Want to know how to turn a boxed cake into something special? The answer is always homemade frosting! Use creamy buttercream to frost a cake and decorate with rosettes. Or try family-favorite recipes for Italian meringue buttercream or Hawaiian Dobash frosting if a traditional buttercream is not for you. We’re even sharing an old-fashioned cooked frosting that dates back to the Depression-era. These homemade frosting recipes will turn your ordinary cake into a bakery-quality dessert for a birthday party, holiday, or any special occasion.
Yummy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
“I was working on my first fondant-covered cake for my daughter’s birthday. Since I wanted everything to turn out just perfect, I started searching for a good buttercream recipe to go under the fondant. The recipes I found were either for very large amounts, didn’t sound very tasty, or were the kind of buttercream that would not hold up well for the purpose I needed. This went on beautifully.” – Sherry
Easy Coffee Icing
“I made this easy coffee icing to go on a mayonnaise cake (chocolate). It whips up quick and easy. The coffee flavor is perfect and it’s hardly sweet at all.” – Amy
Dobash Frosting (for Dobash Cake, Hawaiian Style)
“Per request, I am posting this frosting separately so people can just search for frosting. This is my family-tested Dobash recipe. Don’t let the richness fool you. We love this frosting for its light and just-right sweetness.” – Laura
Cooked Frosting
“This delicious cooked frosting recipe was given to me by a co-worker, Judy Larson, who also enjoys cooking and baking. You will never ever buy a plastic tub of frosting again! I have also done some research, and many years ago, this was a Depression-era frosting also called Poorman’s Frosting.” – Karen
Authentic Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting
“This is a creamy light version that is not rich and heavy. Very smooth with subtle sweet tones. This recipe reflects the naturalness and simplicity that Italians use in their recipes.” – Annamaria
Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting
“This Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting is a silky creamy treat and is perfect on any chocolate cake or cupcake. It has the perfect balance of sweetness.” – Debbie
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
“This is a super sweet and tangy lemon buttercream.” – Desiree
Classic White Almond Buttercream Frosting
“Also known as wedding cake frosting, this classic buttercream is perfection when you want a frosting that has that bakery taste for your cakes. This is the buttercream that you will be tempted to eat right out of the bowl!” – Cindy
Marshmallow Vanilla Buttercream
“This is the easiest frosting I have ever made and it is to die for! It goes perfect with a deep dark chocolate cake or any cake that goes well with a light frosting. And the best part is it’s a snap to make.” – Clare
The Absolute Best Buttercream Frosting… Ever!
“For years I have searched and searched and searched… and even did some more searching to find a frosting that was identical or almost identical to the frosting you taste from a bakery. And I finally found one!” – Whitney
Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes and Dark Chocolate Frosting
“I developed this recipe to help my daughter raise money for a mission trip, and they were a big hit. You can also make this as a cake.” – Gretchen
Easy Homemade Buttercream Frosting
“Thick and dense with a silky texture, this American buttercream recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. It’s perfect for spreading or piping onto cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.” – Kitchen Crew