33 Homemade Frosting Recipes That Are Lip-Licking Good!

Cakes are great, but a cake with sweet, yummy icing is way better!

Frosting a cake, whether it’s a big birthday cake, or simply several cupcakes, is hands down the way to go. Not only can it make the cakes look super cute, but they can also enhance the overall taste of the cakes too.

You can add food coloring to make the cakes more appealing and pipe the frosting into pretty patterns. Not to mention, you can cover up parts of the cake that don’t look too hot.

You can have a frosting flavor that matches your cake, or that simply compliments it, or you can go for a stark, flavorful contrast. The possibilities are endless!

In this article, I’m going to provide you with 33 different frosting recipes that you’ll be dying to use on your next cake.

Get those taste buds ready, because here we go!

1. The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe From Belle Of The Kitchen

Vanilla buttercream is such a classic frosting, it had to have a place on my shortlist. It has universal appeal and suits both big cakes and cupcakes. And it looks amazing with colorful sprinkles thrown on.

It’s super simple to make, and you only need 4 ingredients in total, namely butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. 

2. Rich Chocolate Frosting Recipe From Dinner Then Dessert

If you’re going to do a chocolate frosting, you’ve got to do it right, and that means making a rich, decadent flavor that’s just like sinking your teeth into melted chocolate.

And that’s exactly what this recipe delivers. You get a creamy, fudgy topping that only needs 5 ingredients to make, and is ready to pipe in as little as 20 minutes.

3. Real Strawberry Frosting Recipe From All Recipes

Why settle for “strawberry flavoring” when you can make a delicious frosting using real strawberries?

It’s super simple to make, too. All you have to do is purée some fresh strawberries, before bringing the purée to a boil and beating in butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract when cool. Yum!

4. Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe From All Recipes

Peanut butter frosting has a real depth of flavor that other types of frosting often lack.

This particular version of peanut butter frosting comes out light and fluffy, and is not too sweet. You get a creamy frosting that’s not too overpowering and will not take away from the flavor of whatever cake it’s topping. And it’s not at all greasy.

5. Lemon Glaze Icing Recipe From The Spruce Eats

How about a nice, shiny glaze rather than a buttercream frosting?

This delectable lemon glaze has a wonderful sheen to it when used to glaze a cake, and I just love the way the glaze drips down to the plate, looking so enticing.

This lemon glaze icing is easy to make, and it features both lemon juice and lemon zest, alongside milk, powdered sugar, and a little yellow food coloring as a nice finishing touch.

6. Oreo Frosting Recipe From Num’s The Word

You’re going to love this one! This scrumptious frosting recipe is made from everyone’s favorite chocolate sandwich cookies, Oreos, for the perfect cookies and cream flavor.

It’s pretty simple to make, you just need some Oreo cookies, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. And it tastes great on cookies and cream cupcakes!

7. Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe From Preppy Kitchen

If you want your piping to be the star of the show, then I recommend going for a frosting recipe that’s stable and holds its shape well, like this recipe, which is thickened with egg whites.

It’s made a little differently to traditional buttercream, but it’s just as delicious. 

8. Caramel Apple Frosting Recipe From Emily Fabulous

I don’t know about you, but I love to make seasonal dishes every fall. And this caramel apple frosting recipe is the epitome of the season and never fails to please. 

It’s based on a cream cheese frosting recipe, but also features apple flavoring and liquid caramel for that perfect caramel apple flavor.

9. Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe From Sally’s Baking Recipes

If you want a really creamy frosting, I 100% recommend that you base it around cream cheese as a central ingredient, as per this recipe

It’s really easy to make, and all you need is full fat cream cheese, a stick of butter, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

10. Salted Caramel Frosting Recipe From Baked By An Introvert

Sweet and salty flavors combine beautifully in this salted caramel frosting recipe, giving it an excellent contrast of sensation and real depth of flavor.

It’s made with the likes of butter, powdered sugar, sea salt, and some homemade caramel sauce, the recipe for which is available through a link on the recipe page. 

11. Chocolate Ganache Frosting Recipe From Erren’s Kitchen

Why settle for a regular chocolate buttercream frosting when you can go for a rich, decadent chocolate ganache instead.

It requires very few ingredients, just chopped dark chocolate, a pinch of salt, and some whipping cream, or alternatively some heavy cream.

All you have to do is heat the cream, before pouring it onto the chocolate and mix until the chocolate is completely melted, then leave it to set.

12. Fresh Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe From Todd And Diane

If you’re looking for a colorful frosting that’s not too rich or intense, and has a lighter taste to it, then this recipe could be exactly what you’re looking for. 

It’s made with fresh blueberries, cream cheese, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, butter, lemon zest, sugar, and cornstarch. 

13. White Chocolate And Amaretto Frosting Recipe From My Recipes

This frosting is just dreamy! It features white cooking chocolate, heavy cream, butter, powdered sugar, and an almond flavored liqueur such as Amaretto.

This adult-only topping goes down a treat, and the white chocolate pairs perfectly with the almond liqueur! And there’s no need to put a pan on the stove, because you can do it in the microwave.

14. Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting Recipe From Two Sisters

This is the perfect festive frosting for the holidays! It features an excellent combination of ingredients, including butter, powdered sugar, milk, molasses, and ground sugar.

It can be ready to be piped in as little as 10 minutes, and you get to taste test the mixture as you go along.

15. Raspberry Buttercream Recipe From The Crumby Kitchen

If you’re looking for a full-on fruity hit, then this is the recipe for you!

You can make the recipe with either fresh or frozen raspberries, alongside typical buttercream frosting ingredients such as unsalted butter, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and  heavy whipping cream. And it can be ready to eat in just 20 minutes.

16. Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe From Wilton

I don’t know about you, but I just love anything coconut flavored!

As well as the standard butter and powdered sugar, this coconut buttercream frosting provides a wonderful coconut hit, thanks to the addition of both coconut milk, and coconut extract.

You could even top the frosting with coconut shavings or desiccated coconut.

17. Kahlua Espresso Buttercream Recipe From My Cake School

Now, this is the perfect frosting recipe for coffee lovers!

It features Kahula which is a coffee flavored rum liqueur, together with some instant espresso, 3 sticks of butter, and powdered sugar. It tastes amazing!

It goes great with regular cake, chocolate cake, and flavors such as nuts and banana.

18. Mint Buttercream Frosting Recipe From Two Sisters

I just love the refreshing taste of this mint buttercream frosting – it’s fantastic on chocolate cake!

And it’s super simple to make, too. All you need is softened butter, peppermint extract, powdered sugar, a little milk, and some food coloring. If you can’t get green food coloring, simply mix some yellow and blue food coloring together.

19. Banana Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe From Two Sisters

I love just how light and fluffy this banana whipped cream frosting is!

It only requires 3 ingredients in total, namely banana instant pudding mix, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar. And there’s no need for food coloring, because it will naturally come out yellow.

It goes just great with moist banana bread, vanilla flavored cupcakes, or even coffee cakes!

20. Baileys Frosting Recipe From Chel Sweets

If you want to make a liqueur based frosting, it doesn’t get much better than an Irish cream one. And if that’s the plan, you should go for the best, which without a doubt is Baileys.

You can make it in as little as 5 minutes, and it works well on both cakes and cookies.

21. Key Lime Buttercream Frosting Recipe From My Recipes

If you’re anything like me, you love key lime pie. And you can get that light, citrus flavor on your cakes with this amazing key lime buttercream frosting recipe.

It features the usual buttercream frosting ingredients with added key lime juice and zest. And it can be ready to use in as little as 10 minutes.

22. Mocha Buttercream Frosting Recipe From My Cake School

If you ask me, there are few flavors that pair together as well as chocolate and coffee. And this recipe will give you a sweet hit of both caffeine and chocolate.

In addition to the usual buttercream frosting ingredients, you will also need some instant espresso coffee powder, and cocoa powder.

22. Boozy Maple Whiskey Buttercream Frosting Recipe From Southern Parm

OMG, this recipe is to die for! This adult-only buttercream frosting features two tablespoons of whiskey, such as Jack Daniel’s, together with the same amount of maple syrup, and these flavors pair together perfectly.

And for real depth of flavor, you also include a pinch of salt. What’s more, you can make it in as little as 15 minutes.

23. Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting Recipe From Cookies And Cups

Here’s another great flavor pairing – mint and chocolate! This mint choc chip frosting recipe comes out cool and creamy, and is loaded with chocolate chips.

You will need butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, food coloring, and Hershey’s special dark chocolate bars. You can add the heavy cream to your taste.

24. Biscoff Cookie Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe From A Baking Journey

If you love Biscoff cookies or Biscoff spread, then this is the recipe for you!

It only features 4 ingredients in total. Biscoff spread is the star of the show, and there’s also cream cheese, powdered sugar, and heavy cream. It takes just 10 minutes to make, and goes well on both cakes and cookies.

25. Pistachio Pudding Buttercream Frosting Recipe From The Kitchen Magpie

If you’re looking for something a little different, and perhaps nutty and nourishing, you should check out this pistachio pudding buttercream frosting recipe.

It’s made with just 4 ingredients in total, namely instant pistachio pudding powder, powdered sugar, butter, and milk. It’s ready to pipe in just 5 minutes, and each serving is just 87 calories.

26. Chocolate Pudding Frosting Recipe From An Affair From The Heart

This recipe reminds me of that chocolate Jell-o pudding mousse we used to have as kids. And it’s an excellent choice for topping chocolate cake.

You only need 4 ingredients altogether, including instant chocolate pudding, powdered sugar, milk, and some Cool Whip. It’s absolutely delicious, and it only takes 5 minutes to make.

27. Cool Whipped Frosting Recipe From All Recipes

Sure, Cool Whip can make a great dessert topping on its own. But, if you want to take it to the next level, you should follow this recipe.

You just combine some instant vanilla pudding mix with some milk and vanilla extract, before folding in some frozen whipped topping until there are no streaks.

28. Piña Colada Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe From My Cake School

This boozy cream cheese frosting will make you feel like you’re on some tropical island with those beautiful piña colada flavors!

You will need 2 sticks of butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut extract and rum extract.

29. Vegan Frosting Recipe With Silken Tofu From Tofu Bud

Normally, frosting has several dairy products, but I did manage to find this one which is suitable for vegans and tastes surprisingly good.

It’s made with silken tofu, freshly squeezed lemon juice, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

30. Honey And Cinnamon Frosting From Martha Stewart

How about a frosting with a little light spice? This recipe features such wonderful ingredients as ground cinnamon and honey, alongside the powdered sugar and stick of unsalted butter. 

It’s a breeze to make and takes just 5 minutes.

31. Whipped Brown Butter Rum Frosting Recipe From Food 52

Now, this is a frosting recipe with a difference! You heat up the butter in a pan to brown it, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. Then simply whip with powdered sugar a little rum – delicious!

32. Nut Butter Cream Frosting Recipe From Comfy Belly

Have you ever thought about making a frosting with nut butter? This recipe will show you how. What’s more, it works well with peanut, almond, cashew, and even sunflower seed butter.

33. Healthy White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe From Sunkissed Kitchen

This frosting recipe is lower in sugar than traditional buttercream frosting, and higher in protein as well. All you need to make it is cream cheese and white chocolate.

It’s ready to use in just 10 minutes at just 131 calories per serving.

Answers To Your Most Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

I hope you’ve enjoyed browsing through my shortlist of the best frosting recipes around – no doubt your mouth is watering by this point! I hope you can pick a few that you’d like to try and that it goes down a treat – bon appétit!