Smooth, rich, and creamy - this French Buttercream is what frosting dreams are made of!

Egg-based buttercreams are a world above American buttercream in my opinion. First of all, they don't have that sickly sweet flavor, they don't use a mountain of powdered sugar that explodes all over your kitchen, and they have that beautiful silky texture.
If you love the glossy texture of Italian Meringue Buttercream but want to add even more flavor and richness, this French Buttercream frosting recipe is for you! It uses the exact same process as a meringue-based buttercream, but with egg yolks instead of egg whites, which makes a delicious, custardy frosting with that classic silky smooth texture.
French Buttercream sometimes has a reputation for not piping well or holding its shape, but this recipe pipes like a dream and can be used to fill and frost layer cakes, cupcakes, macarons, or any desserts you like. I use it with pistachio butter as a filling in my Pistachio Dacquoise Cake and it is absolutely sublime. I've also used it as a wonderful frosting for my Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes. It takes on flavor and color very well so can be used in a wide variety of ways.
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Why You’ll Love This 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.
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 - I recommend using butter that is just starting to come to room temperature (approximately 1 hour out of the fridge).
- 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.
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!
- 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.
- 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!)
- 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.
- 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.
- Once the side of the bowl no longer feels warm, you can start adding your softened 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Why Is it Called French Buttercream
Similar to French Vanilla Cake, French Buttercream gets its name for its custardy flavor. The egg yolks make the frosting rich and custard-like, like a creme patissier (pastry cream).
This shouldn't be confused with German Buttercream which is actually made by mixing custard (creme patissier) into whipped butter.
How to Use French Buttercream
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.
French Buttercream 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
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.
Equipment
- 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)
Storage
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.
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.
FAQ
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:
Pairing
Here is some inspiration for recipes that this French Buttercream frosting will pair well with.
Recipe
French Buttercream
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 8 Egg Yolks 145g
- ¾ cup Superfine Sugar 150g
- 2 ½ sticks Unsalted Butter 280g
- 5 tablespoon Water 75ml
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 pinch Salt
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 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 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 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, 1 pinch Salt
Notes
French Buttercream 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 a 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.It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
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