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
Hi Robyn, I made your buttercream for my chocolate cupcakes and it is wonderful. Going to use this recipe for all my chocolate butter cream needs. Thanks for making my life easier.
Thanks, Diane. I’m so happy you loved this buttercream frosting.
Is there any difference between espresso powder and espresso ground coffee?
Im just asking as here in the UK I can not find
espresso powder.
Thanks,
Karol, the espresso powder is finely ground into a powder consistency. Instant espresso coffee would be something you could use.
Robin this chocolate cake sounds great. I am going to try it. So good to hear from you sweet friend ❤.
I hope you enjoy the cake, Madge!
How many days will the butter cream last? I have some left over after I used it for my cake. It’s too much to throw away and don’t want to waste it.
Thanks so much for the recipe! It’s delicious!
Jenn, you can always store the extra frosting in the refrigerator 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.
I made this last night. I didn’t have any espresso, so I used a T of instant coffee instead. It was delicious. It made so much more than I needed so I think I’ll make some cookies and top them with the frosting.
Thanks, Reba. You can always store the extra frosting in the refrigerator 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.
Yummy! I didn’t have any espresso powder so I just replaced 2 tbs of the milk with prepared espresso. And, truthfully, I just dumped everything in together. 😄. I made this with Kerry Gold butter and good quality butter makes all the difference. I’ll make this again.
The whole room smelled like heaven when I opened the oven door, I had made it with my younger sister and so messed some things up, but it still worked out and we haven’t even tasted it yet and my sister and I both agreed that it is going to taste perfect, we made this icing of course and also messed things up but it still tasted wonderful!!!! :]
Margaret and Lily, thank you for trying my recipe. I’m so glad it turned out great for you and you both loved the cake and frosting.
Sounds yum! Does this taste like coffee at all – like a mocha buttercream? Or does the espresso just bring out the chocolate flavor?
Looking for mocha buttercream and saw this. If it does not taste like coffee, I’ll use this chocolate one for a different cake I have in mind. Thank you!
The espresso powder does not have a coffee taste in this cake. It just enhances the chocolate flavor, Cy.
This frosting recipe is wonderful!! Not too sweet, and fudgy.
Thanks, Dianna! I’m so glad you like this frosting.
HI Robyn loved the recipe!!!😜Make sure you grease your cooling rack!! frosting is delish 😋
Thanks, Carmela. So glad you enjoyed this.
This is actually the first made from scratch chocolate buttercream that I’ve done in years. I’ve made whipped chocolate frosting many times using heavy whipping cream and pudding mix and also made a ton of vanilla buttercream. So I searched for a while trying to decide which recipe I wanted to do and I am soo glad I went with this one. It is just delicious!!! I did end up adding about 5 3/4 cups of powdered sugar and used heavy whipping cream instead of milk. But still it turned out sooo good…perfect consistency for piping detailed roses if I wanted and the perfect combo of light and fluffy texture with a rich chocolate taste and smell. Yes, it even smells amazing!! Haha!
Thanks, Rikki. I’m so happy this recipe worked so well for you.