Roll With It! Make Rolled Buttercream in 5 Steps

There are so many ways out there to ice a cake — rolled or poured fondant, royal icing, whipped cream, all kinds of buttercream — the list is endless. One possibility that may not yet be on your list is rolled buttercream. Our easy-peasy rolled buttercream recipe can be whipped up super quick, so keep reading and give it a try!

Easy and simple rolled buttercream recipe

Covering a cake with rolled buttercream is the same as using fondant. Use plenty of cornstarch and roll it out to a good thickness before covering your cake — and work quickly. You’ll also need to dust your icing smoothers with cornstarch before smoothing, or else they’ll stick and drag the rolled buttercream off the cake.

How to create rolled buttercream

Rolled buttercream is still buttercream, though, so it is softer and a little squishier than fondant. This means that it can take a little extra time to work with. The mixture is also softer and stickier in consistency.

Easy rolled buttercream recipe for cakes and cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 250 g (about 2 cups or 4 sticks) softened butter
  • 250 mL (1 cup) light corn syrup
  • 1 kg or 2.2 lbs. (about 4.5 cups) powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract

Tools you need:

  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • Cling film / plastic wrap
  • Airtight container
Easy recipe for rolled buttercream

Step 1:

In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter. Make sure the butter has been softened, as chilled butter will not cream well at this stage.

Recipe for homemade rolled buttercream

Step 2:

Next, pour in the light corn syrup. If you’re in the U.K. or anyplace where light corn syrup is hard to find, you can always use golden syrup — however, keep in mind that this can affect the taste of your buttercream.

Quick rolled buttercream recipe for cakes and cupcakes

Mix until incorporated well. At this stage, the mixture should look like a slightly thicker creamed butter.

How to make rolled buttercream

Step 3:

Next, can add in any extract, essence or coloring you like. We used simple vanilla paste to make ours, but depending on your cake, you can change the flavor.

Make rolled buttercream with this easy recipe

Step 4:

Sift in the powdered sugar. We like to add in the sugar in two equal halves, mixing between each addition. This is especially handy if you have a standard size mixer.

Rolled buttercream recipe for home baking

Below is what our rolled buttercream looked like with half the powdered sugar added and mixed in. It kind of resembles creamy gelato at this stage. If you scoop a little out and test it, you can feel that some elasticity is holding it together.

Simple homemade rolled buttercream recipe

Below is what ours looked like after we added the second half of the sugar. This time, instead of gelato, it looks more like ice cream or frozen yogurt. If you think your rolled buttercream is a little too soft, you can always add in another 500 grams of powdered sugar to the mixture.

Tasty rolled buttercream recipe

Step 5:

Scoop your mix out onto some cling film or plastic wrap. Wrap it up nice and tight!

Learn how to whip up rolled buttercream

Place the wrapped rolled buttercream into an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before using. It should firm up in texture, similar to a soft, chilled cookie dough.

Delicious recipe for rolled buttercream Quick and easy rolled buttercream recipe

This rolled buttercream recipe creates enough to ice approximately 2 x 6″ cakes depending on the overall depth of the cakes and even how thick you like to roll it out. Plus, as the buttercream is soft to work with it helps to cut it into equal pieces so that you can take what you need to work with easier.

Easy and simple rolled buttercream recipe Make rolled buttercream with this simple recipe

Comments
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18 Responses to “Roll With It! Make Rolled Buttercream in 5 Steps”

  1. Suzette

    I’m curious to try this on my cakes.
    My question is can I make this a week or couple of days ahead of time? How long does it last for good to use.

    Reply
  2. deb

    Measurements are off
    1 Stick of Butter = 113.4 g or 1/2 Cup
    2 Sticks of Butter = 226.8 g or 1 Cup
    4 Sticks of Butter = 453.6 g or 2 Cups

    10X Sugar
    2.2 lbs = @8 Cups of sugar

    Reply
  3. Gladys Pérez Acosta

    Que interesante, cómo si trabajas en fondant. Soy de Perú muchas bendiciones

    Reply
  4. Hilary Van Drunen

    I think your measurement conversions are wrong. 2 cups of butter is 454 grams (or one pound). The bag of sugar listed is about 8 cups.

    Reply
  5. Arieta Radaniva

    If we dont have corn syrup or golden syrup, will we still be abke to make the Rooled Buttercream?

    Reply
  6. Lizzy mac

    I should have known better. The recipe given was for basic buttercream. That amount of fat to powdered sugar ratio gives you buttercream. I wasted a bunch of ingredients. I ended up throwing half out and throwing a bunch of powdered sugar in to get the right consistency. DO NOT USE THIS RECIPE unless you feel like wasting money.

    Reply
      • Jonesee

        Yes “rolled”!!…which suggests you should be able to roll it out….maybe look things up first

        Reply
    • Vicky

      Can I ask if this was for the rolled buttercream? Can I ask what was wrong with this recipe?

      Reply
      • deb

        2.2 lbs. (about 4.5 cups) powdered sugar
        2.2 lbs (about 8 cups) 10X Powdered sugar

        Reply
      • Mercedes Arrieche Rosales

        4 sticks of butter are a pound, and each stick is 113g approx., you are giving all measures wrong. You can use the book of Yield to find each measure.

        Reply