French Buttercream that is silky, custardy, and completely reliable - this is the French Buttercream recipe I perfected after countless tests, and it's the only one I use in my kitchen.
French Buttercream has a bit of a reputation: delicious, yes, but also fussy, unstable, or too soft to work with. That's exactly why I developed this version. After years of testing and troubleshooting, I found the method that gives you all of the richness and satin-smooth texture French Buttercream is known for, but without the common mishaps. I'll show you exactly how to make French buttercream that pipes beautifully, holds its shape, and never breaks on you.
I've used it everywhere from frosting cupcakes to filling fancy dacquoise, and it always performs. It's also incredibly versatile - you can infuse it with flavors like espresso, pistachio, or fruit purées for a rich and luxurious frosting or filling.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This French Buttercream Recipe
- What is French Buttercream?
- French Meringue Buttercream Ingredients
- How to Make French Buttercream
- French Buttercream Recipe Troubleshooting
- Variations of French Meringue Buttercream
- Ways to Use Egg Yolk Frosting
- How to Store French Buttercream Frosting
- French Buttercream Frosting Recipe FAQs
- More Custard-flavored Recipes
- Pair Our Egg Yolk Frosting With...
- Recipe
- French Buttercream Troubleshooting
Why You'll Love This French Buttercream Recipe
- A winning combination of creamy, rich flavor with an extremely smooth and luscious texture.
- Lots of French buttercream recipes are not very stable and not pipeable, but this one pipes like a dream and holds its shape really well.
- Can be mixed with various other things to make new flavors such as pistachio, strawberry, chocolate etc.
What is French Buttercream?
French Buttercream is a luxurious frosting that uses the same method as Italian meringue buttercream, but with egg yolks instead of egg whites. This means it has the beautiful, smooth texture of meringue buttercreams, but with the rich, custardy flavor from the egg yolks (like crème pâtissière)
This shouldn't be confused with German Buttercream, which is actually made by mixing custard (crème pâtissière) into whipped butter.
French Buttercream vs American Buttercream
Frankly, American buttercream and French buttercream aren't even in the same league. American buttercream may be quick and easy, but it's overly sweet, a little grainy from all the powdered sugar, and just doesn't deliver on flavor. French Buttercream, on the other hand, is luxuriously smooth and glossy, with a rich custard depth from the egg yolks. With just a few extra steps, you can create a professional-style frosting that looks stunning, pipes beautifully, and has true wow factor.
French Meringue Buttercream Ingredients
- Egg Yolks - This recipe uses egg yolks instead of egg whites (as is done in Italian and Swiss Meringue Buttercream). Keep the egg whites though or pair the French Buttercream with a recipe that will allow you to use the whole eggs, such as my Pistachio Dacquoise).
- Superfine Sugar - This fine granulated sugar will be dissolved in the sugar syrup, so you don't need to mess with clouds of powdered sugar at all.
- Unsalted Butter - The butter must be softened, but not too warm. For best results, I like to take my butter out of the fridge about an hour before I start making the buttercream.
- Vanilla Extract - This is main flavor you're adding to the buttercream, so it's best to use pure extract or vanilla bean paste. Or if you want to go all out you can use an actual vanilla pod.
- Salt - A pinch of salt brings out flavor and enhances sweetness, so it's key to give this recipe a full flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment - Since traditional French buttercreams require so much mixing and take a long time, I highly recommend using a stand mixer (not a hand mixer).
- Small saucepan - You can use whichever type of pan you have! Stainless steel, nonstick, etc.
- Candy thermometer - This is essential! The hot sugar syrup must reach the precise temperature of the softball stage. If you heat it too much or not enough, you won't get the silky smooth buttercream you're looking for.
- Piping bag and piping tips (optional)
How to Make French Buttercream
Some bakers are intimidated by meringue-based buttercreams, but the process is honestly a lot simpler than you think and the results are just so much better. I promise once you start making new frostings like this French buttercream, you'll never want to go back to traditional American vanilla buttercream again!
Whip Egg Yolks
Place the egg yolks into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment fitted. Whip them on medium-high speed until they are very pale in color (about the color of butter). This should take about 5 minutes. You can do this in a large bowl with a hand mixer but it takes a long time so your arms may get tired.
Make Sugar Syrup
Meanwhile, heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan on medium heat and bring to a boil.
As the sugar dissolves, use a candy thermometer to track the temperature, we want it to get to exactly 240°F / 115°C (This is also known as the soft ball stage. Be careful not to go past 240°F!)
Pour Syrup into Yolks
Once the sugar syrup reaches the right temperature, turn the mixer down to low speed and carefully pour the hot syrup into the egg mixture in a slow and steady stream.
Be careful to keep it a thin stream and not to hit the sides of the mixing bowl or the whisk as you do it.
Whip
The bowl of the stand mixer should feel hot to the touch once all the sugar syrup is in. Turn the mixer up to high speed and let it whip until the bowl feels room temperature again. This may take about 10 minutes.
Don't rush the process; be sure to let it keep whipping as long as needed.
Add Butter
Once the side of the bowl no longer feels warm, add the softened butter to the mixer one small chunk at a time, letting it whip until it is incorporated in between each addition.
As you add the butter, the consistency of the frosting will change. At first, it will look soupy and runny. Don't panic, just keep going. Eventually, the frosting will thicken up and look lovely and glossy.
If you don't have a smooth and silky buttercream, check my troubleshooting guide below.
Add Flavor
Once all the butter is added, add the vanilla and salt and whip for one more minute. If you are adding any other flavorings, such as pistachio paste or strawberry puree, add them at the same time as the vanilla.
Note: Because of the egg yolks, classic French Buttercream has a subtle, pale yellow color. I think it's pretty, but if you need a bright white frosting then stick to Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream which uses egg whites instead.
French Buttercream Recipe Troubleshooting
Buttercream is curdled or split - If your buttercream appears curdled or split then your butter may have been too cold when adding it to the egg and sugar mixture. The two different temperatures can cause it to split.
Don't worry you can still salvage it! Put your bowl of buttercream over a double boiler (put the bowl on top of a medium saucepan with a small amount of simmering water in it, on low heat) and continue to whisk it by hand until it comes together into a smooth mixture again.
Remove from the heat and put it in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes, then put it back into the stand mixer and whip on high speed for a minute or two - it should be a lovely glossy buttercream again.
Buttercream is soupy - if your buttercream is soupy and liquidy then either your butter was too soft when going in or you didn't wait long enough for the meringue to cool before adding the butter.
Either way, just put the buttercream in the fridge to set up for 20-30 minutes then try again, whipping on high speed for a few minutes.
Variations of French Meringue Buttercream
Add coloring - For a brightly colored frosting, add a few drops of your favorite gel-based food coloring.
Adjust the flavor - Replace the vanilla extract with any other extract for a totally different flavor profile! You can also add pastes, puree, nut butter, cocoa powder, and more to transform the flavor profile however you'd like. I use a delicious coffee French buttercream in my Opera cake recipe, and a pistachio French buttercream in my Pistachio Dacquoise.
Serving Tip
For best results, remove from the fridge 1 hour before serving to allow the French buttercream to come back to room temperature, where the flavor and texture will be at its best.
Ways to Use Egg Yolk Frosting
Fill or Frost Cakes - This creamy buttercream pairs beautifully with a multitude of cake flavors. I use it to elevate my French Vanilla Cake, it also goes beautifully with a chocolate cake or any flavor of cake really.
Pipe on Cupcakes - This French buttercream pipes like a dream and makes stunning swirls of frosting on your cupcakes.
Use in Desserts - It can also be used a delicious filling, particularly when paired with other flavors like in my Pistachio Dacquoise. It's also a popular filling for macarons.
How to Store French Buttercream Frosting
If you have leftover frosting, store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the buttercream in an airtight container for several months. Thaw it in the fridge before frosting your cakes or cupcakes.
Once the French buttercream is on a cake or dessert, it can sit out at room temperature for a few hours but should be stored in the fridge overnight or for anything longer than 4 hours.
French Buttercream Frosting Recipe FAQs
There are quite a lot of differences between these two buttercreams as they are made in entirely different methods. American buttercream is made by whipping butter until it's very light and fluffy, then adding a lot of powdered sugar, milk, and flavoring. It's notoriously sweet and a little sickly in my opinion, but it's the easiest to make and pipes very well.
French buttercream is more like Swiss or Italian buttercream in that it starts by whipping eggs (specifically egg yolks in this case), then whipping a hot sugar mixture directly into the whipped eggs, adding room temperature butter, then adding any flavorings. French buttercream is really creamy and has a yummy custardy flavor from the egg yolks. The two methods couldn't be much more different while still fitting in the same category!
I highly recommend using gel food coloring if you want to give your buttercream a lovely pop of color! It is much more concentrated than the regular liquid food coloring from the store, and you'll get much better color saturation without weakening the buttercream. Aim to use as little as possible (usually less than ¼ teaspoon).
Since this recipe contains raw eggs, it's best to leave it at room temperature for no more than a few hours. Store it in the fridge between servings.
More Custard-flavored Recipes
If you love the rich, creamy flavor of custard desserts, check out some of these recipes too:
Pair Our Egg Yolk Frosting With...
Here is some inspiration for recipes that this French Buttercream frosting will pair well with.
Recipe
French Buttercream
Ingredients
- 8 Egg Yolks 145g
- ¾ cup Superfine Sugar 150g
- 2 ½ sticks Unsalted Butter 280g
- 5 tablespoon Water 75g / 75ml
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 pinch Salt
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
Instructions
- Place the egg yolks into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment fitted. Whip them on medium-high speed until they are very pale in color (about the color of butter). This should take about 5 minutes.8 (145 g) Egg Yolks
- Meanwhile, heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan on medium heat and bring to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to track the temperature, we want it to get to exactly 240°F / 115°C.¾ cup (150 g) Superfine Sugar, 5 tablespoon Water
- Once the sugar syrup reaches the right temperature, turn the mixer down to low speed and carefully pour the sugar syrup into the egg yolks in a slow, steady stream. Be careful not to hit the sides of the bowl or the whisk as you do it.
- The bowl of the stand mixer should feel hot to the touch once all the sugar syrup is in. Turn the mixer up to high speed and let it whip until the bowl feels room temperature again. This may take about 10 minutes.
- Once the bowl no longer feels warm, you can start adding your butter in small chunks. The butter must be softened, but not too warm. For best results, I like to take my butter out of the fridge about an hour before I start making the buttercream. Add the butter to the mixer one small chunk at a time, letting it whip until it is incorporated in between each addition.2 ½ sticks (280 g) Unsalted Butter
- As you are adding the butter, the consistency of the frosting will change. At first, it will look soupy and runny, don't panic, just keep going. Eventually, the frosting will thicken up and look lovely and glossy. If it doesn't, turn the mixer up to maximum speed and whip for a further minute. (Or see my troubleshooting guide in the post above).
- Once all the butter is added, add the vanilla and salt and whip for one more minute. If you are adding any other flavorings, such as pistachio paste or strawberry puree, add them at the same time as the vanilla.1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 pinch Salt
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