Maple Buttercream Frosting
Maple buttercream frosting has all the silky texture of classic Ermine frosting with the added flavor of maple syrup. Maple sugar adds a hint of color that goes perfectly with anything pumpkin or my favorite, Apple Butter Cupcakes.
| Taste | Texture | ||
| Maple, buttery | Silky, fluffy, delicate |
| Active time | Total time | Yield | Difficulty |
| 10 minutes | 30 minutes | Frosting for 18 cupcakes | Easy |
Reasons to Love Maple Buttercream Frosting
Why I Don’t Use Maple Syrup for Maple Ermine Buttercream
As I’ve been thinking through various flavors of Ermine Frosting I want to use in my bakes, maple was high on my list. I love the toasty flavor maple inherently has and how well it pairs with cinnamon spice blends.
Still, most of us only know the flavor of maple from maple syrup. As much as I love maple syrup, I was pretty sure that the liquid quality of the syrup was going to complicate making the frosting by potentially making a runny icing or making the process much longer.
Thankfully there’s a simple solution that won’t change the chemistry of the frosting: maple sugar . Maple sugar is maple syrup that’s been boiled until the hard ball stage then stirred vigorously off until it starts clumping. From there you can grind it in a coffee grinder or food processor into maple sugar.
I’ve not tried to do this at home yet, so I can’t tell you the cost savings of homemade vs. store bought maple sugar. This video shows that the homemade version has a lot more color (and with that probably more flavor). Whatever the case, the store-bought maple sugar wins in the convenience factor!
Ingredients for Maple Ermine Frosting
- Granulated sugar
- Maple sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Whole Milk: You can use 2% or non-dairy milk, but whole milk will give you the best flavor.
- Butter, at room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Maple Extract (optional, for more maple flavor)
- Cooking spray
Equipment
- Whisk
- Pot or skillet
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Pie plate
How to Make Maple Buttercream
- Make the Roux: Mix flour, granulated sugar, and maple sugar together in a wide skillet. Add in the milk and whisk everything together over medium-low heat until the roux starts to thicken. When the flour starts to pull away from the bottom of the skillet, it is thick enough. The roux should be glossy and slightly translucent.
- Cool the Pudding: Scrape the roux into a pie plate , smoothing it into a thin layer. Spritz a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place the plastic oiled side down right on the surface of the pudding. Put the pie plate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. When you can put your hand on top of the plastic and feel no warmth from the pudding, you’re ready to move on.
- Make the Buttercream: Beat the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer. When the butter is soft and smooth, add in the cooled pudding a little bit at a time. Continue to beat the frosting for about 30 seconds to 1 minute after you’ve added in all of the pudding. Add the vanilla and maple extract and beat for a few more seconds. The frosting should be light and fluffy but not too airy.
- Use It!: You can pipe the frosting into glorious swirls or smooth it onto a Vanilla Sheet Cake or Texas Sheet Cake or Apple Butter Cupcakes.
How to Store Maple Buttercream
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
To use chilled buttercream, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and then re-whip it until it’s soft enough to pipe.
Recipes to Use Maple Buttercream
- Apple Butter Cupcakes
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies: Use this in place of the cream cheese frosting in the recipe.
- Oatmeal Cream Pies: Use this in place of the vanilla Ermine Frosting .
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies: Use the maple frosting in place of the chocolate.
- Vanilla Sheet Cake: Use this in place of the cream cheese frosting in the recipe.
Maple Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: enough frosting for a 9×13 cake, 18 cupcakes, or or a batch of sandwich cookies
Description
Silky easy to make Ermine frosting with a little touch of Fall flavor in the way of maple sugar. This frosting pairs with pretty much any spice cake, cookie, or cupcake.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk (236 mL)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (75 g)
- 6 tablespoons maple sugar (75 g)
- 4 tablespoons flour (33 g)
- 2 sticks butter, at room temperature (227 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract (optional, for more maple flavor)
Instructions
Make the Roux
- Mix flour, granulated sugar, and maple sugar together in a wide skillet. Add in the milk and whisk everything together over medium-low heat until the roux starts to thicken.
- When the flour starts to pull away from the bottom of the skillet, it is thick enough. The roux should be glossy and slightly translucent.
Cool the Pudding
- Scrape the roux into a pie plate, smoothing it into a thin layer.
- Spritz a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place the plastic oiled side down right on the surface of the pudding.
- Put the pie plate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. When you can put your hand on top of the plastic and feel no warmth from the pudding, you’re ready to move on.
Make the Buttercream
- Beat the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer. When the butter is soft and smooth, add in the cooled pudding a little bit at a time.
- Continue to beat the frosting for about 30 seconds to 1 minute after you’ve added in all of the pudding.
- Add the vanilla and maple extract (if using) and beat for a few more seconds. The frosting should be light and fluffy but not too airy.
- Use the buttercream immediately or store it in the fridge for up to a week (or the freezer in a sealed bag with all the air removed for up to 3 months). This frosting is particularly good on Apple Butter Cupcakes.
- To use chilled buttercream, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and then re-whip it until it’s soft enough to pipe.
Notes
Troubleshooting Maple Buttercream: If your buttercream is looking either grainy or is too liquid, check out the troubleshooting section in my original Ermine Frosting recipe. All the advice there is applicable here. Don’t panic; 99% of the time you can fix your frosting!
More maple flavor: Omit the granulated sugar in the recipe and use only maple sugar. Using only maple sugar will make for a richer maple flavor, though it will make the frosting more expensive. I’ll update this when I’ve made homemade maple sugar when I know more about the yield and cost difference!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Baking building blocks
- Method: Mixer, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
