Last Updated on March 1, 2023
Buttercream. Sweet, fluffy, decadent goodness. It is irresistible and very simple to make but sometimes there just is no time or we do not have the ingredients at hand, so we resort to the store-bought frosting. We have tried a whole lot of different ones and we have found the very best brands. Where to find the best store-bought frosting? You can make an informed decision next time you are at the grocery store.
Without further ado, here are the best pre-made buttercream frosting brands you can find and how to get the best out of them. the best store-bought frosting
Best Store-Bought Frosting: Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle
This is one of our favorites! It does not taste like oil or plastic (yuk!). It was actually creamy and very rich. It reminded us of our own homemade buttercream – and that is a HIGH compliment!
Maybe it is because it does not use high fructose corn syrup, but we found that it does not taste just sweet. It tastes buttery!
Try this variety pack sold by Amazon. For only 15 bucks, you get to sample 4 different flavors that we are absolutely in love with classic vanilla, classic chocolate, dark chocolate fudge, and cream cheese.
Nevertheless, this YouTube channel warns about a change in Duncan Hines’ recipe that supposedly happened in 2018. Have you noticed this change? Do you like it or not? Tell us below!
Best Store-Bought Frosting: Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Frosting
The baking giant is mass-marketed everywhere and its frosting is great too, in our opinion. Of course, it is a bit overpowering in its sweetness but its texture was the best! It seemed as though it was a marshmallow spread, bouncy and fluffy.
What we also love about this brand is its variety of flavors available. There is, of course, plain white vanilla; but we also found Coconut Pecan, Lemon, Cream Cheese, Rainbow Chip (perfect for a birthday party cake!), and even Hershey’s milk chocolate!
Best Store-Bought Frosting: Pillsbury
We found that Pillsbury’s frosting had a chemical, almost plasticky aftertaste that we did not appreciate. Regarding its vanilla varieties, apparently, there is a lot of shortening in it, almost as if it was straight-up Crisco with three times the amount of sugar we would add to our homemade buttercream.
The exception was its Chocolate Fudge. It is really thick and, although we still found it to be gritty, this reminded us of real fudge. You can find some here. We love using it on top of cupcakes and adding some chopped dark chocolate on top, amazingly decadent!
How to Make Canned Frosting Taste Homemade
Does not matter which brand you buy, it is still not going to compare to homemade, but we have some amazing tips you can put to good use! They are quick and easy and nobody will notice that you did not make it yourself!
Best Store-Bought Frosting: How to Improve the Texture
Canned frosting tends to be dense and it can be hard to spread. And even if it is the right consistency, one might not be enough to cover a cake made in a large pan. To solve this, we recommend you whip store-bought frosting yourself.
Whipping it will incorporate air. This will make it light and fluffy. Why use regular frosting instead of the “whipped” kind? It is hard to make a canned product maintain air bubbles and still be shelf-stable, so whipping it yourself is a foolproof way of getting that whipped texture.
An electric or hand-held mixer is the way to go, as it will help you get the desired effect faster. Incorporating air does not only mean better texture, though. It is also a way of saving! You can get the mixture to rise at least by 50%.
Increasing the amount of total frosting will dilute the sweetness as well, so it solves two issues at once!
If you do not want to whip it but it is still too dense, you can dilute it by adding a tablespoon of milk and mixing well. This will make it softer, but be careful with overdoing it as it can turn runny. If it is too soft, you can always harden it by adding a bit of cornstarch.
How to Cut Down the Sweetness
The store-bought frosting has insane amounts of sugar in it that make it unpalatable for many people. There are a few ways in which to make it taste better.
One of them is by whipping it, increasing its volume, as we described before. Another way to increase the total amount of frosting is to add 8 ounces of cream cheese per regular can of frosting. This will dilute the sugar and add richness to the product.
You can also try adding a pinch of salt and/or a teaspoon of fruit juice. We really love adding some lemon juice to frosting ourselves, it kicks it!
Which Store-Bought Frosting is Best for Piping?
While you can pipe with most types of store-bought frosting, Duncan Hines Creamy Buttercream Frosting or Betty Crocker Vanilla Frosting are two of the best options. The store-bought frosting isn’t generally the easiest to pipe with but there are some great tips to make it easier to work with.
To make the store-bought frosting more pipable, add two cans to a bowl with half a cup of powdered sugar. With a paddle attachment on a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the frosting and powdered sugar together at low speed until combined. Then turn the speed up to medium and beat for 30 more seconds.
If the frosting is still too thin and soft, you can add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Once the frosting is thick and stiff you can add it to your piping bag and decorate your cake. Adding powdered sugar will make it much easier to work with.
How Long is Store-Bought Frosting Good For?
Unopened store-bought frosting can last at room temperature in the pantry for up to 12 to 18 months. Once opened, you can store your store-bought frosting in the fridge for three to four weeks. Be sure to keep it in the container it came in or an airtight container and throw out your frosting if it has an off-smell, taste, or appearance.
You can also freeze your store-bought frosting for three to four months. When ready to use, place your frosting in the fridge overnight and then bring it to room temperature before using it for decorating cakes and other baked goods.
Where Can You Buy Pre-Made Buttercream Frosting?
You can buy premade buttercream frosting in most grocery stores, superstores, and craft stores. You can also buy premade buttercream frosting online as well.
Some bakeries will even sell buttercream frosting in large quantities. You can even check at some grocery store bakeries to see if they sell their frosting as well.
What is Store-Bought Frosting Made Of?
Most store-bought frostings are primarily made of sugar, water, palm oil, corn syrup, and canola oil. They also often contain small amounts of other ingredients such as corn starch, salt, Mono, and diglycerides, and natural, and artificial flavors.
Typically, most store-bought frostings do not contain butter or any dairy products. Due to this, many store-bought frostings are actually vegan. The exact ingredients of store-bought frosting will vary by brand as well as the flavor of the frosting you are buying.
Can You Add Meringue Powder to Store-Bought Frosting?
You can add the meringue powder to store-bought frosting if desired. Adding meringue powder to your store-bought frosting can help make the frosting thicker while also making it more stable as well. However, you can also achieve this by adding more powdered sugar or cornstarch to your store-bought frosting.
When adding meringue powder to your frosting, start with 1/2 tablespoon to one tablespoon for every can of frosting. Use a mixer to mix the meringue powder into your frosting. If it is still not thick enough, add half a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Other Tips – Best Store Bought Frosting
Remember you can always change the color of the frosting by adding some food coloring. This will let you use it as pipable decoration on cupcakes, for example, or to create a design over a cake!
You can also alter the flavor, by adding some flavored syrup or extract. If you happen to have vanilla frosting in your pantry and want to spice it up, you can always add a bit of extra vanilla, too. Another way of doing it is by adding a packet of Jell-O!
Spoon University has some amazing short and easy recipes you can follow to improve your baking designs, using store-bought frosting but improving on it. Be sure to check it out!
There are infinite possibilities to make your store-bought frosting not only taste amazing but also look incredible. Get creative! Whatever brand you like the best, there is always room to make it even better.
If you prefer to use it straight out of the can, that is still great. My family still loves whatever I bake for them. Which store-bought frosting is your favorite? Do you agree with our recommendations? Tell us below!
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.
