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
I just finished putting this on cupcakes and it is delicious! I didn’t use the espresso powder because I didn’t have any but it was still soooo good. I generously frosted 24 cupcakes and can probably frost another 12 more with what the recipe made.
Kerry, I’m so glad you loved this frosting. Whenever you have frosting left over, you can either store it in the refrigerator or in the freezer. If you refrigerate it, it’s good in the fridge for about 3 – 5 days. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container. If you want to freeze it, put 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.
Love this recipe, it reminded me of canned frosting with a touch of scratch made-absolutely a winner! I didn’t add as much PS though, maybe about 3.5 cups instead! 🙂
This was……AMAZING!!! It tasted so good. This is my first amazing frosting. Its so easy to make too. Thank you sooo much. I’m 13 and I really recommend this frosting recipe.
Yasmin, thank you. I’m impressed that you are 13 and are baking. I hope you try other recipes here you will like just as much.
Hi, I was wondering if the frosting or the cake has a coffee taste to it? I’ve heard the espresso brings out the chocolate flavor but I really don’t want it to taste like coffee. 🙂
I have never tasted a coffee flavor when I use espresso powder, Kim. It just enhances the chocolate flavor. You can always just omit the espresso powder in the recipe.
Best Chocolate Butter Cream I have made – hands down. Got so many compliments on this! Light and airy and not overly sweet – perfection! Thank you!
Thanks, I’m so glad this works so well for you. I always love to get compliments, don’t you?
this frosting was so good! but now I want to make a birthday cake for my girlfriend, who’s allergic to dairy. any good substitutes for the butter (eg margarine brands that work well) and will almond milk work?
Dylan, I’m so glad you enjoyed this frosting. I have used Country Crock Plant Butter as a substitute for butter and it works and tastes just like butter to me. I have not tried it in this frosting but I think it should work. It comes in sticks just like dairy butter. You can also use either coconut milk or almond milk in the frosting. My Best Chocolate Cake (Ever) Recipe is perfect with this frosting and does not use any butter. You can use coconut milk or almond milk in the cake recipe. I hope your girlfriend has a very happy birthday and enjoys her cake.
How much salt would you add if using unsalted butter?
You won’t need to add salt. Most bakers use unsalted butter. I just prefer to use salted.
Delicious! Thanks for a great icing recipe.
So glad you like it, Olivia!
OMG!! I just made this and can’t believe the texture and taste. My mother used to make a mocha cake from the old Seachlight cookbook, but it wasn’t even close to this. The frosting is better than any buttercream I’ve made. I’m so glad I found your site and this recipe.
Thanks, Mary. I’m thrilled you found this recipe and love it. I hope you find many more here that you enjoy!
The only taste I’ve had so far is when I licked the beater, but it was enough for me to come review and say that I love it. I have about a cup and a half left over after being as generous as I dared with two 9 in rounds doubt layer cake. I didn’t have the espresso powder but will be sure to use it next time. so good.
I’m so glad you love the frosting, Laurel. You can always store the frosting in the refrigerator or freeze it. If you refrigerate it, it’s good in the fridge for about 3 – 5 days. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container. If you want to freeze it, put 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.
How much does this make in terms of cake size? I’m making one cake with two round 13-inch layers.
This makes about 4 1/2 cups frosting, Stephen. It is plenty to frost a 3-layer 9-inch cake or 3 dozen cupcakes.