38 Homemade Frosting Recipes to Top Any Dessert

Italian Meringue Buttercream

I use this creamy Italian meringue buttercream on my lemon-raspberry cupcakes. It's not as sweet as American buttercream, so it really complements the sweetness of the cupcakes. —Katelyn Craft, Stamford, New York

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

This simple peanut butter buttercream frosting makes enough to frost a three- or four-layer cake. For peanut butter-lovers, this is the only frosting they need in their recipe boxes. —Iola Egle, Bella Vista, Arkansas

Get tips from our Test Kitchen on how to frost a cake so it looks fresh from the bakery.

Chocolate Ganache

This smooth, satin chocolate ganache recipe will bring a touch of elegance to even the most basic cake. A simple garnish, like fresh fruit, adds the finishing touch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Learn how to decorate a cake like a pro!

French Buttercream

French buttercream has a custard-like texture and is great if you're going to be piping shapes or decorations. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Best Vanilla Buttercream

Why is this recipe crowned the best vanilla buttercream frosting? With its powerfully decadent vanilla bean flavor and delightfully creamy texture, your family and friends will scrape every last bit of this frosting off their plates. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate and peanut butter are such an enjoyable combination. This delicious chocolate peanut butter frosting makes a satisfying topping to these moist chocolate cupcakes.—Ruthe Stevenson, Minneapolis, Minnesota

German Buttercream

This German buttercream frosting is super silky and buttery. It's pleasantly sweet, but not overly sweet like some American buttercreams can be. —Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cream Cheese Frosting

This smooth, versatile cream cheese frosting has a delicate vanilla flavor. The woman who made the wedding cake for our daughter, Leanne, and her groom, Billy, used this recipe. It's also excellent on carrot cake. —Sharon Lugdon, Greenbush, Maine

Rich Chocolate Frosting

My husband, Doug, loved his chocolate groom's cake that was topped with this smooth, rich chocolate frosting and accented with chocolate-covered strawberries. —Amy Via, North Richland, Texas

Blackberry Buttercream

Juicy blackberry buttercream frosting has a stunning color and sophisticated flavor. This frosting works especially well on rich, decadent chocolate cake. —Jocelyn Delk Adams, GrandBaby-Cakes.com

Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

After trying a few buttercream frosting recipes, this easy buttercream frosting takes the cake with its unmatchable homemade taste. With a few simple variations, you can come up with different colors and flavors. —Diana Wilson, Denver, Colorado

Old-Fashioned Ermine Frosting

Ermine frosting brings back memories of being in the kitchen with my grandmother. This old-timey frosting was her go-to for cakes when she didn't have cornstarch or cream cheese. —Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cupcake Frosting

Simple vanilla frosting is a great topper for any cupcake. I frosted 300 cupcakes with this recipe for my wedding in lieu of a traditional cake. It made for a delicious bridal twist. — Annie Rundle, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Peanut Butter Whipped Cream Frosting

A luscious peanut butter whipped cream frosting is just a few ingredients away. Try it piped over your favorite chocolate cupcakes or dolloped onto hot chocolate. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Royal Icing

Curious to learn how to make royal icing? Our Test Kitchen experts have mastered this royal icing recipe for this stunning cookie decoration. Royal icing is different from other types of icing because it dries quickly and has a super-smooth finish—perfect for decorating! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Fluffy White Frosting

For a heavenly light and fluffy frosting, you can't top this cooked version. You'll definitely want to lick the beaters after whipping up this modern variation of the classic seven-minute frosting. —Georgia Bohmann, West Allis, Wisconsin

Amaretto Butter Frosting

Put the crowning touch on cupcakes with this rich and buttery Amaretto topper. —Anette Stevens, Olds, Alberta

Bakery Frosting

This recipe makes it easy to capture the fabulous flavor of cakes from the best bakeries. A big batch of this sweet frosting keeps for 3 months in the refrigerator. —Barbara Jones, Tower Hill, Illinois

Vanilla Frosting

Don't know how to make icing for cake but don't want to settle for store-bought frosting? This four-ingredient easy vanilla frosting recipe is the perfect topper for your cakey creations. The homemade taste just can't be beat. —Mary Faulk, Cambridge, Wisconsin

Creamy Fudge Frosting

For every occasion that calls for chocolate frosting, keep this fudgy recipe close by. With just five ingredients from the pantry, you’ve got magic in minutes. —Linda Schend, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Strawberry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

Fresh strawberries are full of water, so they have a tendency to weigh down cake batters and make soggy cakes. That’s why these strawberry cupcakes rely on strawberry jam or preserves. The concentrated flavor is just right for light and tender cupcakes. —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Winter White Filling or Frosting

How versatile! Prepare this recipe for use as a cake filling, frosting or both. —Sarah Thompson, Greenfield, Wisconsin

Rich Buttercream Frosting

A few simple ingredients make a creamy frosting that finishes cakes, cupcakes and cookies. If you love making desserts, keep this frosting recipe handy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Confetti Birthday Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

This is a moist confetti cake with lots of sprinkles and a whipped chocolate buttercream. It's perfect for birthday celebrations! —Courtney Rich, Highland, Utah

Apple Pie Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

These apple pie cupcakes are always a hit! They are so easy to make and the flavor just screams fall. Of course, they're just as delicious any other time of year. —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa

Emily's Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

My husband loved his mamaw's strawberry cake recipe. He thought no one could duplicate it. I made it, and it’s just as scrumptious as he remembers. —Jennifer Bruce, Manitou, Kentucky

Espresso Filling

Coffee lovers will go crazy for cakes made with this heavenly filling. It's rich, decadent and irresistible! —Megan Byers, Wichita, Kansas

Maple Glaze for Doughnuts

Cider doughnuts are a tradition in Vermont, but here in Texas, we love maple flavors, too. Our glaze of choice features delicious maple syrup. —Barbara Elliott, Tyler, Texas

Vanilla Bean Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

For a distinctive dessert with unforgettable flavor, I recommend this cake. Feel free to substitute your favorite jam and lend your own touch to this signature treat. —Lisa Bogar, Coventry, Vermont

Gingerbread Cookies with Lemon Frosting

When I spread these spicy gingerbread rounds with my lemony cream cheese frosting, I knew I had a hit. Cardamom and allspice add a hint of chai tea flavor. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho

Favorite Frosted Brownies

I don't think you can overdo chocolate for this holiday. Candy sprinkles dress up my tried-and-true brownies for the occasion.—Barbara Birk, St. George, Utah

Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

This fabulous cake and caramel frosting are so tender, it melts in your mouth. It's been a family favorite since the '70s and it goes over really well at church potluck meals. —Anna Jean Allen, West Liberty, Kentucky

Confetti Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream

This simple and tender cake has been celebrated in my family for years. Dressed up with tinted frosting and confetti, it becomes pure party fun. — Karen Berner, New Canaan, Connecticut

Editor’s Tip: Tint white frosting with liquid, gel or paste food coloring. Liquid will give a pastel color; gel and paste give a deeper color. Add a little at a time, stir in and check the color. You can always add more, but it’s hard to lighten the color. The color generally darkens as the frosting dries.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

I always requested banana cake with fudge frosting for my birthday. Mom’s recipe is attached to my fridge—and my heart. It’s funny how many memories live on in a stained handwritten recipe card. On a more practical note: It's important to make sure the whipped cream cheese is truly at room temperature before you use it. If not, it chills the softened butter and makes for lumpy frosting. —Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Frosted Pumpkin Doughnuts

Our three children grew pumpkins to sell. During harvest, it was time to make these scrumptious doughnuts. The orange frosting is super. —Connie Simon, Reed City, Michigan

Chocolate Spice Cake with Caramel Icing

I found this recipe back in the late '80s and knew it was a special cake. The caramel icing can be a little tricky because you have to work quickly, but it's so worth it! —Mariann James, Ferguson, Missouri

Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Cake with Penuche Frosting

My aunt, who was born in the 1920s, passed this recipe down to me. She made the cake from scratch from start to finish because she didn't have modern amenities to help her in the kitchen. The penuche frosting goes with the cake nicely. —Beth Vorst, Columbus Grove, Ohio

Coconut Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

My husband adores coconut but not so much cake. When I take this beauty to family potlucks, he gets his coconut, too. —Sharon Rehm, New Blaine, Arkansas