• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Big Flavors From a Tiny Kitchen  | Sara's Tiny Kitchen
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Portfolio
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Portfolio
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home

    Coffee Buttercream Frosting

    June 7, 2021 by sara Leave a Comment

    Silky smooth Coffee Buttercream Frosting has a subtle coffee flavor that goes perfectly with chocolate cake.

    Jump to Recipe

    Silky smooth Coffee Buttercream Frosting has a subtle coffee flavor that goes perfectly with chocolate cake.

    I don’t know about you, but I have always loved bakery buttercream frosting.  You know the type – the cupcakes in the supermarket with the mile high frosting in bright neon pinks and yellows.  The type that’s so sweet that it makes your teeth hurt a bit, and there’s just a little bit of grit from the sugar.  Pure heaven, I tell you. 

    For the majority of my life, I’ve had the palette of a 7 year old child, able to put away hyper-palatable foods like that by the truckful.  It’s only been in the past 10 years or so that I’ve come to appreciate a more mature type of frosting.  This recipe for coffee buttercream is just that.

    Based on a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, this is my go-to frosting recipe.  It’s rich and decadent and pairs perfectly with a chocolate cupcake.  The recipe is large and makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes with a sky-high pile of frosting.  You could easily cut the recipe in half if you don’t want to go into a sugar coma after eating a cupcake.  

    Other Frostings You'll Love

    • Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Vanilla Maple Buttercream
    • Chai Buttercream

    Ingredient List

    Butter:  This is an extremely butter heavy recipe.  I will always recommend using good quality butter, but even more so in a recipe like this where butter is one of the two main flavors.   Kerrygold and Tillamook butter are my two favorite store brands. 

    Sugar:  confectioner’s sugar, also known as powdered sugar, is the sweetener for this recipe.  It holds everything together with the butter.

    Heavy cream:  if you don’t have heavy cream, milk will work in a pinch, but I love the flavor of the cream with the coffee.

    Vanilla:  pure vanilla extract is used here – the alcohol in the extract is used to break down the instant coffee into the cream mixture.

    Instant Coffee:  it’s a necessary requirement for this recipe.  You could use instant espresso powder in its place if you don’t have instant coffee.   Starbucks VIA pouches are good for this recipe, and they’re actually just pretty good in general.

    Tips and Tricks

    1. Leftover coffee buttercream frosting can be refrigerated or frozen.
    2. To use after refrigeration, let the frosting sit at room temp for 30-60 minutes, then beat with a stand mixer or hand mixer until the frosting gets fluffy again.
    3. To use from frozen, follow the previous directions, except let the frosting come up to room temperature over the course of a few hours.
    4. The recipe can be cut in half easily.
    5. You can use a hand mixer to make this frosting, but expect the mixing times to be at least 50% longer.

    Subscribe to Sara's Tiny Kitchen!

    Get the latest updates and recipes straight to your inbox!

    I'm so glad you found my site! Take a few minutes to look around and see what else we have to offer here at Sara's Tiny Kitchen!

    Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a new recipe!

    If you make this recipe don't forget to tag @sarastinykitchn on Instagram so I can see it!! For more great recipe ideas, follow me on Pinterest!

    If you liked this recipe, please leave a review and a star review below! It really helps other people find my recipes!

    Coffee Buttercream Frosting

    Silky smooth Coffee Buttercream Frosting has a subtle coffee flavor that goes perfectly with chocolate cake.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 24 Cupcakes Worth

    Ingredients
      

    • 20 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 ½ sticks at room temperature
    • 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar
    • pinch of salt
    • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 3 teaspoons instant coffee

    Instructions
     

    • In a stand mixer using either the whisk or paddle attachment beat the butter on its own for 20-30 seconds until it's smooth.
    • Add the salt and confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then raise the speed to medium and continue to mix for another 30-45 seconds.
    • In a separate bowl, mix together the cream, vanilla, and instant coffee; and stir to dissolve the coffee into the cream.
    • Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the cream/coffee mixture. Beat for 20 seconds or so on low speed until incorporated.
    • Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy - about 4-5 minutes.
    Keyword buttercream frosting, coffee buttercream frosting, coffee frosting
    « Onion and Goat Cheese Flatbread
    Cherry Icebox Ribbon Cookies »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Sara! I’m a photographer, a recipe developer, and a blogger, but beneath it all, I’m just your average home cook.  I’m busy and I don’t always have time to spend hours in the kitchen.  I share quick, easy, and delicious meals that your family will love as much as mine does.  I taught myself to cook by trial and error.  Come along with me and I’ll help you get there too – hopefully with a little less “error” than I had!

    More about me →

    (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [], forms: { on: function(evt, cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt, callback: cb } ); } } } })();

    Recent Recipes

    • Easiest Duncan Hines Cake Mix Cookies
    • Easy Air Fryer Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
    • Irish Lemonade Recipe (Easy Cocktail)
    • How to Make an Easter Candy Charcuterie Board

    Chocolate

    • Dalgona Chocolate Recipe
    • Marshmallow Swirl Brownies
    • Christmas Muddy Buddies
    • Brownies with Reese's Pieces

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 on the Sara's Tiny Kitchen