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Frosting & Fettuccine

Home » Recipe Search » Frosting

Oct 17, 2021(last updated February 16, 2023)

Super Fluffy Espresso Buttercream

5 from 1 vote
BySam Adler
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This post might have affiliate links, please check out my full disclosure policy.

This espresso buttercream frosting has only 5 ingredients and is the perfect icing to put on top of espresso cupcakes , chocolate cake or brownies. It is super fluffy and pipes easily too! You will absolutely love this if you love coffee desserts.

Espresso buttercream in a mason jar next to 3 unfrosted cupcakes

Do you have a favorite flavor when it comes to your baked goods? Because mine is ALWAYS coffee! When I started making my own recipes after graduating from pastry school it was the flavor I experimented with first.

This espresso buttercream frosting uses instant espresso for the bold coffee flavor, and only a couple other ingredients you probably have on hand. It also whips up in 5 minutes or less and pipes beautifully onto cupcakes!

From these coffee chocolate chip cookies, to this coffee cheesecake, or even these coffee blondies, I can never get enough of the coffee desserts! This frosting goes especially well on espresso cupcakes!

What makes this recipe special

Well one because its delicious haha. I can literally eat this with a spoon, no cake or cupcake needed. I love how easy it is to make, it’s so much better than any frosting or icing you can buy from a store.

Also there is no cooking! This is not like any of the other fancy buttercream or icings you see out there. This is simple and just requires a good hand or stand mixer.

Ingredients you need

  • unsalted butter at room temperature
  • confectioners sugar
  • milk or cream
  • water (is that even an ingredient?)
  • instant espresso
ingredients for espresso buttercream on a gray surface

Difference between instant espresso and espresso powder

Yes there is a difference! In this recipe and all my other recipes that use espresso, I am using instant espresso granules like the one you find easily at the grocery store. Any brand will do. Espresso powder is harder to find which is why I don’t use it in my recipes, because I want them to have easy to find ingredients.

How to make this recipe

You will need either a stand or hand mixer to create the fluffy frosting.

Milk and sugar mixed together in a mixing bowl on a pink tiled surface
  1. Add the unsalted butter and confectioners sugar to the bowl. Start mixing on low so the sugar doesn’t blow up in your face. Gradually move up to medium speed when the mixture starts coming together. Mix for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Turn the mixer off. Mix the water and instant espresso in a small bowl. Add it to the bowl along with the milk.
  3. Mix on low moving up to high speed again and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Ways to use this buttercream

Top this frosting on top of vanilla cupcakes or these espresso cupcakes! They are the reason this recipe was created, and have a light coffee flavor. Topped with this icing and I am in total coffee heaven.

You can also try this buttercream on chocolate cake or my one bowl brownie recipe. Chocolate and coffee go so well together, it’s the next best thing to coffee!

A piping bag filled with espresso buttercream next to 3 cupcakes on a pink tiled surface.

You can use a piping bag to pipe the buttercream over your dessert, or you can use an offset spatula or even just a spoon!

Make Ahead and Storing

You can easily make this frosting up to a week in advance and keep it in the fridge in a container with a lid until you need to use it. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to frost otherwise it will be too hard.

If you make it only a day or two in advance you can leave it in an airtight container on your counter and it will be just fine.

Yield

This buttercream recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes, or fill and frost one 9 inch cake with 2 layers. It can be easily doubled for more.

Espresso buttercream on a spatula laying on a pink tiled surface

The Difference between coffee and espresso

Coffee and espresso are no different in where they come from, they both come from the coffee bean. What makes them different is the way they are prepared. Espresso is roasted darker and is ground more finely and with higher pressure than regular coffee.

Doesn’t really matter to me how it’s prepared, I love it no matter what!

Don’t have instant espresso? Make this coffee frosting instead! It uses instant coffee and not espresso.

More coffee desserts for coffee lovers

  • Espresso Cupcakes
  • Coffee Buttercream Frosting – this is the same essentially just made with coffee instead of instant espresso
  • Chocolate Chip Coffee Cookies
  • Coffee Cheesecake
  • Coffee Blondies

Heads up! This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of those links, I make a small commission, which just makes my day! Thank you for supporting my blog!

Espresso buttercream in a mason jar next to 3 unfrosted cupcakes

Espresso Buttercream Recipe

This espresso buttercream frosting recipe is super fluffy and can be easily made with only 5 simple ingredients. It's delicious on anything chocolate!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Cake, Cupcakes, Frosting
Cuisine: American
Diet: Kosher
Keyword: Espresso frosting, espresso icing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Sam Adler

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 tsp water warm
  • 1 tsp instant espresso
  • 1 tsp milk or cream

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 1 cup softened butter and 3 cups confectioners sugar. Starting on low and moving up to medium speed, mix until smooth and creamy.
  • Turn the mixer off. Mix the 2 tsp water and 1 tsp instant espresso in in a small bowl. Add it to the bowl along with the 1 tsp milk. Mix on low moving up to high speed again and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
  • Frost your cake or cupcakes!

Notes

This recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes or fill and frost 1 9 inch cake with 2 layers. 
It can be easily doubled!
Try it on these Espresso Cupcakes!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Espresso Buttercream Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 253 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 41mg14%
Sodium 3mg0%
Potassium 9mg0%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Sugar 29g32%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 473IU9%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I love when you share my recipes!!

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Filed Under: Frosting Tagged With: Coffee

About Sam Adler

Sam Adler is a Le Cordon Bleu professionally trained pastry chef, Saveur Blog Award winner, food photographer, and food blogger over on FrostingandFettuccine.com. She has been featured in numerous online and in-print publications including Taste of Home Magazine, Saveur Magazine, The Feed Feed, and Food Blogger Pro. Sam lives in Hollywood florida with her husband, two young kids, and french bulldog. When she’s not baking and dancing in her kitchen you can find her at her favorite yoga spot.

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Hi! Im Sam Adler,

I'm a professionally trained pastry chef and food photographer.
This is a place where you will find easy yet impressive looking desserts. I also share a ton of food photography resources too! What can I say, I love pretty & delicious baked goods! Learn more about me!

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Saveur Blog award winner for best food Instagram

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#ALDILove
Prep time: 1 hr 45 mins
Cook time: 1 min
Yield: 40 donut fries
2 pack Baker’s Corner Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs
2 tbsp Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Carlini Pure Vegetable Oil
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1 tsp Kosher salt
½ cup Baker’s Corner Powdered Sugar
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