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
A delicious cake. As a diabetic chocoholic, I made a sugar substitute glaze. I first tried subbing 1 1/2 c Truvia for 3 c of confectioner’s sugar, but it was too grainy. So, I cooked it and made a glaze. Delicious!
Hi,
I’m about to make this to use with your The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}, and wondering if I can substitute almond milk for the milk in this recipe too?
(I know it also has butter, but milk is the dairy that we’re trying to avoid).
Thanks heaps!
Susan, you can use almond milk in this cake and frosting. Hope you enjoy!
Fantastic chocolate frosting! My years-long search for the perfect chocolate cake ends here. This cake and frosting is mouth-watering good and also so easy to make. I’d give both recipes 10 stars if that was an option.
I’m thrilled you love both these recipes, Karen. Thanks!
Can this buttercream icing be used to make a smooth icing on the chocolate cake recipe? I would like to have it smooth to then use a chocolate ganache for dripping on top
You can use this frosting for a smooth icing on the cake. Many people have said they frost with buttercream and then use chocolate ganache. Hope you enjoy.
Should the frosting be refrigerated since it has milk in it?
You don’t need to refrigerate buttercream frosting, Casey. It will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Great recipe and easy for beginners!
This is the best cake I have ever had. I took it to our family Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. And thank you for the detail instructions on the frosting. I actually made buttercream frosting that wasn’t too runny. I think from here on out this cake recipe is the one that I will be using. I believe this recipe can be versatile by omitting the chocolate out and just make a plain white (vanilla) cake when I need that.
Lila, I’m so glad you loved the cake and frosting recipes and that my instructions helped. To make a vanilla cake from this recipe, just replace the cocoa powder with an equal amount of flour. Some people were having problems with the vanilla cake falling but I never had that problem. You may also like to try my Best Vanilla Cake.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Court, I use salted butter. Hope you enjoy!
This is the BEST chocolate cake!! I made it yesterday, in a Bundt pan and if was fabulous. Used the buttercream icing as well…everyone LOVED it and asked for seconds!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks, Kim. So glad everyone loved the cake!
My daughter and I made this for her birthday cake. We subbed cinnamon for the espresso and it was amazing!
I came back to save the link for future reference and that’s when I noticed that we have the same name (spelling and all!). Fun!
I haven’t tried this with cinnamon, Robyn. I’m so happy you and your daughter loved the cake. I think you are the first person I have seen who has the same name as me, especially spelled the same.