Chocolate buttercream frosting is an essential recipe. Rich, soft, creamy, and delicious, my recipe for chocolate buttercream is easy to make and simple to pipe and decorate for cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts. It is the best I’ve ever tasted and pairs perfectly with my favorite chocolate cake recipe.
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe has a rich chocolate taste and a smooth and creamy texture. Made from just six simple ingredients, this buttercream frosting comes together quickly. This recipe yields enough to frost a three-layer cake or three dozen cupcakes beautifully. It stores well if I need to make it ahead.
Ingredients to Use & Why
You’ll need these ingredients to make this frosting.
- Butter – Use softened butter for the creamiest frosting. If you use butter that has not been properly softened, the butter will not mix appropriately with the other ingredients for the frosting.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder—The chocolate flavor in this frosting comes from the cocoa powder. You can use natural or Dutch-processed. You can also use raw cacao powder if you prefer. Cacao powder is pure cacao bean powder and is less processed than either natural or Dutch-processed. You may choose to use a bit less cacao powder, as it can have a richer taste.
- Confectioner’s sugar (also called powdered sugar and icing sugar) adds sweetness to the finished frosting. Since confectioner’s sugar is a fine-grain sugar, it combines easily with the other ingredients for the creamiest texture.
- Milk—Whole milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half have a higher fat content than reduced-fat milk. This adds creaminess and stability to the frosting. Make sure that the milk used is at room temperature. Cold milk can separate and cause the frosting to have a grainy texture.
- Vanilla extract—Use pure vanilla extract rather than vanilla flavoring for the best flavor. I love to use my homemade vanilla extract (such a simple recipe!).
- Espresso powder – While optional, I highly recommend adding espresso powder to chocolate recipes. Like vanilla extract brings out the flavor in sweet recipes, espresso powder further enhances the chocolate flavor in chocolate recipes. It is easy to make your own and is available in many grocery stores, cooking supply stores, or online.
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is incredibly easy to make and takes about 10 minutes from start to finish!
- Beat the cocoa powder and butter until creamy. Whisk through the cocoa powder in a large bowl to remove any lumps. Add the softened butter and cream together until well combined and creamy.
- Add the sugar and milk. Alternately mix in the confectioner’s sugar and the milk. After each addition, mix on HIGH speed for about a minute. This is a key step and makes the frosting fluffy and delicious!
- Add vanilla extract and espresso powder. Mix in the vanilla and espresso powder until well combined.
How to Tell When Buttercream Frosting is Done
Swipe a kitchen spoon back and forth through the buttercream frosting. It is ready if it is fluffy, creamy, smooth, and holds shape. If too dry? Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If too wet? Add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting holds its form.
Thankfully, this chocolate buttercream comes together quickly and makes plenty to frost a three-layer cake or three dozen cupcakes beautifully.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Place frosting in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Once ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and allow to reach room temperature, then whisk well to fluff the frosting.
Freeze: Place frosting in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to use, place in refrigerator overnight to thaw, then remove from fridge for a short time prior to use as described previously and whisk to fluff the frosting.
Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
More Favorite Frosting Recipes
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Here’s my Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe. I can’t wait to hear how you love it.
Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (339 g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (84 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 cups (567.5 g) confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup (113.5 g) milk, whole, half and half, or heavy cream preferred
- 2 teaspoons (9 g) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) espresso powder
Instructions
- Add cocoa powder to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.
- Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
- Add confectioner's sugar to a large bowl. Whisk through to remove any lumps. Alternatively, you may sift the confectioner's sugar into the large bowl. Add the confectioner's sugar and milk to the cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of confectioner's sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn the mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
- Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
- If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Just made this cake for a friend’s Birthday cake and delivered to her house…where her husband was home from work early. We all had to have a piece…it was truly amazing…moist, delicious and beautiful. I think this chocolate cake has just become my favorite cake to make for Birthday surprises for those friends who love a deep, dark ,rich chocolate cake. Be sure and have with a glass of cold organic milk…totally awesome!!!
can i use instant coffee powder instead of expresso
Robyn, how do I make this for a groom’s cake? I would like to use heart shaped cake pans and merge the smaller cake into the bigger but I don’t know how to adjust the recipe for a larger cake pan. I’m not hung up on using heart shaped pans but I did for my son’s wedding and now my grandson is getting married and would like to make a really luscious chocolate cake for his wedding. I used a pound cake recipe for my son’s cake but it was a bit dry. I really need help. I probably need a bigger cake than this recipe. Can you please advise me?
Hi Rita! Congratulations on your grandson’s upcoming wedding. What a wonderful tradition for making the groom’s cake. I know your family will always remember that special gift. My chocolate cake recipe can easily be doubled or more to make a larger cake. Let me know if you have more questions for me!
Just wowzers! A must try!
my daughter is 6 years old and is in the brownies . she is the youngest in her group . she needed a made from scratch cake recipe and I found yours . she measured and mixed it all on her own and the cake is baking right now . I will let you know how she does !! thank you for sharing the recipe
Wow! This comment was almost 7 years ago. How did your daughter’s cake turn out? 😅
A very fluffy frosting that makes it a breeze to frost a cake. Spreads, peaks and shapes very well.
The recipe makes way too much for a regular two layer cake. You could easily reduce it and still have plenty especially if you only have 1 box of confectioners sugar. Opening the second box for the 5th cup was a waste. Sadly even after generously frosting my first “Best chocolate cake (ever)”, I had to throw out about 1/3 of the frosting before I ate it with a spoon.
Thanks for the recipe, it’s excellent.
Thanks so much, Audrey! I think I must use more frosting on my cakes as it always works out just perfectly for me 🙂 Next time, instead of tossing out any extra you might have, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Then, just let it reach back to room temperature and stir it well before using.
Left over frosting put on graham crackers Top and bottom frosting in the middle my mother always did the kids and grand kids LOVE refrigerate crackers GREAT for sweet treat…..
What a neat way to use leftover frosting, Debbie.
It’s not even 10am and I am NEEDING this right now! What an amazing, heavenly, fluffy frosting, Robyn!
Now I want cake for breakfast, this looks too good!
I wake up to this … now I want cake. Like real bad. 😉
Hi there would love to make this frosting could you tell me the conversion quantities in grams please
I’m sorry, Joan, but I have not done a conversion of this recipe in grams.
Robyn,
I love buttercream frosting and chocolate makes everything better. I’ll try this on my next cake. Probably chocolate buttercream on chocolate cake. Pinned for later.
Annamaria