Home » From Fast Food to Fine Dining: Copycat Restaurant Recipes for Every Taste! » Publix Buttercream Icing
by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated 184 Comments
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If you’ve never had buttercream icing from Publix Supermarket, you’re missing out. Publix Buttercream Icing is known to be one of the best buttercream icing recipes you can get in a store. And now you can make this famous icing at home!
Table of Contents
Why Publix Buttercream Icing is so Unique
Buttercream icing is the perfect icing to use on almost any flavor of the cake. It doesn’t matter if you like chocolate cake, white cake, yellow cake, or even a red velvet cake—this is an icing that tastes good with any of those. And when you want to make your own buttercream icing, you want to make this Publix copycat recipe.
Publix Buttercream Icing uses both vegetable shortening and butter. This gives the icing a wonderful flavor and it will hold up in a warm room without losing shape.
How to Make Publix Buttercream Icing
This recipe has several ingredients in it that aren’t always included in most buttercream icings. Powdered egg whites or meringue powder gives this recipe a nice sturdy structure that makes the icing hold its structure longer than most. Clear vanilla can keep the frosting nice and white. The imitation butter flavor puts back in the butter flavor that we all love.
Here’s what else you need:
- Butter
- Vegetable Shortening
- Almond Extract
- Confectioners Sugar
- Milk
These ingredients will go into a mixer a few ingredients at a time until you have the consistency you want in your icing. Scroll down to watch the video with all the instructions.
Notes
- Meringue powder and butter flavoring can be found where cake decorating supplies are sold.
- The recipe can be made without Meringue powder and butter flavoring, but the icing tastes better if you use the butter flavoring. And the icing will hold its shape better with the meringue powder.
- I highly recommend sifting your confectioners’ sugar before using it. Sifting eliminates those clumps that sometimes form in the confectioners’ sugar. Once you have sifted the confectioners’ sugar it blends together better than unsifted confectioners’ sugar. If you don’t have a sifter you can use a regular sieve.
- You can make the icing ahead of time before using it. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Bring it to room temp and whisk or use an electric mixer to make it soft for spreading.
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Love to make sweet treats? Take a look at more of my easy homemade desserts and restaurant cake recipes.
Are you ready to make the best ever buttercream icing? Let me know how you did in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow me on Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to my mailing list for the latest CopyKat recipes!
Publix Buttercream Icing
Don't live near a Publix? Make their icing at home.
4.93 from 65 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Publix Buttercream Icing
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 32
Calories: 276kcal
Author: Stephanie Manley
Ingredients
- 8 ounces butter
- 2 cups vegetable shortening (preferably Crisco)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter flavoring
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder
- 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar r, sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk (optional)
Instructions
Combine the butter, Crisco, and salt in a large bowl and beat on low speed for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, butter flavor, and almond extract and beat until well blended. Turn off the mixer and add the meringue powder and half of the confectioners’ sugar. Mix on the slowest speed the mixer has. Mix in the remaining sugar 1/2 cup at a time, until all the sugar is mixed in.works well.
Turn the mixer up to medium and beat until smooth and creamy. This should take about 5 minutes. If the icing seems too thick to spread, beat in up to 1 tablespoon milk to loosen it.
Video
Notes
- Meringue powder and butter flavoring can be found where cake decorating supplies are sold.
- The recipe can be made without Meringue powder and butter flavoring, but the icing tastes better if you use the butter flavoring. And the icing will hold its shape better with the meringue powder.
- I highly recommend sifting your confectioners’ sugar before using. Sifting eliminates those clumps that sometimes form in the confectioners’ sugar. Once you have sifted the confectioners’ sugar it blends together better than unsifted confectioners’ sugar. If you don’t have a sifter you can use a regular sieve.
- You can make the icing ahead of time before using. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Bring it to room temp and whisk or use an electric mixer to make it soft for spreading.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0mg
About Stephanie Manley
I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.
Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Jenifer
I was wondering if it’s possible to use cream cheese instead of Crisco
Reply
Stephanie Manley
You could, but it would not have the characteristics of this icing.
Ariana
I have yet to try the recipe itself but this looks very promising!! I’ve heard adding a little simple syrup will also help in getting that texture. Is the Butter Flavoring absolutely necessary? I have yet to find the butter extract but I have everything elseReply
Stephanie Manley
I think the butter extract does help the flavor. You can try making it without it.
Krystal
This recipe is perfect. I also worked at publix and since I’ve quit, finding the right texture icing recipe at home has been a struggle. One where I can actually decorate a cake seemed impossible. This is it! I just added a bit of simple syrup at the end. Thanks.Reply
Marni
Hello, How much simple syrup should be added at the end? Thanks!Reply
Kadeja
How much simple syrup needs to be added?
Reply
Mary
I added 3-4 teaspoons of glucose syrup (split the frosting in half to add coloring and added about 2 teaspoons of the glucose syrup to each batch as I colored and aerated the frosting). I assume it would be similar with simple syrup. Worked beautifully, mine came out creamier than Publix but it was soooo good! And NO crusting at all!!
Jeannine
As a former Publix employee, I came here because I could never remember the full recipe since it’s been 6 years, but I have to say that this is missing something. Simple syrup! Was always added at the last step prior to frosting any cakes or cupcakes, and aerated. The consistency after making this isn’t quite the same without it, but a good effort!!Reply
nia
Hi! Do you have any copycat recipes for publix cupcakes?
Reply
Stephanie Manley
I am sorry I don’t have any recipes for their cupcakes.
Reply
Kaththee1
Are you sure it was simple syrup and not Glucose-Fructose syrup? Most professional frostings are made with some Glucose-Fructose syrup to inhibit the growth of crystals, and it is very helpful to add right before aerating to knock out any crystal formation that might have occurred in storage. Most craft stores sell the Glucose-Fructose syrup but corn syrup is a good substitute for Glucose and helps inhibit crystal growth as well and make the frosting much less gritty.Also I would bet money it is made with Sweetex shortening instead Crisco because since Crisco changed their formula it just doesn’t make the same delicious frosting we remember as children. For a recipe like this Crisco is a better choice as more people can find it easily but Sweetex is what most bakeries use or a proprietary shortening that is pretty much the same thing as Sweetex. I found mine online in a 32 ounce tub but it usually sells in a 50 lb tub for about 150 dollars. I am trying to find someone who will go in on a bucket with me. I have heard that Walmart All Vegetable Shortening is almost as good as Sweetex but not quite a smooth. There is a YouTuber who made buttercream out of all three and compared them. Anyway, I am going to add both the Glucose syrup and replace the Crisco with Sweetex. I am dying to try the recipe because I love Publix buttercream. It is in a class of its own.
Reply
Christine Boswell
I plan on making the cake mix cookies I saw on the site. Do need the full recipe of the buttercream frosting. Can it be frozen?
Reply
Stephanie
I think the full recipe of this would be too much for that recipe of cookies. You can freeze buttercream for up to 3 months in the freezer. You will need to defrost it in the refrigerator, and then it come to room temperature before you use it.
Reply
Michele Powell
I love this buttercream frosting. It’s so good but I do have a question. Does it have to be refrigerated at all?Reply
Stephanie
I would keep it refrigerated if you are piping it so it will keep its shape.
Reply
Lisa Gomez
Can I use vegan butter and almond milk ? I have a dairy allergy and I miss my Publix icing
Reply
Stephanie
I don’t know how well it would work. I have not tested it.
Reply
Melody
Thank you so much for sharing this.Reply
Kristina
Hi, I made this in Germany because I was missing home. It was good, but the mouthfeel is a bit oily. Do you think it’s because I used generic vegetable shortening? Could that make a difference? I also halved the recipe.
Reply
Stephanie
i do think crisco performs a certain way.
Reply
Stephanie
Hello, Can I use Butter crisco or will I need to use the regular crisco?
thanks, StephanieReply
Stephanie
I would use regular Crisco, the butter flavored may not be so tasty if it not cooked.
Reply
Dylan
Hi Stephanie,How much strawberry extract should I add to make this recipe strawberry and should I remove any of the other extracts when doing this? I’ve made the original recipe once before and it was fantastic! It’s definitely my go to frosting now!
Thank you!
Reply
Stephanie
So I haven’t tried this before, I would start with about a teaspoon of extract and a little food coloring and see how that goes. So glad you enjoy the icing.
Reply
Nora
This was very good. Tastes very much like Publix, however, there is a slight salty after taste. I used table salt. Should I have used sea salt or Kosher?
Thank you, NoraReply
Stephanie
I don’t think it matters, I would just add a little less.
Reply
Amanda L Gunn
You have it as 2 pounds of confectioners sugar ? How many cups is that?
Reply
Lisa
Do you use margarine or real butter?
ThanksReply
Stephanie
I use real butter.
Reply
Kelani
Is the butter salted or unsalted? If your using both then how much of each?
Stephanie
Unsalted would be best, but you can make this with salted butter.
Kay waller
I am trying to find a whipped cream frosting like a local bakery uses. I called to ask about it and they would only say it’s whipped cream but it’s sturdier than regular whipped cream and it’s also used to fill the cake. I want to make a 3 layer coconut cake for Xmas and I don’t want cream cheese, 7 minute or too sweet buttercream. Brill, a commercial icing, was recommended to me but then I heard it tasted like a chemical. I’m beginning to feel like a cat chasing its tail! Do you have any suggestions for me? Thank you
Reply
Michelle
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but it sounds like the whipped cream the bakery is using is “stabilized whip cream” you can stabilize whipped cream using powdered gelatin. It’s easy to do, google will show you.
Reply
Chris
I have made this several times and it is great!! I would like to make chocolate buttercream, do you have any suggestions on making chocolate following the Publix copycat recipe?Reply
Keri
Publix adds bucket fudge to there buttercream to make chocolate buttercream
Reply
chrysis
I tried to google “bucket fudge” and I didn’t come up with anything that looks like an appropriate ingredient to add to this frosting recipe. Can you give some more info?
Stephanie
I am sure that is a commercial bakery product. I would check with a bakery supply company near you.
Angel
It’s true, used to work in the bakery and decorated cakes, for chocolate buttercream just add some fudge chocolate icing like the ones off the shelves Duncan or pillsbury or whatever brand you want. And voila chocolate buttercream! You can add a little as you go to get it to the sweetness of chocolate you like.
Reply
Renee
The recipe states 1/2 tsp Almond Extract, but Stephanie says 1 tsp., which is correct
Reply
Stephanie
1/2 teaspoon, thank you for letting me know. I will make the text match.
Reply
Tabatha
Does the butter need to be softened?
Reply
Kelani
It depends on how you want your buttercream to be. If you want it really sturdy then I suggest keeping it cold and just popping it in the mixer as is, but if you want it softer then you can let the butter soften. If you soften the butter you have to let it sit for hours (3-4) in room temperature. A sturdier buttercream is easier to use when frosting because it has a less chance of it toppling over or looking ragedy.
Reply
Jennifer
About how many cupcakes do you think this would frost?
Reply
Stephanie
Depending upon how much frosting you pile on it could be 24 to 36.
Reply
Diane Tompkins
I love your copykat recipes. Do you have one for the Publix Danish Strip? I love this cake, and would love the recipe. Thank You so much.
Reply
Stephanie
I am sorry I don’t have this recipe, it sounds delicious!
Reply
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