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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Mint Buttercream

    By: Jessica · Posted: Jan 27, 2023 · Updated: Nov 3, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe 3 comments
    5 from 4 votes
    Mint buttercream frosting in white bowl with text on image.

    Mint Buttercream Frosting: With only 5 ingredients, this mint frosting recipe is delicious on chocolate cake, and especially on these mint chocolate cupcakes! Or, you could even spread it on these mini chocolate cakes for a twist!

    Mint buttercream in small whit bowl.

     

    Whether it’s for St. Patrick’s Day or you just love mint-flavored desserts, this buttercream will be absolutely delicious on your favorite baked goods. (It’s similar to the filling that we put in the mint chocolate brownies that are so delicious too!)

    We’ve been known to put strawberry buttercream between sugar cookies, making cookie sandwiches, which would be a delicious way to use a little bit of this mint frosting recipe, in between 2 of these brownie mix cookies.

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Substitutions
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe Pro Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Cake and Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Why This Recipe Works

    • It uses a few ingredients: Using only butter, powdered sugar, mint extract, milk, and green food coloring, you may have these ingredients on hand and will be topping your favorite dessert with this peppermint buttercream in no time!
    • Type of Mint: Although we use peppermint extract for this recipe, if you prefer spearmint flavor, you can absolutely use spearmint extract instead.
    • Ready in minutes: Making your own buttercream is easy and is ready in just a few minutes, so you can skip the store-bought frosting!

    Ingredients Needed

    I’ve highlighted a couple of ingredients with some relevant notes. Aside from this, the ingredients needed are pretty basic.

    Labeled ingredients on counter.
    • Butter – We use salted butter for this recipe but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer. Make sure to use 2 sticks of softened butter, since one stick is typically ½ cup. (Check your butter to make sure a stick equals ½ cup.)
    • Food Coloring – For a more vibrant green color, add extra food coloring. It is important to note that gel food coloring will give you a better color than liquid food coloring. 

    Substitutions

    If you’ve found that you’re out of some of the ingredients or need to substitute something, here are some suggestions that you may find helpful:

    • Butter – if you don’t have butter, you can try using margarine instead, although we haven’t tested that yet for this recipe. Do know that the results may come out different when using something other than good quality butter.
    • Food Coloring – if you don’t have the gel on hand and need to use liquid food coloring, it’s ok! We prefer the gel for best results but the liquid is ok in a pinch.
    • Milk – we like using whole milk but we’ve also used heavy cream for our buttercream and that turns out wonderful too!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    In just a few simple steps, this creamy mint buttercream frosting will be ready for your sheet cake, cake layers, or your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.

    I suggest making this when you’re waiting for your baked goods to cool off.

    *Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

    Butter creamed in glass bowl.
    Image 1
    Powdered sugar in glass bowl with butter.
    Image 2

    STEP 1. Beat butter. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter until it is smooth and creamy. Ensure that there are no large clumps of butter remaining (Image 1).

    STEP 2. Add powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar and mix again until completely mixed and crumbly (Image 2).

    Green gel food coloring added to butter and sugar, in glass bowl.
    Image 3
    Mixed butter, sugar and green food coloring in glass bowl.
    Image 4

    STEP 3. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Use the hand mixer to whisk in the milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring. Mix the buttercream for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy (Images 3 & 4).

    Tip: If the frosting is still crumbly after 2 minutes, add another ½ tablespoon of milk and mix again to achieve the perfect consistency.

    STEP 4. Ready to use. Frost your dessert with the delicious frosting or store the frosting in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until you are ready to use it. Enjoy!

    Mint buttercream in a white bowl.

    Recipe Pro Tips

    • Allow to fully cool. When using this frosting, you want to make sure that whatever you use it on has cooled completely. Because there is so much butter in the frosting, it will become runny quickly if it is put on something hot or warm.
    • Quality Butter. The key to delicious buttercream frosting is to use good quality butter.
    • Amount needed. How much frosting you’ll need, will depend on what you’re using the frosting for. This recipe makes about 3 cups.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do you store mint buttercream frosting?

    If you have leftover frosting or you want to make ahead, you can store this frosting for up to 2 weeks in the fridge as long as it is in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap. After that it will begin to harden significantly. 

    What is the difference between frosting and buttercream?

    Frosting and buttercream can differ because of the ingredients. For instance, some frosting is made with cream cheese. Buttercream is mostly made of butter.

    Cake and Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love

    We love this buttercream on homemade chocolate cupcakes but we’ve also hand picked some of our favorite cake and cupcake recipes that you’ll love to serve this mint buttercream on:

    • A slice of Milky Way cake stacked on top of another slice of cake.
      Milky Way Cake
    • Easy Marble Cake Recipe
      Homemade Marble Cake
    • Oreo Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream Frosting
      Oreo Cupcakes and Oreo Buttercream Frosting
    • Peppermint cupcakes on baking rack
      Peppermint Cupcakes

    Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

    Recipe

    Mint buttercream swirled in to small white dish.

    Mint Buttercream

    Jessica Burgess
    Mint buttercream frosting is made using only 5 ingredients, and that's butter, powdered sugar, milk, green food coloring and peppermint extract, and it's ready in minutes!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 3 cups
    Calories 1020 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup salted butter
    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
    • 1 Tablespoon whole milk Plus more if needed to achieve desired consistency.
    • 1 teaspoon green food coloring gel

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter until it i smooth and creamy. Ensure that there are no large clumps of butter remaining. 
    • Add the powdered sugar and mix again until homogenous and crumbly. 
    • Use the hand mixer to whisk in the milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring. Mix the buttercream for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. 
    • If the frosting is still crumbly after 2 minutes, add another ½ tablespoon of milk and mix again.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2tablespoon | Calories: 1020kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 32mg | Sugar: 118g | Vitamin A: 1899IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords cake frosting, cupcake frosting, easy buttercream, frosting recipe, St. Patricks Day Recipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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      5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Natasha says

      February 14, 2023 at 6:15 am

      5 stars
      It’s awesome because it only has 5 ingredients and it’s easy to make! My family enjoyed our chocolate cupcakes with this mint buttercream. Thank you for another recipe added to my collection.

      Reply
    2. Abby says

      February 10, 2023 at 10:49 am

      5 stars
      Loved this buttercream recipe! Very easy to make and has just the right amount of mint flavor. It paired great with my chocolate cupcakes.

      Reply
    3. Andie says

      February 10, 2023 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      Such a yummy recipe! I used it on chocolate cupcakes and YUM!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! - Owner and Creator of the blog and brand, Fantabulosity.

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