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Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting

Published: by · I may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this article · 122 Comments

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This delicious, naturally sweetened Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting is so easy to make and made with only a handful of real food ingredients. It’s luscious, rich and perfectly sweet - a little goes a long way slathered on your favorite cake, cupcakes or cookies.
Vanilla buttercream frosting on top of chocolate cupcakes with pink flowers. this RECIPE

HEALTHY HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting is so versatile and works beautifully on cakes, cupcakes, cookies and more!

I’m a huge fan of frosting. Who doesn't love frosting with their cake. I mean, frosting is the best part right?! Or at least it's the best combined with cake, but there's alway got to be a good ratio and a bit heavier on the frosting in my opinion.

At least that's how I LOVE it, as long as the frosting is not too sweet. I'm not a fan of super sweet frosting that starts to make you feel sick before you can even finish a whole slice of cake.

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper.

THIS VANILLA HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING ISN'T TOO SWEET AND HAS NO POWDERED SUGAR.

It has just the right amount of sweetness and it's naturally sweetened with honey. That's right, just honey! You won't find any cane sugar in this frosting because there's no need for it!

Sure, honey is still a "natural sugar", but it's not even close to refined powdered sugar that usually makes frosting insanely too sweet. For most people, honey is much easier for the body to recognize and won't leave you feeling all jittery like sugar does. Sugar rush + sugar crash = no good.

I created this vanilla honey buttercream frosting many, many years ago when I started my real food journey. I wanted something that was still just as delicious as the frostings that I grew up with and also nourishing.

Yep, I loved frosting as a kid and teen and I was known to eat spoonfuls of frosting out of the packaged containers for dessert. Sounds kind of gross, but it was a thing back in the early 90s. Most of my high school friends and I loved this. Weekend bliss meant pizza from Steve’s Pizza (or homemade-ish on Boboli crust) and frosting from a container. It makes me cringe now, but I sure did love it then!

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper and two vanilla frosted cupcakes in the background.

NOURISHING HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

You might be thinking how can frosting be nourishing? Well, it can be when you ditch the powdered sugar and load it up with a nutrient-dense, healthy fat. In this case, I'm talking about grass-fed BUTTER.

Grass-fed BUTTER, yes indeed! The 80s fat-free and low-fat nonsense that I learned as a kid when I grew up in the 80s and 90s has been proven to be wrong. We got force-fed a lot of ridiculous dietary and nutritional information that was just plain wrong.

In fact studies now reveal that there is no increased heart disease risk linked to consuming saturated fats. The studies found that people who consume grass-fed butter actually have a LOWER risk of heart disease (you can find those studies on The American Journal of Clinical Nutritional and elsewhere, just search for it, you'll find tons of info).

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper and two vanilla frosted cupcakes in the background.

HEALTHY FATS = FUEL

I'm not talking about just any butter. Quality, grass-fed butter is far superior and much more nourishing. It’s not hard to find in most grocery stores - even most Costco's carry it now!

This nutrient-dense healthy fat is loaded with fat-soluble vitamins. It's packed with the fatty acid CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which is known to have lots of beneficial effects on health.

WHY GRASS-FED BUTTER IS SO IMPORTANT

Grass-fed butter contains 5 times more CLA than butter made from cows that are grain-fed and not fed their species appropriate diet (which is grass!).

Grass-fed butter is also a lot higher in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K2 (which is something that my body was majorly lacking during my 17+ years as a vegetarian turned vegan).

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper and two vanilla frosted cupcakes in the background.

FAMILY-LOVED AND KID APPROVED NOURISHING HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

This delectable buttercream frosting has topped lots of cupcakes and many birthday cakes over the years. It's been loved by my family and also loved by many Recipes to Nourish readers! There are families who have emailed me or DM'd me yearly telling me how special and loved this frosting has become for their family celebrations.

READER REVIEWS OF THIS VANILLA HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

No icing sugar buttercream frosting!? Yes please! I was so excited to find this recipe made with honey! I have made buttercream in the past using those processed non-sugar sugars (erythritol), but seems sketchy and I wouldn't call them 'healthy'. The honey gives the perfect sweetness and you can always add a bit more butter to tone it down. Pairs really well with the Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake. Delicious!”

"This was actually pretty dang awesome. I had to make some different chocolate cakes for a research and development project at work and people always complain if there is no frosting. I didn't have any powdered sugar on hand so i used this recipe and added a couple tablespoons of cocoa. It was really fluffy, and light, people LOVED it. It did have a pronounced honey flavor, but if you don't mind that (i actually love that), then it is definitely a winner. I've made a lot of cakes and frostings (professional chef for 7 years) and this is absolutely one of my favorites! It would be amazing with some orange and lavender additions too”

"Thanks for this - I made a version without the vanilla, replacing it instead with almond essence and a tiny bit of brandy - voila, a cane-sugar free version of my Gran's brandy butter icing for my honey sweetened Christmas cake - yum!”

"I realize I'm late to the party. But, this frosting is wonderful. I used Pasture Butter and regular raw honey, added 2 tablespoons of cocoa and it was amazing. Soft, creamy and delicious. Frosted a birthday cake with it and chilled the whole thing for about an hour. Perfect!”

"I just made this and it's absolutely wonderful! I had made wheat free, corn free, refined sugar-free orange cream cupcakes. So I added a ¼ teaspoon of orange oil to it. Absolutely wonderful!! Thank you!”

"I made this today and WOW! It is so nice. The first batch didn't make the cake. Between my 3 girls and myself having a little taste it was nearly all gone. My hand mixer has blown up so I used a mini processor that came with my stick blender and it did a good job. Dying to try this recipe again!”

"Thank you Thank You for this amazing and simple frosting! OMG I had all the ingredients in my house! So tasty, not too sweet. Just perfect! I needed a frosting for my healthier cake and this was so good. It was a hit at our last nights dinner. Thank you”

"Love this recipe! I made it to cover my son's birthday cake for his 1st birthday. Turned out great! The only thing I would say to those going to make it, be sure your butter is cold, straight from the fridge. I made two batches, one with cold butter and one with a little softened butter, and the cold butter produced a much more smooth, creamy, non-curdled frosting. Thanks for a great recipe!”

"I thought that I was compromising by using this recipe. I was out of cream cheese to make my standard frosting, but I didn't want to run to the store. The frosting was to be used for cinnamon rolls. The frosting is perfect! Oh, my! No compromise here!”

This honey buttercream frosting is sentimental for me too - I feel grateful to be able to share a homemade, from scratch frosting with my children and hopefully they'll pass this recipe on along the way too.

My kids have been making this healthy buttercream frosting with the hand mixer since each of them were toddlers. Many beaters and spatulas have been licked with big smiles across the face - and you can't beat that!

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper and two vanilla frosted cupcakes in the background.

WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE GREAT

  • Simple: It’s so easy to make your own homemade honey buttercream frosting! It only has a handful of healthier ingredients and literally takes minutes to make. You can’t beat the simplicity of this delicious honey buttercream.
  • Flavor: This honey buttercream frosting is decadent, rich, creamy and not too sweet. The vanilla flavor shines through and none of the other flavors are too overpowering.
  • Perfect for Celebrations & Holidays: Buttercream frosting is one of those luscious treats that brings so much joy and deliciousness to cakes and cupcakes. Frosting always takes cakes and cupcakes to the next level and adds a fabulous, soft texture to spongy, dense or tender cakes. This frosting is loved by all and it’s a favorite for little ones on their special birthdays. It’s so delicious on gingerbread cookies, shortbread and sugar cookies too!

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper and two vanilla frosted cupcakes in the background.

VANILLA HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING EQUIPMENT

  • Standing Mixer or Handheld Mixer: You’ll need a standing mixer with the attached mixing bowl or a handheld mixer to make this healthy vanilla buttercream frosting. Quickly whipping the frosting with the mixer helps add air into the frosting and create that perfectly smooth and creamy texture. 
  • Large Mixing Bowl: A large mixing bowl is needed to whip the vanilla honey buttercream frosting. I love glass Anchor Hocking mixing bowls, Anchor Hocking glass batter bowls with a handle and Pyrex mixing bowls.
  • Spatula: You will need a spatula to help scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl during or after making the honey buttercream frosting.

Overhead shot of ingredients - glass jar of Honey Gardens raw honey, small bowl of honey, small bowl of arrowroot powder, glass vanilla extract jar, mini bowl of vanilla extract and 1 stick of Vital Farms butter.

VANILLA HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING INGREDIENT NOTES

  • Grass-fed Butter: Nourishing healthy fats - grass-fed butter is one of the best! The butter helps add that creamy, fluffy texture to the buttercream frosting. I only recommend using a quality grass-fed brand like Vital Farms - my preference is their sea salted butter. Kerrygold is another good brand for this frosting, I prefer their gold wrapper salted butter - this butter brand is easy to find at most grocery stores and you can even find it in bulk at Costco.
  • Honey: Raw honey is one of my favorite natural sweeteners to use. Make sure to use a lighter honey like clover, star thistle or orange blossom - wildflower varieties are too overpowering and strong in flavor. For this recipe, it’s also important to use a true, raw honey that hasn’t been stripped and highly processed. Thinner honey - like the kind in a squeeze bottle, does not work in this recipe. I only recommend a thicker raw honey like this one or this honey which is easy to find in grocery stores like Sprouts Farmers Market.
  • Vanilla Extract: Like with many recipes, vanilla adds a lovely flavor and it’s absolutely necessary for giving this delicious frosting its vanilla flavor.
  • Arrowroot Powder: Arrowroot powder or arrowroot starch (same thing) is optional in this recipe. It helps act as a binder for the frosting, similar to what is added in powdered sugar - usually powdered sugar contains cornstarch or tapioca starch. Any brand will work here - I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill and Thrive Market brand for testing and both work great.
  • Mineral-rich Salt:  Sea salt is completely optional in this frosting! It helps enhance the flavor, adds minerals and cuts a bit of the richness of the frosting. I only recommend using a mineral-rich salt or sea salt, otherwise, just omit the salt.

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish.

HOW TO MAKE VANILLA HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

It’s so easy to make this luscious honey buttercream. You only need a handful of healthier ingredients, a mixer and mixing bowl and a few minutes prep time. 

Assemble the Mixer

If using a standing mixer, fit the standing mixer with the flat beater and mixing bowl. If using a handheld mixer, get a large mixing bowl ready and attach the metal beaters to your mixer.

Make the Frosting

Add the cold butter, honey, vanilla and optional arrowroot powder and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the butter starts to soften.

Gradually increase the speed and whip until creamed and it begins to have a lighter white color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the frosting with a spatula.

Using the Frosting

As soon as the honey buttercream frosting is creamed, it’s ready to use! Slather it on cakes, cupcakes and cookies or dip fresh fruit in it and make sure to lick the beater and enjoy!

Close up photo of a glass mixing bowl filled with whipped vanilla buttercream frosting with 2 handheld mixer beaters mixing the frosting.

RECIPE FAQS: TIPS FOR VANILLA HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING SUCCESS

  • How much frosting will this honey buttercream recipe make? The finished frosting yield is about 1 ½ cups of honey buttercream. 
  • Can this honey frosting recipe be doubled? I have never tested this buttercream recipe out by doubling it, but my best guess is that it can easily be doubled or tripled!
  • How sweet is this honey buttercream frosting? This honey buttercream is not overly sweet, it has just the right amount of sweetness without being too much. 
  • What kind of honey should be used in this honey buttercream frosting recipe? Please make sure to use the right kind of honey for this buttercream! I have updated the recipe with more notes about the honey because many people keep using the thin kind of honey that comes in a squeeze bottle or honey bear. Squeeze bottle honey or honey bears have been too processed and are not the right kind of honey to use! I link to the exact kind of honey that I use in the recipe - I find it locally at a natural foods co-op grocery store. It's a true, raw honey that hasn't been stripped and highly processed. It is not a creamed honey (although a creamed honey would work) - it's just real, unfiltered, raw honey so it’s thicker in consistency. I also list another kind of honey that I have used that is easy to find in grocery stores like Sprouts Farmers Market.

Two glass jars of honey, one label says Honey Gardens Apitherapy Raw Honey and the other label says Y.S. Organic Bee Farms 100% certified organic raw honey.

  • Can you substitute the honey for another sweetener in this healthy buttercream? I suppose you could, however, this frosting is specific to honey - it is a honey frosting recipe. You can use a quality maple syrup instead of the honey, but this will alter the flavor and taste more maple-y - however, this would be a great option if you’re making the cake for a 1 year old’s 1st birthday. You can use a traditional powdered sugar - in that case, I would recommend using organic powdered sugar. You could try a sweetener like maple sugar, coconut sugar or sucanat, but you would need to blitz them in a food processor to grind them into a fine powder (prior to using) and again, this will alter the flavor.
  • Does the butter in this buttercream frosting recipe have to be cold or can the butter be room temperature? Yes! Please make sure the butter is cold - right out of the refrigerator! People who haven’t followed the instructions and have used room temperature butter do not end up with the right consistency of frosting. Cold butter is an absolute must for this recipe as room temperature butter (along with thin squeeze bottle/bear honey) can make this recipe curdle and will not produce a fluffy, airy, soft texture.
  • How long will this healthy honey buttercream frosting last and how should it be stored? When stored in an airtight container, the vanilla honey buttercream frosting will last up to one week in the refrigerator and up to 1 month in the freezer.
  • What are the best serving suggestions for this honey buttercream frosting? Slather this honey buttercream frosting on cakes, cupcakes and cookies or dip fresh fruit in it! It’s absolutely delicious with fresh berries! It also makes an extra special topping on homemade chocolate pudding. 

Chocolate cake in a 9x13 glass baking dish with a wooden knife halfway frosting the cake with vanilla buttercream frosting.

This healthy buttercream frosting is so delicious and easy to make! It’s perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes and cookies like gingerbread, shortbread and sugar cookies. This honey buttercream frosting is so versatile and can be used for any treat for birthdays to holidays to special celebrations year round.

IF YOU LIKE THIS EASY HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM RECIPES TO NOURISH:

Chocolate cupcake topped with a 2-inch swirl of vanilla buttercream frosting and pink geranium flowers for garnish sitting on top of a square piece of unbleached parchment paper and two vanilla frosted cupcakes in the background.

Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla buttercream frosting on top of chocolate cupcakes with pink flowers.

Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 1 ½ cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

This delicious, naturally sweetened Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting is so easy to make and made with only a handful of real food ingredients. It’s luscious, rich and perfectly sweet - a little goes a long way slathered on your favorite cake, cupcakes or cookies.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. If using a standing mixer, fit the standing mixer with the flat beater and mixing bowl. If using a handheld mixer, get a large mixing bowl ready and attach the metal beaters to your mixer.
  2. Add the butter, honey, vanilla and optional arrowroot powder and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the butter starts to soften. Gradually increase the speed and whip on high until creamed and it begins to have a lighter white color, about 1-2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the frosting with a spatula. It’s ready to use - enjoy!

Notes

Equipment You Need for This Recipe: Standing Mixer & Bowl or Handheld Mixer & Mixing Bowl, Spatula

This recipe works perfectly with and has been tested with the following honey:

Honey Tips if You Don't Use the Above Honey:

  • Use a lighter color honey (not wildflower honey) to ensure the flavor stays mild and not bold in flavor.
  • Do NOT use super thin honey like the kind that comes in a squeeze bottle or "honey bear". The brands I’ve listed work perfectly in this recipe. A creamed honey should work well too.
  • See the linked ingredients, above notes or recommended products below for the exact type of honey that I use.
  • The honey in the video on my site does not reflect the correct type of honey that should be used - I did not film that video and the wrong honey was used. You must use the correct kind of honey for this recipe! I have listed the brands used in the links.

This recipe was tested with the following brands of COLD butter: Kerrygold Salted Butter, Vital Farms Sea Salted Pasture-Raised Butter and Organic Valley Pasture Butter. Yes the butter brand is important for this recipe and so is the salt - please use quality butter!

Storage: If storing the honey buttercream frosting for later use, make sure to take the frosting out of the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes before using it so it's not so hard and will spread easier.

Serving Suggestions: Use this to frost your favorite cookies, cupcakes or cakes like chocolate cake, carrot cake, vanilla cake, spice cake, etc. You can dip fresh fruit like berries in it too - it’s delicious! Or add a little on top of homemade chocolate pudding!

Frosting Cake/Cupcakes: It takes about 1 to 1 ½ cups of frosting to generously frost 12 cupcakes. It takes about 2 ½ to 4 cups of frosting to fill and generously frost a two-layer 9" cake.

HONEY IS NOT INTENDED FOR BABIES UNDER 2 YEARS OLD - See Recipe FAQS in blog post for a honey substitution for Baby's 1st Cake.

The photographs of this recipe, recipe and all content above are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos without prior written permission. If you choose to share this recipe, please feel free to share by using proper etiquette and providing a link back to my original recipe on my blog, not a screenshot, with proper disclosure [the original recipe - "title of recipe" by Recipes to Nourish]. Copying/pasting the full recipe text to websites or social media is prohibited. If you make significant changes to the recipe or adapt the recipe in any way, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and provide a link back here with proper disclosure for credit. Thanks for understanding! 

[Updated Recipe December 2022]

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 139Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

© Emily Vidaurri
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert

Are you on Pinterest? I pin lots of yummy real food recipes + more there. I have a board just for Gluten Free Treats too. Come follow along. 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This frosting looks perfect! I can't wait to try it the next time I bake. 😉

    Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply

  2. Thank you 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!

    Reply

    • How many cupcakes will this recipe (1.5 cups) frost? And I noticed your strawberry icing requires arrowroot powder. Do you recommend putting some in this too?

      Reply

      • The estimated amount for frosting cupcakes is about 1 cup for 12 cupcakes. It takes about 2 1/2 to 4 cups of frosting to generously frost a 2 layer 9" cake. I hope that helps. I never have in this recipe, but I'm sure you could. When using powdered sugar, most have cornstarch or tapioca flour in them, so the arrowroot acts in the same way as the others would in powdered sugar.

        Reply

  3. Just made this, but it didn't get as stiff as it looks like yours' did (from the picture of it in the bowl). Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • I'm sorry it did not turn out for you. The frosting should not be stiff, it's soft. I use a raw creamed clover honey, which tends to be a thicker honey and I don't soften the pasture butter first. Did you use a standing mixer? It's hard to say, temperature can be the culprit sometimes, and so can equipment and/or ingredients. I've never had a problem with this frosting and have been making it for many years.

      Reply

    • add more powdered sugar

      Reply

  4. yes, mine did not stiffen up either. hmmm

    Reply

    • It should not be stiff, it should be a soft frosting.

      Reply

  5. Thanks for this - I made a version without the vanilla, replacing it instead with almond essence and a tiny bit of brandy - voila, a cane-sugar free version of my Gran's brandy butter icing for my honey sweetened Christmas cake - yum!

    Reply

    • Yum! That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply

  6. I realize I'm late to the party. But, this frosting is wonderful. I used Pasture Butter and regular raw honey, added 2 tablespoons of cocoa and it was amazing. Soft, creamy and delicious. Frosted a birthday cake with it and chilled the whole thing for about an hour. Perfect!

    Reply

    • Yum! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Makes me want to go bake a cake so I can make the frosting 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Take care.

      Reply

    • And nut free!!

      Reply

  7. I just made this and it's absolutely wonderful! I had made wheat free, corn free, refined sugar-free orange cream cupcakes. So I added a 1/4 tsp of orange oil to it. Absolutely wonderful!! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Oh I bet they were so yummy! Such a good flavor combo. Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply

  8. I made this today, but added 1/2 cup confectioners sugar to make it a little stiffer. Then I used it to frost a pumpkin spice cake. It was amazing! My husband immediately asked for a second piece of cake the moment he finished eating the first. This was BY FAR the best frosting I've ever made. Thank you so much for sharing it!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing! I bet the confectioners sugar made it extra yummy too. I love pumpkin spice cake, so glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply

  9. I made this today and WOW! It is so nice. The first batch didn't make the cake. Between my 3 girls and myself having a little taste it was nearly all gone. My hand mixer has blown up so I used a mini processor that came with my stick blender and it did a good job. Dying to try this recipe again!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much for sharing this with me! I love that the 4 of you enjoyed it. I hope you get to make it again soon. I know what you mean, we always enjoy it before it make it to the cake or cupcakes 😉 Take care and thanks again so much for leaving a comment.

      Reply

  10. I'm thinking of adding some peanut butter to this recipe? Do you think that could work and if so how much?

    Reply

    • Sounds yummy! I bet that would be delicious, but I've never used peanut butter in the recipe, so I'm not sure.

      Reply

  11. Love this recipe! I made it to cover my son's birthday cake for his 1st birthday. Turned out great! The only thing I would say to those going to make it, be sure your butter is cold, straight from the fridge. I made two batches, one with cold butter and one with a little softened butter, and the cold butter produced a much more smooth, creamy, non-curdled frosting. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much for sharing that! So happy to hear and Happy Birthday to your little one. Great feedback on the butter.

      Reply

  12. Very good! I made some pumpkin muffins using maple syrup for to sweeten and they didn't have much flavor. Rather than start over and add more spices I made this frosting and it is very good on the muffins. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Great to hear! Thanks!

      Reply

  13. Hi can I replace the honey with maple syrup.
    Many thanks

    Reply

    • You could try that Antoinette, it won't give it the exact same consistency as a thicker honey though. Another option could be using maple sugar, grinding it up first in a blender or food processor to make it powdered consistency. That would work for sure. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  14. Honey and butter are a natural combination. I bet it was the frosting used in the Middle ages when "hony" was the main sweet. I am surprised that not many cookbooks mention this simple homemade treat. I guess the history of merchandising is that you really "should" give up the honey and use "pure" white sugar, shouldn't you? (evil eye brow raise)

    I like the taste of honey more. I'm thinking of making some kind of strawberry angel food cake with honey-butter frosting. An egg white based sponge cake or even cupcake, with strawberries mashed and sweetened, frosted with honey-butter frosting. Yum.

    Reply

  15. I thought that I was compromising by using this recipe. I was out of cream cheese to make my standard frosting, but I didn't want to run to the store. The frosting was to be used for cinnamon rolls. The frosting is perfect! Oh, my! No comprise here!

    Reply

    • I'm so happy to hear that Kathy! I love cream cheese frosting too, so I know you what you mean. This one is pretty delicious too 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply

  16. When I make this, should I expect it to be a little lumpy from the cold butter? Or does it really all smooth out fairly well? I've made frosting with softened butter, so this is a new way for me to try by starting with the butter being cold.

    Reply

    • Hi Kris, once it gets whipped really good, it will soften. Being cold helps it maintain a fluffier, soft texture 🙂

      Reply

  17. How does this frosting hold up to heat? I'm looking for something for a 2 year old's outdoor birthday party. Also, could I substitute something dairy-free for the butter? Coconut oil?

    Reply

    • Hi Monique 🙂 It's not going to hold up to a lot of heat because it's butter. That being said, it can be left at room temperature since there's nothing in it like cream cheese which would need refrigeration. It wouldn't "melt" unless it was left in extreme heat, just think about butter and how long it would take to melt in the sun and the frosting will be similar. I hope that helps! 🙂 How fun for the 2 year old's birthday, I hope it's a lovely one. Both of my kids have enjoyed this frosting at their young birthdays. For dairy-free - coconut oil would really change the flavor and I wouldn't recommend that. You could try using a quality brand of palm shortening which is usually a blend of organic palm oil and coconut oil, that would work the best.

      Reply

  18. This frosting looks so pretty and so perfect! I can't believe it's only made with 3 ingredients. I'll definitely have to save this one for the next time I'm making cupcakes.

    Reply

    • Thank you Jean! I hope you get to enjoy some 🙂

      Reply

  19. You had me at buttercream! This looks absolutely fantastic Emily!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much Melissa 🙂

      Reply

  20. What a lovely flavor combo. Now I have to make this recipe for my husband ! He'd love it !

    Reply

    • Love to hear that! I hope you get to make some for him. 🙂

      Reply

  21. So simple and SO beautifully perfect! I love your back story and what this frosting means to you! Beautiful butter and the cakes we top, how lovely and happy!

    Reply

    • So fun to have those traditions with our kids isn't it? 🙂 Gotta love that butter!

      Reply

  22. Great recipe! This buttercream frosting looks so fluffy! I will not only add it to my cakes but maybe add a scoop to my afternoon coffee or matcha!

    Reply

    • Oh yum! That's an awesome idea! 🙂

      Reply

  23. This looks epic. I need a good buttercream recipe. Can't wait to try it on hubby's bday cake.

    Reply

    • How fun! I hope you all enjoy it! 🙂

      Reply

  24. Simple and sensible ingredients. Gotta love a staple for those special occassions when frosting is in order.

    Reply

    • Simple can be so perfect sometimes. 🙂

      Reply

  25. Can't wait to try this! I have been wanting to try experimenting with honey sweetened version...looks like I don;t have to!

    Reply

    • 🙂 I hope you get to enjoy some. Honey works so well in frostings. It's so good with cocoa powder added too, I make a chocolate version with it.

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  26. This looks and sounds fabulous Emily! Perfection!

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    • Thanks Linda! 🙂

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  27. Love this so much Emily! Cait's birthday is in a few weeks and I'm going to try the honey for the buttercream - great idea! She will love it!

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    • Oh how fun! I bet whatever you're making this year is going to be perfect as always. xo

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  28. What a lovely recipe ~ 3 ingredients = real food buttercream frosting ~ WOW!!
    Can't wait to try this one!

    Reply

    • Super simple and so delicious 🙂

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  29. This frosting looks amazing and love that it is made with honey and not powdered sugar.

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    • Thanks Yvonne! 🙂 It's so good without it.

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  30. I love how soft and fluffy this buttercream frosting is! And I don't know why but I'd never have thought to use only honey in it - genius!

    Reply

    • Thank you! It's so yummy with the honey. 🙂

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  31. I am excited to find this recipe! I don't like things that are too sweet, either. And, isn't it great to know that healthful fats are good for us!

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    • Yes! SO good to know that some fats are truly so nourishing and good for our body. 🙂

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  32. Thank you Thank You ? for this amazing and simple frosting! OMG I had all the ingredients in my house! So tasty, not too sweet. Just perfect! I needed a frosting for my healthier cake and this was so good. It was a hit at our last nights dinner. Thank you

    Reply

    • I'm so thrilled to hear that Liana! Thanks so much for sharing that with me. I'm so glad it was a hit. 🙂

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  33. That frosting looks perfect! Honey buttercream is so rich and delicious.

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    • Thanks so much Raia! 🙂

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  34. Seriously, I am craving cake, my adrenals are shot, and this would satisfy my craving without making me feel worse!! Looks amazing.

    Reply

    • Oh no on the adrenals, that's no good. I hope you're able to enjoy something to tastes good to you and works well for your body.

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  35. This looks like frosting perfection! Honey and vanilla is such a good combination, and this looks so incredibly creamy and luscious!

    Reply

    • Thanks Kari! It's so yummy 🙂

      Reply

  36. That frosting looks crazy delicious and so creamy too!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much Stacey! 🙂

      Reply

  37. What a tasty combination - looks so rich and creamy! Amazing!

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    • Thanks Darryl! 🙂

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  38. This was actually pretty dang awesome. I had to make some different chocolate cakes for a research and development project at work and people always complain if there is no frosting. I didn't have any powdered sugar on hand so i used this recipe and added a couple tablespoons of cocoa. It was really fluffy, and light, people LOVED it. It did have a pronounced honey flavor, but if you don't mind that (i actually love that), then it is definitely a winner. I've made a lot of cakes and frostings (professional chef for 7 years) and this is absolutely one of my favorites! It would be amazing with some orange and lavender additions too 🙂

    Reply

    • That is so fun to hear! I'm so glad it was loved and that you enjoying it too. 🙂 I love adding cocoa powder to it too (chocolate is my favorite - the rest of my family loves vanilla). You're right, it would be really lovely with orange or lavender too. Thanks so much for sharing this with me.

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  39. This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try! I need a pink frosting....have you ever added natural colorings to this? I would like to use a little beet purée, but not sure how much...don’t want to ruin the texture.

    Reply

    • Hi Meredith 🙂 Thanks so much! I hope you get to enjoy it. I've never used natural coloring with this, but I bet that would work fine. I know there's a couple of natural colorings on the market that use pretty clean ingredients. I've never used beet purée to make pink frosting before, however I've used it in chocolate cakes. Usually I use freeze-dried raspberries to make a pink color in frosting - you can check out my method on this chocolate raspberry swirl frosting recipe.

      Reply

      • I made this frosting twice last month to go with buttercream birthday cakes. I added peach purée to one and strawberry purée to the other. The consistency was great and the strawberry made a beautiful pink color while the peach was sort of cream color with orange flecks. Hope that helps! I may make it with a blackberry purée for my sons’s third bday tomorrow!

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        • *It should be noted that I reduced the purées on the stove top and let them cool completely before incorporating them into the frosting.

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  40. This might be a silly question but do you use salted or unsalted butter? I can't wait to make this recipe soon!

    Reply

    • Hi Holly, it's not a silly question 🙂 You can really use either, I have used both before. My preference is usually salted for frosting, sometimes it's nice to have that little saltiness added to the sweet. I find that salted also helps produce a better consistency when it comes to frosting. I hope that helps and that you enjoy the frosting.

      Reply

  41. Just made this (a test run) to go on top of a refined sugar free banana cake for my daughter's 1st birthday next week (I replaced the honey with maple syrup) and it is SO good! I was worried about not having a "smash" cake for her because I'm not giving her anything with refined sugar and this recipe is 100% perfect 🙂

    Reply

    • That makes me smile so big! I'm so glad you like it, that's great to know about the sub too. What a fun way to celebrate her 1st birthday! (I'm like you too - I don't do sugar with my babes before 2 years old.)

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  42. Do you think I could use coconut butter instead grass fed butter? Because I live in a tropical country, the temp is 92F and above daily, plus very humid. Would butter hold up the heat (room temp)? I really want to try out this frosting, it looks perfect! Pls advise, thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Connie, well that's tricky. I personally wouldn't use coconut butter because it will drastically change the flavor and will possibly change the consistency, but it's not an ingredient that I tested for this recipe, so I really can't say for sure. I don't know the exact temperature that butter melts, but yes, if set out in that type of heat, I'm assuming it's not going to stay as firm and fluffy as a normal frosting. We have very hot summers here - 90's-100's and I've made this frosting several times during the summer before, but we also consume it inside where the temperature isn't so hot. I'm not sure that's the answer you're looking for. I hope that helps. 🙂

      Reply

  43. Is it enough to frost 7inch cake? How long can I keep the frosted cake for? Should I keep the frosted cake in the fridge until I serve? Thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Connie, it's hard to say because everyone's preference with amount of frosting is different. That being said, it generally takes about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of frosting to generously frost 12 cupcakes. It takes about 2 1/2 to 4 cups of frosting to fill and generously frost a two-layer 9" cake. In terms of keeping the cake in the fridge, that can also vary because some cakes drastically dry up when being placed in the fridge. The frosting will harden some (just like butter does) if refrigerated, so you'd want to allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving, unless you don't mind a colder more "set" texture kind of frosting. Cake usually doesn't last more than 2 days in my home because we devour it. I would say typically most cakes are best on the 1st day, still good on the 2nd day and not as fresh tasting on the 3rd day. I hope that helps! 🙂

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  44. Do you have a natural sugar recipe for peanut butter frosting?

    Reply

    • Hi Amy, I don't have a peanut butter frosting on my site. Just this one, a chocolate frosting and a chocolate raspberry swirl frosting. That sounds yummy though, I don't think I've ever had a peanut butter frosting, but I have had a yummy chocolate-PB frosting.

      Reply

    • I turned this recipe into a peanut butter frosting by adding 1/3-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter. It was delicious. It made enough to frost 12 cupcakes and have enough leftover for the next morning’s waffles.

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  45. This recipe did not work for me as written, even though I used very cold Kerrygold butter. The result was a sweet buttery slime. BUT! I added about 1/3-1/2 cup peanut butter (I’m not exactly sure how much, I didn’t measure), mixed together, and it made a perfectly fine texture frosting that was DELICIOUS! I put it on top of gluten-free cupcakes, and even the non-healthy eaters in the crowd said they were yum. I think this will become my new go-to frosting. Just wanted to share that in case others have the same result I did. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Thank you! I had the same result; the honey and butter separated (honestly was kind of expecting this result) and created a curdled mess. Tasty, but not pretty. I'll give this a go!

      Reply

      • It should not be curdled at all. My best guess is the type of honey you used caused this to happen. Butter can play a roll too - I have only tested this recipe with Organic Valley pasture butter, Kerrygold and Vital Pastures. Did you use a thinner honey like the kind from a honey bear or squeeze bottle or did you use a thicker honey?

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  46. this was wonderful! Thank you for sharing all these tips and recipes..really helps those of us without the create gene;)

    Reply

    • Hi Rose, I'm so sorry that I missed your comment 💜 - I was on a bereavement leave during the time and just noticed this while I'm working on adding more tips to the post. I truly appreciate your kind words about the tips being helpful! I'm so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it.

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  47. Do you think this would work with vegan butter to make this dairy free? I struggle to find organic palm shortening where I live in Alberta, Canada, but can easily find vegan butter.

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    • Hi Andrea, I wish I had an answer for you but I really don't know. I don't work with vegan butter, so I'm not sure what kind of results you would get.

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  48. Hi. I was seeing where confectioners sugar was added in some recipes here? I am trying to imagine what this would taste like with just butter and vanilla and honey and not be sweet?

    I have volunteered to make our grandson's 2nd birthday cake and always prefer more natural ingredients 🙂

    Thank you,
    Annette

    Reply

    • Hi Annette, I'm so sorry that I missed your comment, I was on a bereavement leave during the time and just noticed this while I'm working on adding more tips to the post. The flavor is sweet like honey, but not overly sweet and overpowering like some frostings can be. I hope you were able to find something great for your grandson's birthday. 💙

      Reply

  49. Wondering if I could use ghee?

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    • I have never tried this with ghee. It's possible it could work the same, the flavor will be different for sure and the texture might be a bit softer.

      Reply

    • I make a gheenash for cakes. you would just have to mix in the honey right after making your ghee then give it a good stir and put in the fridge. when its starting to harden and has that creamy texture (like room temp butter) I give it another stir so the honey that has come to bottom gets incorporated in it all. then frost your cake, make sure its not warm when doing this or you will have a melting mess, and place cake in fridge if you want it to be a ganash style frosting or leave at room temp for soft frosting. just not a warm place it will melt quick.. I hope that helps. this recipe I do with homemade ghee. I don't buy store bought because the flavor is soo good when fresh

      Reply

  50. I was grateful when I found your recipe for a sugar replacement cake I was making for a customer. Here is my experience...

    When I had everything in the mixer, it curdled & split. I let it set for a couple of minutes & the honey (raw, as indicated), gathered in a pool at the bottom of the bowl. It just seemed like it needed more butter to honey ratio. I added 1/4 cup room temp butter & slowly built up to top speed. THEN it started to look like a stable buttercream frosting! After tasting, I added 1/4tsp salt to cut the sweetness. With these changes it made a fine substitute frosting I can offer customers. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi Tanja, I'm glad you were able to get it to work. The salt is a great addition. It sounds like you skipped using cold butter though. You must use cold butter for this recipe, room temperature won't work. It should never curdle or split. My ratio for my recipe is not off, it works perfectly every time when using the ingredients I used - I've been making this for many years and have never had a problem. Did you use the butter brands that I suggest in the recipe? I only recommend cold Kerrygold butter, cold Organic Valley pasture butter or cold Vital Farms grass-fed butter. I also suggest 3 honey brands in the recipe that work perfectly in this recipe - not all honey is equal, especially if it's a thin honey. One of the brands is easy to find at Sprouts - or online here. I also love this brand, both the original and their orange blossom work great! I can find these locally at a natural foods store, but they're also available online. The recipe should take no longer than 2 minutes maximum to make - in terms of mixing/whipping. I hope you'll try it again with these tips.

      Reply

  51. Will this hold up for flowers?

    Reply

    • Do you mean for cake decorating - piping flowers? I don't have a drop flower piping tip, so I can't say for sure because I've never tested it. I have used a round tip and that works well. As long as the frosting is cold, it's pretty thick like regular frosting and holds up well.

      Reply

  52. Hi Emily!
    Would this be possible to mix it all by hand? haha, I don’t have any type of mixer or hand mixer. Also, if I were to make this for an 8x8 pan cake, would I just half the recipe?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi, sadly I don't think that would work - you won't be able to get enough "air" into it to whip it enough. It would also be really hard to whip the butter since it's cold. Hope you're able to find something that works.

      Reply

  53. Hi, I’m a bit confused about the honey, by raw... do you mean candied/crystallised? I have my own hives and extract raw honey, but it is syrupy... or do you need it a bit older raw honey that will set to a sloppy to hard texture? Not sure I can get your brands where I am. Thanks!

    Reply

    • That's so wonderful that you have your own hives! Raw - just meaning for people who don't have their own hives, to look for a true, raw honey instead of the generic kinds that are stripped of all nutritional properties. I think your fresh honey should work just fine ?

      Reply

  54. Hello! I just want to be clear, does this frosting actually taste like honey or does the honey just replace powdered sugar for sweetness? I’m looking for a frosting that will taste like honey.

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    • Hi Samantha - yes to both. It replaces powdered sugar and should taste like honey and will have more honey flavor depending on the honey you use (some are more strong in flavor, depending on the flowers).

      Reply

  55. I follow the Specific Carbohydrate Duet. I just made this to ice a lemon cake. This is by far the best frosting recipe I’ve tried. It’s so delicious and fast! Thank you for posting!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing that! I'm thrilled you enjoyed it - sounds delicious for a lemon cake! ?

      Reply

  56. No icing sugar buttercream frosting!? Yes please! I was so excited to find this recipe made with honey! I have made buttercream in the past using those processed non-sugar sugars (erythritol), but seems sketchy and I wouldn't call them 'healthy'.
    The honey gives the the perfect sweetness and you can always add a bit more butter to tone it down. Pairs really well with the Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake. Delicious!

    Reply

    • I'm so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it and that you loved it with the grain free chocolate cake! Thanks so much for sharing ❤️

      Reply

  57. How long does this frosting last in the fridge?? Thanks in advance!!

    Reply

    • Hi Julie, it will keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days. If you need to store it longer, I haven't tried freezing it before - but usually homemade frostings will keep well frozen for about 1 month. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  58. This looks amazing! How would it work with decorating a molded cake with tips and decorator bags? Or would it be too soft?

    Reply

    • Hi Susan, thank you! I have seen photos of a few people who made this and shared photos on Instagram that have used cake decorating tips. I have only used the circle tips for frosting with this and that does well, but I've never tried the more ornate ones. I have however used the smallest circle tip to decorate gingerbread cookies with this frosting. You can also add 1/4 cup arrowroot powder to the frosting to help it firm up a bit. I hope this helps! 😊

      Reply

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