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Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting is a creamy buttercream frosting flavored with cake mix and sprinkles and is perfect for a fun birthday celebration.

Closeup on three cupcakes frosted with The Best Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting sitting next to a glass bowl filled with sprinkles.

What is about cake batter that makes it taste so good?  We decided to take that delicious flavor, combine it was our classic frosting recipe, and turn it into The Best Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting you’ve ever tasted. If you like cake batter you will LOVE this recipe. Enjoy!

How to Make

Closeup on a cookie sheet covered with a layer of yellow cake mix.

Step 1: We used a yellow cake mix to flavor our Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting but you could use any cake mix type.  Since there is raw flour in the cake mix it is best to heat treat the cake mix before you use it in the frosting.  We poured the cake mix onto a cookie sheet and heated it in a 200-degree oven for 15 minutes.  Let it cool before you use it in your frosting.

Collage image showing how to cream the butter with the cake mix to get rid of the grainy texture in the frosting.

Step 2:  Adding a dry cake mix to a frosting can cause it to get a little bit grainy.  To avoid that problem we cream the butter with the cake mix until it dissolves and melds into the butter. Add the butter and the cake mix into the mixing bowl.
Step 3: Mix the butter and the cake mix together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (at least 2 minutes.) Use a spatula to scrape the butter mixture down from the sides of the bowl before moving on to the next step.  

Collage image showing how to add the powdered sugar to the butter/cake batter mixture.

Step 4: We use a food scale to measure 1 Pound of Powdered Sugar.  If you don’t have a food scale, measure 4 cups instead. We normally do not sift the powdered sugar and instead rely on the mixer to do that work for us.
Step 5: Add the powdered sugar to the butter/cake mix mixture in the mixing bowl.
Step 6: Here is a Two Sisters Tip – cover the mixer with a towel during this part of the mixing process to keep the powdered sugar from flying out of the mixer.
Step 7: Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk and mix again to check to see if the consistency is better.  The amount of milk to use depends on the state of your frosting and sometimes the time of year (if it is a hot humid day, you might not need to add any milk.) A good rule of thumb is to add the milk a teaspoon at a time.

Collage image showing how to add the sprinkles to the Cake Batter icing.

Step 8: Finally, add the 1/4 cup of Jimmie sprinkles.
Step 9: Mix until combined.

How to Serve

Closeup on a decorating bag filled with Cake Batter Frosting sitting next to a batch of unfrosted chocolate cupcakes.

How much frosting will you need?  That always depends on how thick or thin you apply the frosting or how much decorating you do but here are a couple of guidelines. Our recipe should make enough Cake Batter Frosting to cover a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake or a two-layer 8″ cake.  If you are making cupcakes, you should be able to frost 24 cupcakes if you apply the frosting with a knife.  If you swirl on the frosting with a pastry bag you should be able to frost 15-18 cupcakes depending on the size of the swirl.

Expert Tips and FAQ’s

Does the frosting need to be refrigerated?

No, the frosting does not need to be refrigerated. For example, brownies frosted with this Cake Batter Frosting would be fine left out on the counter for 2-3 days if the pan was tightly covered with aluminum foil. That said, we usually refrigerate our frosted desserts to keep the baked good from going stale even if the frosting would be fine. We think frosting tastes best at room temperature so we will then remove the item from the refrigerator a couple of hours before we will serve them.

How do I store any leftover frosting?

Frosting stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator should be good for up to a week. If you carefully wrap the frosting in order to avoid freezer burn, the frosting should be fine in the freezer for 3-4 months.

What should I do if my frosting is too sweet?

Buttercream is a sweet frosting and the addition of the Cake Mix also adds to the sweetness. One thing you can do if it seems too sweet for your palette is to add a pinch of salt to the frosting. But please note that a little salt goes a long way. We cannot stress enough that a pinch (10-15 granules of regular table salt) is all you usually need. Even 1/4 a teaspoon of salt would probably ruin the frosting. Add the salt and mix again and see if that has cut down on the sweetness level.

What should I do if my frosting turned out too thick?

Add another teaspoon of milk and mix again. Continue to add the milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is the consistency that you like it

Closeup on a chocolate cupcake topped with The Best Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting sitting next to a glass bowl filled with sprinkles.

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The Best Cake Batter Buttercream FrostingPrint

The Best Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting

Yield 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting is a creamy buttercream frosting flavored with cake mix and sprinkles that is perfect for a fun birthday celebration.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter, slightly softened (We use Salted Sweet Cream Butter)
  • 1 cup Yellow Cake Mix
  • 1 pound Powdered Sugar (or 4 cups)
  • Up to 1/4 cup of Milk (add as needed)
  • Heaping 1/4 cup of Jimmies Sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Heat treat the cake mix before you use it in the frosting.  We poured the cake mix onto a cookie sheet and heated it in a 200-degree oven for 15 minutes.  Let it cool before you use it in your frosting.
  2. Adding a dry cake mix to a frosting can cause it to get a little bit grainy.  To avoid that problem we cream the butter with the cake mix until it dissolves and melds into the butter. Add the butter and 1 cup of the cooled cake mix into the mixing bowl. Mix the butter and the cake mix together on medium speed until thoroughly combined (at least 2 minutes.)
  3. Use a spatula to scrape the butter mixture down from the sides of the bowl before moving on to the next step.
  4. Measure 1 Pound of Powdered Sugar (or 4 cups) and add it to the butter/cake mix mixture in the mixing bowl.
  5. Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the butter and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy.
  6. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk and mix again to check to see if the consistency is better.  The amount of milk to use depends on the state of your frosting and sometimes the time of year (if it is a hot humid day, you might not need to add any milk.) A good rule of thumb is to add the milk a teaspoon at a time.
  7. Finally, add the 1/4 cup of Jimmie sprinkles and mix until combined.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Category: Frosting