Passion Fruit Buttercream

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If you haven't yet started adding fruits to your buttercreams, this is your sign! Fruity buttercreams are my ultimate jam, and this recipe for Passion Fruit Buttercream happens to be one of my favorites.

Image showing the frosting swirled onto a surface. There is passionfruit pulp drizzled over the frosting.

This Passion Fruit Buttercream recipe is for a fluffy vanilla American buttercream that has passionfruit puree and almond essence added. I love using this buttercream on cupcakes, spread over a simple vanilla cake, or sandwiched in between layers of cake.

If you love passionfruit flavoured bakes, then you have to try this recipe for Passionfruit Cookies or this recipe for Passionfruit Cupcakes.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top tips
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

To make this delicious recipe, you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.

Powdered sugar
Unsalted butter
Milk
Passionfruit pulp
Almond essence
Vanilla extract

Unsalted butter - choose unsalted butter rather than salted butter when baking, so that you can adjust the saltiness on your own if needed.

Passionfruit puree - for this recipe, I used store-bought passionfruit puree, you can do the same or use fresh passionfruit.

Almond essence - almond essence is a great addition to this buttercream, it adds a delicious flavour and smell to the frosting. If you don't have any you can decide to leave this out.

Vanilla extract - choose a quality vanilla extract for this buttercream, if you can't find any vanilla essence can also work.

See the recipe card for ingredient amounts.

Instructions

To make this easy frosting, follow the simple steps below.

STEP 1: Beat butter and icing sugar. To a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add the butter and icing sugar. Beat at medium-low speed until the mixture comes together.

STEP 2: Add milk. With the mixer's motor running at low speed slowly add the milk. Continue until it has all been added. Then increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high speed. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often.

STEP 3: Add the vanilla and almond extract. Add the vanilla extract and almond essence to the buttercream and beat until just combined.

STEP 4: Add the passion fruit pulp. Add the passion fruit puree to the buttercream and beat again until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl using a rubber spatula and mix again briefly. The buttercream is now ready for decorating your favourite bakes!

Image showing step 4, after the passionfruit has been added.

Image showing the final frosting ready to use on cakes and cupcakes.

Hint: Depending on the temperature when making this buttercream, you may want to adjust the amount of milk added. I find during summer I need less milk as the butter heats up quicker. For this reason, make sure to add the milk in stages so that you can stop when needed.

Variations

I like adding both vanilla extract and almond essence to this buttercream. You can choose to add both, add one, or if you don't have either you can leave them out.

For this recipe, I used passionfruit puree, you can do the same or choose to use fresh passion fruit. I use both interchangeably depending on the season. When it comes to drizzling passionfruit over cakes and cupcakes, I prefer using fresh passionfruit as their tartness is a great contrast to sugary bakes.

This buttercream pairs well with cakes that include flavors like fresh pineapple, lemon curd, and orange zest. So get creative on how to use this recipe.

Image showing the frosting up close, passionfruit pulp has been swirled through the frosting.

Equipment

To make this frosting, you will need an electric mixer, a stand mixer or a hand mixer. I don't recommend making this by hand as you need the mixers to help get the frosting light and fluffy.

To use this buttercream to decorate cakes, you will also need decorating equipment such as a piping bag, an offset spatula, and piping nozzles.

Storage

To store this frosting before using it to decorate cakes or cupcakes, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remove the frosting from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before whipping it in a stand mixer and then using it to decorate your baked goods.

I do not recommend freezing this buttercream.

Top tips

Follow the top tips below to ensure you make the best buttercream frosting!

The butter must be at room temperature otherwise it will not whip properly.
Use a stand mixer or hand-held mixer to ensure your butter is whipped enough.
Add the milk gradually, as you may need less or more milk depending on the temperature of your butter.
Before decorating make sure your bakes have cooled properly on a wire rack
Always use your frosting to decorate cakes or cupcakes soon after it has finished beating.

FAQ

What should I do if my butter isn't at room temperature?

Wait - having room-temperature butter is the most important step in a successful frosting. Choose to wait until the butter has reached room temperature before making this recipe, or cube the butter and heat it gently in the microwave, being careful to not melt it.

Why does my frosting look split?

This can happen when you have added too much liquid to the buttercream. To try salvage the buttercream, add two tablespoons of icing sugar to the frosting and beat again. Keep doing this until the texture looks right.

Image showing the Passion Fruit Buttercream swirled over a cake. Fresh passionfruit halves have been placed on top of the cake.

Passionfruit adds such a great flavor to bakes, and I love seeing those black seeds flecked throughout a frosting or cake! If you give this passionfruit buttercream recipe a try, please leave a comment and star review below - I love hearing from all of you! I'd love to know what type of passion fruit cake you made with this frosting!

Don't forget to follow along @with_love_kitty and sign up for my weekly newsletter to make sure you never miss a recipe!

Happy Baking

With Love,

Kitty

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