Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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
Spectacular buttercream! I don’t usually do cakes or cupcakes (usually bars, cookies, brownies for markets), but had an order for a gluten free yellow cake with chocolate buttercream. The cake part was fine but I really wanted a spectacular chocolate buttercream and this definitely filled the bill. I made it just a touch softer that I might normally, but it spread and piped perfectly. Customer was super excited to have such a special GF cake for her daughter without having to deal with a commercial bakery, and RAVED about the buttercream.
I’m thrilled this frosting worked so well for you, Wendy.
Can I substitute dark cocoa powder for regular without needing to alter any other ingredients?
You can use the dark cocoa powder in this frosting, Patricia.
Salted butter right?
Korie, I use salted butter but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
Hi thanks for the recipe!. Can you please clarify what ml cup you have used here? Thanks
I used the US cup measurement which will be 236.5 ml.
This has got a great texture and taste. Where I live a lot of people don’t like it so sweet, so I replaced 1/5 of the confectioner’s sugar with an equal amount of cocoa powder, which gave it a richer chocolatey taste, the first time I made it exactly according to the recipe and I liked it but the other thought it was too sweet, they are quite picky about sweet things!
Thanks so much, Terra!
Is this a good recipe to use for piping letters on a cake?
Connie, this frosting has worked well for me for piping decorations. I haven’t used it for piping letters but think it should work.
This cake recipe has been my go-to for almost every birthday cake since my kids were little! It is hands-down the best chocolate cake recipe in the world. I use the batter for cupcakes too. I just doubled the mixture to make my daughter’s 16th birthday cake for this weekend (I freeze the cakes until I’m ready to fill and decorate) and am making your frosting recipe for the filling tonight! 🙂
Jenny, thank you. I hope your daughter has a very happy 16th birthday!
Can’t wait to try your recipe! What would be the equivalent unsweetened chocolate vs the one cup of cocoa in this recipe?
Mary, I have’t tried making this frosting with unsweetened chocolate. You would have to make other adjustments to the recipe other than just exchanging the chocolate for the cocoa powder since the chocolate also includes fat.
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday yesterday and everyone was raving about it. Your recipe was spot on! Very easy to follow, adding the hot water at the end made me a little nervous but I think that is what makes all the difference of the end result. Thank you for making me look like Rockstar!
Miriam, I hope your daughter had a happy birthday. So glad everyone loved the cake.
Once iced, does the cake have to stay refrigerated? I mixed some coconut in mine and it taste like a almond Joy, Yum!
The buttercream frosting does not need to be refrigerated, Kim. I leave mine on the counter under a covered dome. Hope you enjoy!