Pudding Buttercream Frosting + Video
Pudding Frosting is easy to make without Cool Whip or whipped cream. All you need is butter, instant pudding mix, milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Try this white chocolate pudding buttercream frosting or switch it up with any flavor of instant pudding mix.
Buttercream
“I’ve never really been a fan of buttercream. Too sweet and too greasy. I use bare minimum on the cakes that I actually eat, or I’ll scrape it off if it’s served to me.”
This was my opinion back when buttercream was primarily (or partially) made with shortening. Especially in grocery store bakeries. Bleh! Pure homemade vanilla buttercream frosting made with all butter is MUCH better.
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Pudding Frosting
Now there is an even funner way to spruce up buttercream!
You’ve heard of pudding cake and pudding cookies, but have you ever heard of pudding frosting?
I hadn’t, until I searched it and only found like one recipe. I adapted it to my liking and I loved the results!
No Cool Whip or Whipped Cream
Most pudding frosting will be made with cool whip or whipped cream. Which is fine, but if you want a frosting you can pipe with, you need to make pudding buttercream frosting — with butter.
The texture is perfect: smooth and velvety, yet durable and holds its shape. You also use less powdered sugar than typical buttercream, while adding flavor (not just pure sugar) to the frosting. It’s genius! Or at least I think so.
Ingredients
For this recipe you will only need 5 ingredients.
- Instant Pudding Mix – One small box (4 serving size; approximately 3.4 oz); any flavor. Just the dry powder. Do not follow directions on box to make pudding.
- Milk – To mix with the pudding and thin the frosting to the desired consistency. Whole, 2% or skim milk all work well.
- Butter – At room temperature. Unsalted butter is preferred, unless you love salted butter. You can always add a pinch of salt to the frosting if you’d like. Better to control the salt, than for it to be too salty.
- Powdered Sugar – To add a little extra sweetness and volume to the frosting.
- Vanilla Extract – To enhance the flavor.
How to Make Pudding Buttercream Frosting
It’s easy to make pudding frosting with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Whisk together the pudding mix and milk in a bowl. Set aside.
- Cream the butter until smooth, using an electric mixer.
- Add the prepared pudding and vanilla extract. Beat together.
- Add the powdered sugar. Mix completely.
- Add extra milk 1 Tablespoon at a time to the desired consistency.
- Frosting is ready to spread or pipe onto cakes or cupcakes. For best results, use immediately.
Tips and Storage
Extra Milk: I add between 4-6 Tablespoons of extra milk to get it soft and thin enough to pipe.
NOTE: The frosting will look a little more thick and slightly lumpy straight in the bowl, but it will smooth as it is piped. You can add more milk if you plan to spread it on a cake with a spatula.
Use immediately. This pudding frosting can get quite firm, especially when refrigerated. For best results spread or pipe the frosting directly after making it. If you refrigerate the frosting before using it, simply mix in more milk to a spreadable consistency.
Refrigerate leftovers. Since the frosting is made with a substantial amount of milk, it is best to refrigerate any leftovers. Be sure to remove the cupcakes/cake from the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving, to take the chill off the cake and frosting. Otherwise they may both be quite stiff.
Pudding Mix Flavors
Now that you see how easy it is to make pudding frosting, just think of all the flavor combinations! Crazy amounts of pudding boxes waiting at the store for you to make frosting with!
Of course there’s vanilla and chocolate, but there’s also, cheesecake, pistachio, lemon, banana cream, butterscotch, and white chocolate. And that’s not even seasonal or specialty flavors like pumpkin spice or Oreo.
I just happened to have this Hershey’s instant white chocolate pudding mix in my cupboards and needed something to make with it, so that’s what I did. I like it! And I hope you will too!
Great Cupcakes to Pair with this Pudding Frosting
- Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with oil
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
- Key Lime Cupcakes
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
White Chocolate Pudding Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 3.4 oz (96 g) small box white chocolate (or other flavor) instant pudding mix, (the 4 servings size box)
- ½ cup (118 ml) cold milk, plus extra for thinning
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks) room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whisk pudding with milk in a small bowl. Set aside until thickened; about 3 minutes; it's not very long.
- Meanwhile beat butter in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add thickened pudding and vanilla. Blend until combined.
- Add powdered sugar and blend again.
- Add additional milk, 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency is achieved. (I added about 4 to 6 Tablespoons.) Fill pastry bag and pipe icing onto cupcakes or spread onto cake with a spatula.
Video
Notes
-
- Use pudding frosting promptly after being made. If prepared beforehand: thin with additional milk to a spreadable consistency. Keep refrigerated.
- Remove decorated cake/cupcakes from fridge 20-30 minutes before consuming to take the chill off of the cake and frosting.
- YIELD: 2 ¼ cups frosting; enough to pipe high onto 16-18 cupcakes, spread on top of a 13×9-inch cake, or decorate a single layer round cake.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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Recipe adapted from Cooking with Carrie
*Originally published 4/16/13. Photos updated December 2021.
Would this recipe be stiff enough to pipe onto cakes?
Yes, ma’am. The pudding actually makes it stiffer than typical buttercream. If it sits too long, you will need to add a little milk to make it easier to work with. It’s best to decorate right after being made.
Seriously, this looks SO good! I want to lick it right now!! Thanks for sharing!
Hershey’s instant pudding? I’ve got to find myself some of that. Yummy.
I like baking and making cakes, and this looks like it would be super yummy.
White chocolate is my favorite!
Now I do love butter cream but my favorite is Swiss Meringue Frosting–to die for. But I am always open to something new and this looks delicious! Can’ wait to try it.
I’m a frosting liver, but ry isn’t Seems like this will be the best of both worlds. If I wanted to make choc frosting would I need to add cococo and pudding?
Brianna, if you want chocolate, just do chocolate pudding. No cocoa required. Should work the same!
Super cool! I’m definitely going to give this a whirl!
Genius!
yum. pinned this for later 🙂