French Buttercream

French buttercream is a rich, silky frosting made with egg yolks, hot sugar syrup, and real butter, perfect for layer cakes, cupcakes, and macarons.

As a French baker, I love this buttercream for its smooth texture and balanced sweetness.

It feels closer to a classic French pâtisserie cream than to American buttercream, and it pipes beautifully on cakes, cupcakes, entremets, and Yule logs.

In this recipe, I show you step by step how to make French meringue buttercream with whipped egg yolks and sugar syrup, how to cool it properly, and how to fix it if it looks grainy or too soft.

You can keep the base vanilla or turn it into chocolate, coffee, citrus, or fruit buttercream for any celebration cake.

Why you'll love it

• Silky texture - Ultra smooth, melt-in-the-mouth frosting that spreads and pipes without bumps.
• Less sweet taste - Richer flavor from egg yolks and real butter, with a softer sweetness than American buttercream.
• Perfect for decorating - Holds its shape for piping rosettes and borders, and works as a stable filling for cakes and macarons.

Ingredient you need

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make French buttercream:

• Egg yolks: room-temperature yolks for a rich, silky base.
• Sugar syrup: powdered sugar and water cooked to soft-ball stage.
• Butter: unsalted and softened for a smooth, creamy finish.
• Vanilla + salt: pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean and a pinch of fine salt.

Tips for this recipe

• Room-temperature base: yolks and butter should be soft for a stable, smooth cream.
• Cool the meringue: whip until the bowl is no longer warm before adding butter.
• Add butter slowly: incorporate small pieces to avoid curdling.
• Fix texture: if too soft, chill briefly; if grainy, keep mixing until it smooths out.
• Switch to paddle: mix on low at the end to remove air bubbles.

How to make French Buttercream Recipe

Start by making the French meringue, then continue with the buttercream steps below.

Beat the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and frothy.

Cook the sugar and water to 115°C (239°F) to make a hot sugar syrup.

Pour the syrup slowly into the yolks on low speed, then whip on high until the mixture cools and forms a thick, pale foam.

Add the softened butter a little at a time, then mix in the vanilla and salt.

Whip on high until the buttercream is smooth, silky, and stable.

How to Use It

• Coloring and flavoring Takes gel coloring and extracts well, so you can adapt it to any theme or flavor.
• Filling cakes Perfect for layer cakes, yule logs, and entremets thanks to its smooth, rich texture.
• Piping on cupcakes Holds its shape beautifully for swirls, rosettes, and simple decorations.
• Macaron filling Its creamy consistency makes it ideal for piping inside macarons without leaking.
• Cookie decorating Adds a soft, buttery finish to sandwich cookies or thumbprint-style cookies.

Storage

• Fridge: Keep in an airtight container up to 1 week. Let it come back to room temperature, then re-whip to restore the silky texture.
• Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring to room temperature, and whip again before using.
• Room temp: Stable a few hours for decorating cakes or cupcakes.

Variations & Substitutions

• Vanilla French buttercream: Classic version with vanilla extract or vanilla bean.
• Chocolate French buttercream: Add cocoa powder or melted chocolate.
• Coffee French buttercream: Mix in instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water.
• Citrus French buttercream: Add lemon zest, orange zest, or a spoon of lemon curd.
• Fruit French buttercream: Fold in strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry compote.

If you’re looking for more frosting and filling ideas for cakes, you can find them all here.

Recipe Questions

Can I use whole eggs instead of yolks?

Yes, but the color will be lighter and the texture slightly different.

Is it safe if it contains egg yolks?

The hot sugar syrup cooks the yolks, making the buttercream stable and safe.

Why does it look curdled?

Temperature mismatch. Keep mixing until smooth.

Can I fix buttercream that’s too runny or too stiff?

Chill briefly if runny. Warm a small portion and stir back in if too stiff.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes — store in the fridge or freezer and re-whip before using.

More Buttercream Frostings

• Swiss meringue buttercream
• Italian meringue buttercream
• Russian buttercream
• Vanilla buttercream frosting

I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!

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