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
This is an amazing recipe. I halved the recipe used unsalted butter, but added a pinch of salt. Thank you!
Thanks, Shija!
So delicious. Didn’t have espresso powder, but did have Watkins Cafe Extract…i.e. coffee extract. My bf hates coffee, but loved this, adding, “What’s that flavor? Did you use expensive chocolate? ” Yes, of course! The frosting I’ve made for years, & always,to me anyway, tastes like the homemade truffles I make for xmad,er xmas. Thanks for the cake recipe . Making it again next week for my d-in-law & my bds. She’s going to love it. She’s a choco-holic. The daughters are going to decorate. They’re my granddaughters now. I’m meeting them for the first time next week. I told their Mom I was doing a bonding project with them. She said as long as it’s art, it will be great! Yeah, ok, I guess we can call it art. They are 4 & 6. It will be FUN! Thanks!
Cynthia, that should be so much fun with your new granddaughters. I always loved baking with my grandmother.
Absolutely the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever tasted. Mouth-watering!
Thanks, Kim!
Hi. Have you used instant coffee instead of espresso powder before? I’ve done this for other recipe because that is something I keep in the freezer. I was wonder how different they would be. Maybe I would need to grind the instant coffee more?
I haven’t used instant coffee in this recipe, Jen, but others have commented that they have. I would grind the instant coffee until it has a more powder texture.
I know buttercream frostings are pretty basic, but seriously guys? This one is the BEST!!! I’ve made buttercream and chocolate buttercream frosting many times and I always look at a recipe…just to be sure my measurements are on point….but I google a new recipe each time. I will be saving this recipe and using it forever more! I’m eating the cold leftovers with a spoon. 😂 It’s rich but not too rich, not too sweet, so creamy! Yum!!!
Thanks so much, Katy!
I had already baked a cake when i found your frosting recipe and so glad I did. Its easy to make and so easy to spread and works excellent with the piping bag , not to mention delicious too. Next time will try with the chocolate cake.
I followed the recipe and I had a load of buttercream frosting left over. Not sure if im meant to slather the frosting on in between the cakes and all over but it got too decadent. Will halve it next time, crowd pleaser at my house.
Lonise, I always frost between the layers. If you have leftover frosting, you can always freeze it. 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. Right before you get ready to frost your cake, allow the frosting to come to room temperature and mix it well again to make it fluffy before using.
Could I substitute part of the milk for Irish Cream?? Thinking of adding a cheeky twist to my friend’s birthday cake!
I’m sure that would be delicious, Michelle. Hope your friend has a very happy birthday!
Can I cut down on the sugar?
Simply amazing! I just made this cake for 4 times (I use coconut oil in the dough and in the frosting I use only 50% of the confectioner sugar) and everybody loves it! So chocolate-ly and moist and delicious!!!