I’ve been tinkering with the proportions in this Rosewater Buttercream recipe for years.  I first made it as part of a lemon curd filled white cake for Easter.  It was delicious but the buttercream was too sweet, a bit grainy and the rosewater flavor overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the cake. I had all but given up on making this recipe “blogworthy” but then I was helped by some divine intervention.

This year my youngest daughter had her First Communion. It is tradition at our parish that someone hosts a tea party later that week for all the girls. It’s a chance to celebrate a big milestone and to wear their fancy dresses again. I got lucky on two counts: First, I didn’t have to host! Second, I got a chance to use my collection of vintage china that I bought years ago when I discovered eBay and got carried away with the thrill of the hunt. My daughter requested rosewater flavor because it matched the flowers on my china. She’s very literal like that. I was concerned the little girls wouldn’t like that flavor so I dialed it down from what I had been doing before.

It turns out that a hint of rosewater is the exact right amount. It gives it a wonderfully delicate, perfumed aroma without it tasting like perfume. I wish my blog had smell-a-vision. All the girls, even the grown-up ones, raved about the cupcakes I made with this Rosewater Buttercream on top.

There’s not much to this recipe. I would say it’s as easy as pie, but it’s actually much easier than pie. Pie is pretty hard to get right. But with this Rosewater Buttercream you just dump everything in your mixer bowl, turn it to low to get it mixed, turn it up for a few minutes to whip it up and dissolve the sugar, and then back to low for a minute to get rid of the air bubbles. You can use it right away, refrigerate it for a couple of days or freeze it for a few months. If you refrigerate or freeze, just be sure to bring it back to room temperature and give it another quick whip before you use it.

I have used rosewater buttercream for so many bakes. It pairs particularly well with lemon, cardamom, pistachio and coconut. Try it on top of a cupcake with a candied lemon slice or on a layer caked filled with lemon curd. Make pistachio sandwich cookies. I like to add the tiniest drop of pink food dye so that the look of the buttercream tells you how it will taste, but this can be made without the color or tinted any color you like! You will get extra fanciness points from me if you add a touch of gold! You can buy edible gold leaf here or some edible gold paint at a place like Michael’s.

If you are feeling intimidated about decorating with buttercream, don’t! First off, even if you just plop a dollop on top of a cupcake, it will look and taste beautiful. If you’re looking for something next level, you can try this Zinnia Cake design for a deceptively foolproof way to get a dramatic looking cake or at this Earl Grey Lemon and Lavender Tart post for an easy rose pattern. That’s my go to for this buttercream. If you have trouble finding rosewater at the grocery, you can buy it at specialty food stores, middle eastern markets, or here.

More Buttercream Magic and Cupcake Coups From Bakers Brigade:

White Chocolate-Blueberry Buttercream

Rich Chocolate Almond Buttercream

Best Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

Mind-blowing Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Decadent Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Print Recipe

Rosewater Buttercream

A hint of rosewater is the exact right amount in this elegant buttercream. It gives it a wonderfully delicate, perfumed aroma without it tasting like perfume.

Servings

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter softened, room temperature
• 1 pound confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 cup milk, half and half or cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon rosewater I prefer Nielsen-Massey brand
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• a few drops of pink food dye I like the Americolor "dusty rose" food gel for this buttercream

Servings Ingredients 2 sticks butter softened, room temperature 1 pound confectioner's sugar 1/4 cup milk, half and half or cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon rosewater I prefer Nielsen-Massey brand 1/4 teaspoon salt a few drops of pink food dye I like the Americolor "dusty rose" food gel for this buttercream

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Set to lowest setting and mix until it is starting to combine. Slowly turn up the speed until you reach medium speed (that's 4-6 on my KitchenAid stand mixer). Beat for an additional 3-4 minutes until quite light and fluffy.
2. The buttercream can be used right away or refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Let the frosting come to come temperature and rewhip it a bit before using.

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