Crème Fraîche Frosting: A Tangy, Not-Too-Sweet Alternative to Buttercream
Crème fraîche is one of my favorite ingredients. If you’ve never used this decadent, slightly sour, cultured cream, you’ve been missing out. It is often used to finish hot sauces or served on the side of a tart fruit crisp as a tangier alternative to whipped cream. But lately I’ve been using it in something a little less expected: whipped crème fraîche frosting, a light, tangy, not-too-sweet topping for all kinds of cakes.
Why you’re going to love this three-ingredient frosting recipe
Why should you ditch traditional buttercream for crème fraîche frosting? It comes down to ingredient simplicity and balance. You need just three ingredients: unsalted butter, crème fraîche and powdered sugar.
I originally added vanilla but eventually realized it distracted from the bright, tart flavor of the crème fraîche. Leaving it out lets the frosting taste cleaner and more distinct.
What is crème fraîche?
Crème fraîche, the base for this frosting recipe, is a dairy product similar to thickened cream but with a distinctly tart flavor. According to Larousse Gastronomique, crème fraîche is “cream to which a lactic bacteria starter has been added which thickens the cream and gives it a slightly sharp, but not sour flavor.” Originally, this process happened naturally when cream was left to sit at room temperature.
Today, crème fraîche is made under controlled conditions, typically from pasteurized dairy. The resulting product is similar to sour cream only with a more buttery color and distinct weight on the tongue. (Crème fraîche typically has about 10% higher butterfat content than you would find in sour cream.) In crème fraîche frosting, that richness is used to replace butter to make an opulent topping for cakes. And although I have many recipes using crème fraîche, this cake topping might be my favorite.
How to make the frosting
This frosting is easy to make but it’s important to follow the instructions exactly. The most important points to keep in mind:
- The butter must be softened but not melted.
- The crème fraîche must be warmed slightly from refrigerator temperature but not quite as warm as room temperature.
- The powdered sugar must be sifted.
Tools
You probably have all of the equipment you need to make this frosting.
You’ll want a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a pair of old-fashioned beaters. I use a Kitchenaid Artisan (pictured) for all of my recipe testing.
You’ll also need a sifter for the sugar. I just use a basic strainer with a handle. And you’ll need a good spatula for scraping the bowl.
Tips and troubleshooting
The most important thing to understand about this frosting is that the consistency varies from batch to batch. It can depend both on the temperature of the kitchen and the brand of crème fraîche…possibly even the time of year. Here’s an article on the chemistry of cream if you really want to geek out on why this happens.
If your frosting is thinner than you want, you might be tempted to make a more stiff frosting by adding extra powdered sugar. Do not do this! You will wreck the balance of flavors.
Instead, try refrigerating your frosting to see if you can get your desired consistency and if not, spoon it over your cake. It will still taste delicious.
The most important tip for making a great frosting is to warm both the butter and your crème fraîche (not quite to room temperature but warmer than refrigerator temp) before blending the two.
The butter should be softened on the counter and then beaten to creamy smoothness before you add the crème fraîche. And be sure to take crème fraîche out of the refrigerator before you start making the frosting. It should not go into the mixer ice cold. This will help ensure that the two forms of dairy are incorporated properly.
Once you’ve combined the butter and crème fraîche, blend only until smooth. Over-blending can cause the mixture to break.
Storing the cake in the refrigerator will help keep the frosting set.
How do you use crème fraîche frosting?
As far as I’m concerned, this frosting recipe is as versatile as white buttercream but much sexier. Its bright tang and silky richness make it a lighter, more sophisticated alternative to cream cheese frosting.
It’s especially good on carrot cake and pumpkin cake, where the tart flavor balances warm spices beautifully. I also love it on chocolate cake because the slight tang cuts through the richness without making the dessert overly sweet. And if you really want something vibrant, try it as an alternate frosting for my passion fruit cake.
Traditionally, I haven’t recommended it for red velvet cake. Red velvet already has a subtle tanginess and this frosting doubles down on that flavor profile in a way I personally find a little one-note. But I’ve heard from readers who absolutely love the combination, so if you’re a serious fan of tangy desserts, it may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Because this frosting is softer than traditional buttercream, it’s best for swoops, swirls and rustic frosting styles rather than intricate piping work.
If you want more of my unusual takes on desserts, check out my aphrodisiac dessert cookbook Eat Cake Naked.
Crème Fraîche Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche
- 2-2 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Remove the creme fraiche and butter from the refrigerator to soften. (If the creme fraiche is too cold, it can cause the butter mixture to break.)
- Beat the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until it is fluffy.
- Add the creme fraiche. Continue to mix until the creme fraiche is fully incorporated and the frosting looks creamy.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, with the mixture on low. Continue to add the powdered sugar slowly, until you’ve added 2 cups. If it is not at your desired thickness, continue to add more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time up to 2 1/2 cups. (The final frosting will be slightly softer than buttercream.)
- Mix on medium speed until the frosting is completely smooth.
- Spread on your favorite cake and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.
Notes
A note on the provided nutrition information
The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Nutrition
This recipe was first published in 2018 and most recently updated in 2026 with new serving tips and suggestions and greater troubleshooting details.
Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.
Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.
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Good article
recommed
We’ve changed the instructions to direct you to take the creme fraiche out of the refrigerator first, then beat the butter before adding the creme fraiche. We believe the problem is with temperature so we’ve added these steps to help ensure that neither the butter nor creme fraiche is too cold.
Confirming other comments that this immediately turned into a hard curdled lump of fat with runny water at bottom of mixing bowl. Sitting here in Paris using real creme fraiche and softened french butter. Next.
These were absolutely delicious.. Thank you!
Thank for sharing !
We would love to help you troubleshoot. The problem was most likely with temperature. If both the butter and the creme fraiche were straight out of the refrigerator, (or even if one or the other was too cold) breaking can happen. The other problem would be making the frosting in advance and then trying to re-whip before serving. This frosting is at its best served right away. We hope you try it again. It is a favorite dessert topping around here.
This was pretty disgusting, not sire what I did wrong. The creme fraiche and the butter curdled and would not become smooth. Waste of ingredients!
This is the recipe I’m looking for. Thank you!