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Photograph of Brown Butter Ricotta Frosting

Brown Butter Ricotta Frosting

Lighter than cream cheese frosting, Brown Butter Ricotta Frosting melts in the mouth and is bursting with the nutty and caramel flavours from brown butter and vanilla.

Keyword Brown butter, browned butter ricotta frosting, cakes, cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

  • See 'Recipe Notes' for specific quantities
  • brown butter
  • fine salt
  • icing sugar
  • ricotta cheese
  • vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Put the brown butter into the bowl of your electric whisk. Cut into small pieces if it is cold from the fridge.

  3. Beat until light and fluffy – this can take up to 5 minutes

  4. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and add the salt.

  5. Gradually add the icing sugar and fold it in with a spoon before whisking – this will help to stop the icing sugar clouding up and making a mess of your kitchen!

  6. Whisk well in between each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl again.

  7. Add the vanilla extract and fold in with a spoon.

  8. Add the ricotta cheese and beat again until thoroughly mixed in and light and fluffy.

  9. Taste and add more vanilla, if necessary

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • Kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • electric whisk and mixing bowl

See below for recommended quantities by cake size – 

We like quite a lot of icing, but not everyone does, so I have allowed some flexibility in how much you should use. If you want to scales it up or down the ratio is:

For every 65g of icing sugar add 25g brown butter made from around 30g unsalted butter and 25g ricotta cheese and 1/16 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 3 – 4 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top, inside and sides

  • 175g unsalted brown butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ plus ⅛ plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt 
  • 175g ricotta cheese 
  • 455g icing sugar 
  • 1¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 3 – 4 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top and inside only or topping 15- 16 cupcakes

  • 150g unsalted brown butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 
  • 150g ricotta cheese 
  • 390g icing sugar 
  • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 2 – 3 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top, inside and sides

  • 125g unsalted brown butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt 
  • 125g ricotta cheese 
  • 325g icing sugar 
  • 1 and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 2 – 3 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top and inside only

  • 100g unsalted brown butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt 
  • 100g ricotta cheese 
  • 250g icing sugar 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 2  layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top, inside and sides or topping 7-8 cupcakes

  • 75g unsalted brown butter, at room temperature
  • ⅛ plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt 
  • 75g ricotta cheese
  • 195g icing sugar 
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 1  layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top or top and sides

  • 50g unsalted brown butter, at room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 
  • 50g ricotta cheese
  • 130g icing sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract