Can You Freeze Buttercream?

When you're baking, you can sometimes end up with too much buttercream frosting. You might be thinking, "No such thing as too much buttercream!" but you might also be wondering, "Can you freeze buttercream?" 

Buttercream keeps in the fridge for a few days, but if you want to make it last longer or don't have much fridge space, you can freeze it! So it's a convenient way to store your buttercream and reduce waste.

Buttercream is so useful to have around for last-minute birthday cakes or when you just fancy making a batch of cupcakes. It also defrosts relatively quickly, so it's almost as convenient as making it fresh or using a refrigerated buttercream.

So here's a guide to freezing your buttercream and some tips on how to bring it back to life once it defrosts.

Can You Freeze Buttercream FAQs

• How to freeze buttercream
• What's the best container to store frozen buttercream?
• How long can you keep frozen buttercream?
• How to defrost frozen buttercream?
• My defrosted buttercream has split. What do I do?
• What can I make with previously frozen buttercream?

How to freeze buttercream

The best way to freeze buttercream is to transfer it into a sealed container or sandwich bag and place it in the freezer.

So, first, you'll need to make sure you have a clean container that is big enough to contain your buttercream. However, it's best to use a container that doesn't have too much excess space.

If your container has a lot of air, there's more chance of freezer burn developing on your frozen buttercream. 

What is freezer burn?

Freezer burn is the frosty layer that forms on frozen food as water loss occurs. The process is sort of like evaporation, except it’s due to the cold temperature, rather than superheating water.

When water escapes the freezing food as it’s drawn into the air, it freezes in mid-air and forms a frosty layer. So if you reduce the amount of air in the container, there’s less chance the water from your food will be drawn out as it freezes.

When you thaw foods that have freezer burn, you'll notice that their texture has changed when they're defrosted (especially with meat). For buttercream, this water loss can encourage the frosting to split when it's remixed, as the ratio of water to protein and fat will have changed.

You can typically remedy this freezer burn effect by adding a splash of milk to your defrosted buttercream. Still, to be safe, it's best to avoid freezer burns developing in the first place by storing it correctly.

What's the best container to store frozen buttercream?

You can store your frozen buttercream in a lunchbox, covered plate/bowl or even a good quality freezer bag (like a Ziploc bag).

It's best to choose a container that the buttercream will fill to reduce the amount of excess air in the container (to avoid freezer burn). Or, if you use a bag, make sure you seal it properly and squeeze excess air out.

I would also recommend using a container that you can label so you know how old your buttercream is. This is because the quality of your buttercream will decline the longer it's stored, so it's best to keep track of its age.

How long can you keep frozen buttercream?

As long as it's stored correctly, frozen buttercream should stay in good condition for up to 3 months. 

Though it's generally considered better to use it within 2 months as over time the buttercream will deteriorate, even when frozen.

So again, using a container that you can label will help you keep track of the age of your buttercream. Labelling your frozen foods is good practice for this reason, as many foods can really deteriorate despite being frozen.

How to defrost frozen buttercream?

The best way to defrost frozen buttercream is to transfer it from the freezer to the fridge and leave it to defrost overnight. 

You shouldn't leave your frozen buttercream out on the counter to defrost, as it might get too warm and end up melting.

Once your buttercream has defrosted, it will need to be remixed to give it a good texture. So use an electric whisk to mix it for 20-30 seconds until it's light and fluffy again. 

There's a good chance that your frozen buttercream will split as it defrosts; if this is the case, I've detailed how to fix split buttercream below. 

My defrosted buttercream has split. What do I do?

If your defrosted buttercream has split, then don't panic! There are a couple of ways you can repair it.

Buttercream is an emulsion of fat and liquid, meaning the liquid molecules are suspended in a network of the fat molecules within in the butter.

Buttercream splits because of the temperature, i.e. the fat is too liquid to hold its shape. Or it splits because of the fat to liquid ration, i.e. too much or too little liquid to the fat content.  

How you repair your split buttercream depends on whether your buttercream is too warm or cold - or whether it has lost water while freezing (freezer burn).

Too cold:

If your buttercream is still almost frozen, then you need to let it come up to room temperature before mixing it. If you don't, the fat will struggle to emulsify with the frozen liquid. 

When you mix buttercream, which is too cold, you'll end up with gravelly looking buttercream which appears to have split; but really, it's probably just semi-frozen, like a buttercream slushie.

The solution is to the buttercream sit out for 20 minutes and try remixing it. 

Too warm:

If you left your buttercream sitting out for too long to defrost, it might have begun to melt, making it too wet to mix. Buttercream which is too warm will split because the fat will become too warm and therefore unstable to emulsify. 

Luckily it's pretty easy to correct a split buttercream frosting. You just need to chill it in one of the following ways:

• Chill the bowl of buttercream in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
• If you're in a hurry, you can mix the buttercream over an ice bath (by placing your mixing bowl over a bowl of water and ice cubes).

If you try these methods and your buttercream is still split and quite thick, you might need to add a splash of milk. 

Sometimes, freezing food can cause water loss. Water loss causes an uneven balance of liquid to fat in the emulsion. Though it's very unlikely there was enough water loss from freezer burn to significantly change the ratio.

What can I make with previously frozen buttercream?

• These vanilla fudge cupcakes use a vanilla flavoured buttercream for the frosting. So you'll only need to add some vanilla extract to your defrosted buttercream.
• Plain buttercream is a perfect base for the frosting on these ginger cupcakes. Just add some ginger, cinnamon and vanilla!
• You'll only need to add some food colouring to your defrosted buttercream for this pink ombre cake recipe.
• The Oreo buttercream for these oreo buttercream frosting cupcakes is surprisingly easy! Just add some crumbled Oreos and vanilla extract for deliciously chocolatey frosting.