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
Love your chocolate cake recipe it is the best but i was wondering for the frosting can i add cream cheese?
I haven’t added cream cheese to this buttercream frosting, Kim, but others have. Hope you enjoy!
This cake is soooo good! And the frosting is 10/10! Should this cake be refrigerated? How long can it stay in room temperature? I’d appreciate any feedback, I’m new to baking! Thank you!
Aryanna, this cake does not need to be refrigerated. Store the cake at room temperature on the counter. I like to store under a cake dome to keep the cake fresh. It should last about 3 to 4 days.
This is a good recipe. I made it as described minus the espresso powder since I was giving it to my little kids… It turned out with a great texture and flavor and piped well. I tasted it on the cupcakes the next day and it still had a good consistency, slightly set on the surface but not crusty.
Thank you, Sarah!
Hey, this looks so yummy! I am going to try baking it tomorrow, I was just wondering does the recipe use unsalted or salted butter?
Anna, I use salted butter in this recipe. Hope you enjoy it.
Robyn, I don’t have espresso powder but I can make a cup of espresso in my Nespresso machine. Do you think it would be ok to use a tablespoon or two instead of a tablespoon or two of milk?
Lily, you can just omit the espresso powder.
Hi! I’m making the chocolate cake right now with half the mixture and 2x 8 inch pans (fingers crossed it works out!). Since I made 1/2 the chocolate cake, would 1/2 the buttercream be the right amount too? Thanks!
Anna, the chocolate buttercream frosting makes enough to frost a 3 layer 9-inch cake so you may have enough frosting for those 8-inch cakes if you make half the recipe.
Easy and so chocolaty good!!
I made this cake today and absolutely love it. It was super easy and I baked it in a roasting pan. Buttered and floured then lined the base. It cooked in 30 minutes, left to cool in the tin and when just warm popped it in the fridge to finish cooling while I made the buttercream. I did half the amount of buttercream which was perfect. Will be a regular in my home now. Thank you.
Robyn, thanks for telling us how you made the cake in a roasting pan. So glad you loved the cake.
Made this cake for my boss’s farewell and it was a hit. I was concerned about the thin batter, but it baked up rich and moist. I used vanilla almond milk, so I cut back on the vanilla to 1/2 tsp and it was fine. One layer released out of the pan fine, but the other was a mess. I should have let it cool longer in the pan. I put it on the bottom and covered it with buttercream and it was fine. Also put a layer of pomegranate fruit spread between the layers for a little contrast and it worked out well. I would make this again in a heartbeat.
I’m glad your cake was a hit! Next time, when you remove the pans from the oven, place them on a wire rack to cool for no more than 10 minutes so more air circulates underneath the pan. Once the cakes have cooled, place a wire cake rack on top of the cake pan and turn the cake upside down onto the rack. Take a second rack and place over the bottom of the cake and, similar to a sandwich, turn the racks so that the bottom of the cake layer is resting on the rack. Remove the rack from the top of the cake and let the cake cool completely. Once the cakes have cooled thoroughly, you can then frost them. I hope this helps.
I wish I could give this 10 stars! It is absolutely fabulous. Topped the chocolate cake recipe and you could not ask for anything else.
Thank you so much, Glenda!