If you’ve ever wanted a frosting that tastes like caramel without the extra work, brown sugar frosting is it.
The sugar melts right into the butter, giving you a rich, toffee-like flavor in a light and fluffy buttercream.
Perfect for topping spice cakes, pumpkin bars, cookies—or eating by the spoonful when no one’s watching. This would go great on Butterscotch Cake.
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About This Recipe
Brown sugar frosting is a simple buttercream with big flavor. Brown sugar melts into the butter, giving the frosting a rich, caramel-like sweetness and a light, fluffy texture.
It’s the perfect topper for desserts.
Try it on spice cake or butterscotch cake, or use it to dress up cookies, bars, or cupcakes. Anywhere you’d normally use buttercream, this frosting adds a warm twist.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- icing sugar
- vanilla
- milk
- salt
See recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Here’s the quick version before I go into detail. Beat butter and brown sugar until creamy, add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla and milk until light and fluffy.
How to Make Brown Sugar Frosting
- Beat butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or large bowl with hand mixer) on low-medium speed for 4–5 minutes, scraping sides as needed.
- On low, add icing sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla, then slowly pour in milk. Beat 2 minutes more until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down sides, then use immediately or cover until ready.
See How It's Done
Recipe Notes
This icing is soft and fluffy making it easy to spread and smooth over a cake. It's also stable enough to use piping bag fitted with decorating tips.
Be sure to sift through the brown sugar before adding it to the mixing bowl to get any tiny, hardened clumps out. Clumps of sugar will clog up your piping bag.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month before using.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for up to a week.
Double wrap frosting and freeze for two to three months.
There are buttercream recipes that would have you add flour---this is not one of them.
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Recipe
Easy Brown Sugar Frosting
Make the best brown sugar frosting with just a few pantry staples. This fluffy buttercream has a rich caramel flavor that’s perfect for cakes, cookies, and bars.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 5 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cream together butter and brown sugar in either a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4-5 minutes on low-medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- On low speed, add in confectioner's sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time until all the powdered sugar is mixed in.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add in vanilla extract then slowly pour in milk.
- Mix for another 2 minutes or until icing is fluffy and smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time to make sure icing is evenly mixed.
- Use right away or cover bowl with plastic wrap until ready.
Notes
- This icing is soft and fluffy making it easy to spread and smooth over a cake. It's also stable enough to use piping bag fitted with decorating tips. Be sure to sift through the brown sugar to get any tiny hardened clumps out, which will clog up your piping bag.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month before using.
- Store in an air tight container in fridge for up to a week.
- Double wrap frosting and freeze for two to three months.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size frost 2 9-inch layers or a 9x13 cake or 24 cupcakesAmount Per Serving Calories 430Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 61mgSodium 31mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 0gSugar 56gProtein 0g
Nutrition information is an estimate as I am not a registered dietician.
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