Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
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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
Hi – May I suggest you specify Salted Butter in the recipe/ingredients section? Just a suggestion. I am a novice baker and have always heard that unsalted butter should typically be used for baking. I’d really wanted to try my hand at your “tried and true.” I’m a little disappointed after already making the icing, to read later in the comments that you use salted. I haven’t iced or tasted the cake yet, but I’m wondering if the salted butter cuts or balances some of the sweetness slightly. Worried that mine might be too sweet. Hopefully it will be fine.
You can use salted or unsalted butter in the recipe. I just prefer salted butter.
I read this comment, which led to me tossing a little salt into my frosting….glad I did 😉
Thanks!
I use salted butter in all my baking, Dr. M., but you can use whichever you prefer.
I think about adding salt to almost every dessert. It balances sweet and brings out flavor. Not looking for salty. So add to frosting at end, top flaked salt on cookies and brownies, add a touch to fruit in fruit desserts. Professional pastry chefs use salt to balance. I would recommend adding salt or thinking about salt, but using sweet butter for baking. Not using salted butter.
Izabela, I use salted butter in all my baking but it is a matter of personal preference.
Hi! Would I be able to substitute another type of sugar for the confectioners sugar(i don’t have enough and wondering if it’s worth a trip to the store or if i could use a different ingredient from home)? Thanks!!
Maddy, I haven’t made this frosting with any other type of sugar and have always used confectioner’s sugar. I would think any sugar other than the powdered would cause the frosting to be grainy.
You can grind caster sugar in the food processor until very fine and it will become confectioner’s sugar 🙂
Help! In the UK we don’t use cups, can you translate into weights and liquid measure please. I have really tried but our cups are a different size, varied from4 oz 8oz, and 16oz. Cake ended up tasty but dry. Love the method and taste .
Victoria, our cups both dry and liquid are 8 ounces each. This cake should be really moist. Hope this helps.
Used this recipe for my friend’s birthday cake and she simply RAVED about it. The little bit I got from licking the spatula after I frosted the cake was truly wonderful. My piece of cake is still waiting on me and I can’t wait to taste it!
Hope you love your piece of cake, Brenda! I’m so happy your friend loved her birthday cake. xo
This is without a doubt chocolate frosting I’ve ever made or tasted. Excellent, easy to make recipe. My family loved it!
Thank you, Catherine!
Hi, I’m making this in Australia right now, what is the measurement for a stick of butter please ?
A stick of butter in the US is 1/2 cup or 4 ounces, Simone.
Can anyone comment if they used 3 sticks of butter or 6 sticks? The recipe says 1 and 1/2 cups of butter and next to it says 3 sticks. But 3 sticks is 3/4 cups. Can anyone let me know which one is better?
Jackie, a stick of butter equals 1/2 cup so 3 sticks would be 1 1/2 cups. I only use 3 sticks of butter in this frosting recipe. Just make sure whatever butter you use it equals 1 1/2 cups for this recipe. I hope this helps.
Hi! I plan to take a shot at your recipe to make the frosting for a six-inch barrel cake I plan to make for my birthday :). I am very excited to try it, but after reading a few comments I did have to ask some questions myself. Would I have to double the ingredients for a six-inch barrel cake if it has 5 or 6 layers? Can we use unsalted instead of salted butter? And instead of vanilla extract, can I used mixed essence or almond essence? Thank you in advance!!!
I’m sorry, Tal, but I haven’t made a 6-inch barrel cake. This recipe makes plenty to frost a three layer cake or three dozen cupcakes. I would not think this recipe would be enough to frost the 6 layers. I would double the recipe. If you have any left over, you can always refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks. Place it in an airtight container to store it. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature, then whip it until fluffy. You can also freeze the buttercream frosting. Put the frosting in a freezer safe, airtight food storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use after freezing, remove from freezer and place it in the fridge overnight to thaw, and repeat steps above after refrigeration. I use salted butter. You can use a different extract than vanilla. I hope this helps.
This was surprisingly easy to make, and so delicious! Baking this cake was a last minute decision so I didn’t have any espresso powder in hand, and cake was still so amazing! Thank you!
Left out the coffee, but still very yummy.
Hi
I have the Starbucks Via Instant medium roast Colombia micro ground coffers single serve packs, can I use it instead of espresso powder.
I am going to make two double layer cakes-a 6 inch and a 8 inch cake, how much icing would I need approximately?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Asma, I would make two batches of the frosting for those 2 cakes. The espresso powder is used for baking not making a coffee drink. I would recommend omitting the espresso powder.