for such a detailed recipe! This was my first time making German Buttercream, and I must say it is my new fav!! The pastry cream wasn’t ‘eggy’, and I didn’t add powdered sugar in the second step because it was perfectly sweetened already. I used this for filling my vanilla macarons.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Marla! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
Neila says
The buttercream tastes amazing !
I used it on my macarons as well, but when I took them out of the fridge the next day the macarons had fallen apart due to the moisture. Also, the butter started melting after being out for only 30 minutes, I rushed them to the freezer in hopes to salvage them. Why is it melting so fast? It’s still winter here and pretty cold. I went back to look at the recipe to see if I missed anything. Not sure what I’m doing wrong. Help please! I really want to use this buttercream for my macarons. 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Nelia! I haven’t tried this one as a macaron filling myself, but it is softer than other buttercreams for sure. Though it really shouldn’t cause your macarons to be so soft that they fall apart. Especially in the fridge, the frosting should get quite firm! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe at all? Like using less butter?
Neila says
No, I used two sticks of butter. Thats what the recipe says right? I am trying it again today. After I whip the butter do you think that I should stick it back in the fridge for a bit? Just to help it firm a little more? Or, should I add some powdered sugar? If I do add powdered sugar how much should I add without making it too sweet?
Neila says
Wow! You were absolutely right. I only used one cup of butter. Thanks so much. I will try again!
Olivia says
Ah yeah, that would make the balance of ingredients off which would have caused the result you were seeing! Let me know how it turns out the second time 🙂
Susie J says
This was a fun new buttercream to try, I used it on the chia tea cake here and it was a delicious pairing! I used Fairlife Skim milk and it worked fine. I also ended up adding roughly a 1/2 cup powdered sugar to up the sweetness a bit (I’m too used to SMBC)! This was a great, fluffy and creamy change of pace to my standard Swiss meringue, definitely will be putting the leftovers into some macarons!
Olivia says
Hi Susie! Thanks for the awesome feedback. I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Victoria says
First time I made this it was perfect! But I had it in the fridge for about 10 days and I re-whipped after leaving at room temp for about 2-3 hours and it turned into a gloop! What could be the problem??
Olivia says
Hi Victoria! Was the frosting completely at room temperature? I tend to leave mine overnight as a large batch like this will take longer than 2-3 hours to come to room temp. Warming it up should help!
Marie Powers says
What buttercream recipe would you recommend for Russian tips besides American buttercream?
Olivia says
Hi Marie! American works really well because it’s very stiff. You can also try a Swiss Meringue buttercream: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Kandi says
Absolutely delicious, and piped beautifully! My new go-to frosting recipe. I piped it on cupcakes, and it easily and generously covered 2 dozen, with enough left to frost a few more. Nothing but raves for the flavor and consistency. Perfect!
Olivia says
Hi Kandi! I’m so happy you loved this one. It’s a new fave over here to!! For an even easier version, you should give my Ermine buttercream a try.
Kandi says
Thank you Olivia, I will!
Hiba says
Heyy, i am really excited to make this buttercream for my cakes.
My question is that, can we cover the cake with fondant, frosted with german buttercream?
Olivia says
Hi Hiba! Yes, that will work fine. Be sure to chill the cake so the frosting is firm.
Nancy says
I love the taste and consistency of the german butter cream. However I find that even though I make it exactly the same every time it’s 50/50 whether it will turn out. I have a problem with it looking like it is curdled or furry some of the time. I have tried googling it and no on ever mentions this and what causes it. I made a wedding cake with it and made batch after batch. Some turned out and some didn’t. Some turned out but when I beat it again when it came out of the fridge the next day it curdled. Adding an extra bit of vanilla made it curdle. Taking too long icing it made it go funny. Might be the most temperamental icing I have ever used. Can you shine some light on my problems. I love the icing but am pretty scared of it after so many hits and misses.
Olivia says
Hi Nancy! So strange — is your custard and butter completely at room temperature when you make it? The frosting can break if the temperature is off as things won’t emulsify properly. Same goes for using the frosting after refrigerating. It must be completely at room temperature before you rewhip it. Have you had problems with it when you try to use it right away or after refrigerating or both?
Elitsa Yordanova says
Hello Olivia! I had exactly the same issues. This frosting is so good, but risky for me too. Could you please tell me what you mean with room temperature? Because I will start the air condition if I had to😊 at home is usually not more than 24 degrees!
Your pictures looks fantastic!
Olivia says
Hi Elitsa! Room temperature butter is about 65-70F. Soft but still slightly cool to the touch.
Barbara Fisette says
This video was very hard to follow. Just wanted the ingredient recipe with written instructions.
Olivia says
Hi Barbara! You can hit Jump to Recipe at the top of the page and it will take you right to the ingredients and directions. The blog post itself though has a very detailed step-by-step tutorial.
Emily says
Do you think you could replace some of the pastry cream with lemon curd to make a lemon frosting? Also if I wanted to add some white chocolate would that be better melted and drizzled in or added to the pastry cream? How do you think this would hold up in heat as compared to American buttercream? I personally hate American buttercream, but I’m experimenting with options for my sister in law’s wedding. She didn’t love the swiss buttercream I used in her tester cupcakes so I’m hoping something richer will work for her. SORRY for all of the questions!
Olivia says
Hi Emily! No worries about all the questions. Let me try to answer them for you 🙂
– You can definitely replace some of the pastry cream with curd. They are similar in consistency so it should be fine.
– I would add the white chocolate at the very end. Make sure it’s cooled completely.
– Re: heat — probably not as well as an ABC due to the texture. How hot are we talking?
What didn’t she like about the Swiss buttercream? You could always try mixing SMBC and ABC to get something in between 🙂
Emily says
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Why she doesn’t like SMB is beyond me. I think it’s perfect 🙂 but I think she found it too light and airy.
It’ll be an outdoor wedding in 2 weeks – so who knows. I think I’ll just keep them refrigerated until the last possible minute. An in between might work too!
Olivia says
The buttercream will get very firm in the fridge (like butter would) so I think it’s a good plan to keep it refrigerated as long as possible. The cake will need a good 2-3 hours (depending on how warm it is) to come to room temperature.
shazoo says
Love you And all your recipes… love the way you explain things in detail. You don’t miss anything at all when explaining the steps and on top of that tips on how to prevent things from falling apart etc…. perfect. Just discovered you and been looking at your recipes…. all my reading done for today. Thanks again…
Olivia says
Hi Shazoo! Thanks so much for your sweet comment 🙂 I hope you try some of my recipes soon!
Katherine says
I’m old enough to be your grandmother. My mother, who would be old enough to be your great grandmother, used to make this icing for red velvet cake. They commonly called the icing silk icing back then, so it was like having a silk and velvet cake. I never knew of anyone using cream cheese icing on red velvet back then. And I like the silk icing on red velvet much better. I’m glad you shared it with your generation. They will enjoy it for sure.
Olivia says
Hi Katherine! Thank you so much for your sweet comment. I love the silk and velvet cake name! I hope more people try this frosting recipe, it really is delicious 🙂
Jessica says
My grandmother used to make German Buttercream Cakes when my mom and Aunt were little and I have yet to find the recipe after several attempts for that buttercream, well according to my Aunt. I’m hoping this is it. I’m curious though as to what kind of cake would you recommend using this on, given that it’s not so sweet and more buttery? I have made a frankfurter means before and am looking for something other than that. Thanks in advance for your recommendation.
Olivia says
Hi Jessica! I hope this recipe lives up to your expectations! You could honestly use this on any kind of cake, it just depends on how sweet (or not) you like your cakes to be. I think there might have been an autocorrect error in your second last sentence so I’m not sure exactly what you’re looking for.
Jessica says
Thank you for your response Olivia. There was an autocorrect in my response. I’ve made a frankfurter Kranz before (German layer cakes with German buttercream and raspberry filling) and I was looking for other cake ideas using the German buttercream.
Olivia says
Hi Jessica! I just looked that up and WOW. That looks insanely delicious! I’m going to have to give that one a try. I think the German buttercream can work with any and all cake recipes 🙂
Amy says
is whole milk fine to use
Olivia says
Hi Amy! Yes, that’s fine.
Aspen says
Tastes great and the instructions are very easy to follow! Love it!
Olivia says
Hi Aspen! So glad you liked the recipe and found it easy 🙂
Bakingo says
it looks very yummy
Olivia says
Thank you! 🙂
Samantha Singer says
This is amazing !! I have a fussy partner who suffers through endless tastings of buttercream for me while I’m making cakes. He really likes custard so I was keen to give this a try . It’s a winner ! I also took cupcakes to work and everyone commented on how delicious it was and how it left such a nice after taste. It was so easy to make so it will definitely be a “go to “recipe.
I am looking forward to using this in a variety of different cakes.
Thank you for all your delicious recipes ❤️
Olivia says
Hi Samantha! Thanks so much for the awesome feedback. I’m so glad you guys loved it! 🙂
Antoinette Terlinden says
Hello,
Any chance this would work with coconut or almond milk?
Thank you.
Antoinette
Olivia says
Hi Antoinette! Almond milk or coconut milk will work totally fine to make the custard 🙂
Jan says
I recently discovered a qt. Mason jar of vanilla sugar in the back of my pantry. It’s got to be at least 2 years old and has never been opened LOL. Could I use that in the pastry cream and then add the vanilla to taste? Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Jan! I would totally use that! As long as it smells ok… which it probably should 🙂
Segen says
Just made SMBC a few days ago and have been wondering to do with all my yolks ! You just solved my problem !! Thank you. Would this be enough to fill a three layer 18cm cake. So basically just filling on two layers and not for the outside ?
Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Segen! I hope you love this one. It would be enough for filling for sure, honestly it should be enough to frost the whole cake too.
Nikita says
I’m so excited to try this recipe!!
I grew up on a similar family recipe (but my family just cooked milk and corn starch to make the cream). I knew it was amazing/unique compared to most other frostings and at some point I discovered that the rest of America thinks of buttercream as only the standard American BC – my mind was blown. But I never knew our family recipe was technically German style until just seeing your recipe now! (I just forwarded it to my sister)
I’ve switched to your SMBC in the last couple of years to try something new, but I’m excited to see how this BC tastes after using the full pastry cream.
Olivia says
Hi Nikita! I’m so excited that you’re excited about this one! Let me know how it compares to your old family recipe 🙂
Kirsty-Ann says
Those piped swirls look positively delectable… I love using Heritage Buttercream on cakes so I am excited to find an excuse to this German Buttercream. And I am loving these component recipes. Thank you so much.
Olivia says
Hi Kristy-Ann! Heritage buttercream is next on my list! I’d love to hear how you think this one compares. And so glad you are finding these recipes helpful <3
Geb says
Thank you. I have to try it. But i am worry about using it without keeping my final cake in the fridge. Pastry cream must be refrigarated all times to avoid it turns… have you try it?
Olivia says
Hi Geb! The buttercream will be fine at room temperature for a few hours, even a day or two, really, but I would refrigerate it if any longer than that.
Sam says
I have vanilla flavored custard powder, can I use that in place of the corn starch and vanilla in this recipe? Same amount? I just want to find more ways to use up that custard powder!
Olivia says
Hi Sam! I’ve never tried making a pastry cream with custard powder before, but you can give it a try. Are there directions on your custard powder that say how to make the custard or a pudding? That should work!
Sam says
Yes! So maybe I’ll just make the custard using this and then follow your instructions to incorporate it into the buttercream. The ingredients for the custard powder are corn starch, salt, & vanilla flavor. Thank you for your quick response!
Olivia says
I think that should work, but please let me know how it turns out! You’ll want to make about 2 cups of the custard.
Heather says
I was just thinking I’d like to try a new buttercream on today’s cake, and here it is! My pastry cream is cooling and it’s looking just perfect. Can’t wait to get this stuff whipped up later! Should be a great option for my sugary frosting-hating husband.
Olivia says
Yay! That is amazing. Please come back and report how you both liked it 😀
Heather says
Dare I say I loved it more than SMB? My husband actually ate it instead of scraping it off the cake! Ha. I did chocolate and it’s like eating a nice light mousse. Very yummy.
Olivia says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! And yay for your husband actually eating the buttercream! 😉 I can’t wait to try a chocolate version myself. Thanks for coming back to report on it!
Lauren says
Heather! My dad is the *exact* same way as your husband – always scraping off frostings, but he didn’t do it with this one 🙂 I agree it’s perfect for someone who doesn’t like sweet stuff too much
I just had to read the comments section how others felt toward the lack of sugar in this hah!
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! I’m so thrilled he loved it, thanks for the feedback!
Erin says
Oh, I have always wanted to try German buttercream, but have never got up to it! I’ll have to give it a try sometime soon 🙂
Olivia says
You do! I think you will love it 🙂
Deedr says
Oops! That was the drool that landed on your “to die for” German Buttercream! Will be making this weekend! Have tried all of your different icing; you provide wonderful instructions and visuals! Thank you for all your hard work and making it look doable, so us novice baker’s will try;;)
Dee
Olivia says
Haha!! I’m so excited that you’re going to try it! Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback <3 Please come back and let me know how you like it 🙂
Sammi Harasymchuk says
Hi! I too would like to know when you can flavor the buttercream! My grandma used to make this mocha cake that I swear used German Buttercream (apparently she thought the recipe was obvious and didn’t need to be written down). My family has been missing this cake for years! Thanks for the helpful tips!
Olivia says
Hi Sammi! I just added a section to my post to talk about flavouring, thanks for this! I hope you try it and that it replicates your grandma’s beloved buttercream 🙂
Sammi Harasymchuk says
Thank you! I’m excited to try it out!
Tara says
This look amazing!! Would this work well on a cake? like your funfetti cake? Or is it to silky for something that like?
Thank you in advance!!
Olivia says
Hi Tara! This would be amazing on a cake!! It’s just like any other buttercream 🙂
Melissa Sibert says
Meant to ask this question: can you flavor this buttercream with chocolate or fruit? Would you flavor the pastry cream? Or would you add flavors at the end?
Olivia says
This is a great question and I just added a section to my post to talk about flavouring. Thank you!
Melissa Sibert says
I can’t wait to try this buttercream. It’s always nice to have a variety of frostings in your baking toolbox. My favorite is SMB, but this one sounds delicious too. Should you keep it refrigerated till just a couple of hours before serving your cake? You should do a tutorial/post on heritage frosting (cooked milk, sugar, and flour base beaten into butter). It’s kind of like this German buttercream.
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! I would treat it like any other buttercream. It will be fine at room temp for a few hours, but otherwise, refrigerate. And I have an Ermine (heritage) buttercream on the list soon!!