The Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe is essential when it comes to birthday cakes and other celebrations around my house.
It compliments so many delicious cakes and cupcakes, but my favorite is when it paired with my favorite chocolate cake recipe, chocolate cupcakes or even my white cake recipe. But seriously, it is pretty delicious on anything it touches. Like a spoon works just fine, too! Ha!
Thankfully, this chocolate buttercream frosting recipe comes together quickly and makes plenty of buttercream frosting to frost a three layer cake or three dozen cupcakes beautifully.
Here’s my Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe. I can’t wait to hear how you love it.
- 1½ cups butter (3 sticks), softened
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- Add cocoa 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 sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn 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.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
You may also want to try my White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe as well.
Sorry I only realise now im looking at the frosting.
wow…easy and delicious!! thank you, I usually cant bake.
I’m tickled you enjoyed it! Thanks!
Hi could you tell me if i should refrigerate the cake after i put the icing on? I’m suppose to give it to a friend but not until tomorrow.
Thanks
Diane
Hi Diane,
It is not necessary to refrigerate the cake if eating within a couple of days. I either put mine under a cake dome or in an airtight cake carrier. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
I made the buttercream frosting for the very first time, and I had no idea I will have almost half of it leftover. If you plan to make it for a doubled layer cake then I would suggest you make half amount.
Otherwise, the frosting taste delicious even without the espresso powder (because I did not have any).
hi,
just loved your recipe ,planning to make it for my hubby’s birthday as he s a chocolate lover.
am planning to bake two 9 inch cakes and layer it ..so just wanted to know is the quantity way too much..
Hi Sara,
I use this recipe for my Best Chocolate Cake recipe, which is also two 9 inch cake layers. I hope you enjoy this! It’s delicious! Thanks!
How long does the buttercream last and how should I keep it. I had some left overs and would like to use it soon. The cake and frosting were a hit! Thanks!
Hi! Is it alright if I use sweetened cocoa powder instead of unsweetened? Or will that make it too sweet?
Hi Keren,
I’ve not used sweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, but I think it could possibly make it too sweet. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
What can I do if I have leftovers will it freeze or not worth the bother?
It should freeze fine, Hannah. Just wrap it well so that the frosting itself is covered and then place in an airtight container. Thanks!
Hi Robyn
I plan to make your chocolate cake recipe for my son’s birthday. (Major hit last time I made!!)
I want to make blue icing….should I use this recipe & substitue cocoa powder with icing sugar (& then blue paste colouring) or should I make the vanilla frosting & add colouring?
I’m just wondering as there seems to be less quantity in the vanilla frosting & im not sure if it would be enough to fully cover the cake.
Thanks in advance!
D 🙂
Hi Denise,
You could use the Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and color it if you wish. If you want you can always make more frosting if you think you need it, but it should be plenty for the Best Chocolate Cake. I can’t say that changing this Chocolate Frosting recipe would yield the best results since you’d be omitting an important ingredient, but I’ve not done what you are asking about.
If you look at my Best White Cake, I use the Vanilla Buttercream recipe to frost that cake. That may help you decide about the amount of frosting.
I hope your son has a wonderful birthday! I’m happy you enjoy the cake and hope your frosting turns out exactly as you’ve hoped. Sounds like a fun cake!
Thanks so much! xo
Thank you so much for your quick response! It’ll not be until end July but I’ll let you know how I get on!
Regards
Denise
I’ve already made this frosting earlier this month for my husband’s birthday and alternated the layers with a simple ganache frosting. It was so good my husband wants me to bake another immediately…(this has never happened before with a dessert, he doesn’t like the same thing back to back and usually prefers something different., so I’m impressed!)
Quick question, have you ever tried using part unsweetened chocolate and part cocoa, instead of all cocoa? I have a block of guittard I’d love to use.
Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Shari!
That sounds amazing with the alternated frostings that you made for your husband’s birthday! I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed the cake!
I’ve not made this frosting by combining an unsweetened block of chocolate and cocoa like you are describing, but it sounds delicious! If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Thanks!!!