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
I made this for cupcakes today. Used Dark chocolate powder. delightful! does it need to be refrigerated??
Carole, you don’t have to refrigerate cupcakes with this frosting. I would keep under a covered dome to prevent dryness, though.
Hi! I’ve used this recipe so many times and it’s been amazing. I always omit the espresso powder because small children eat it, and I’m not sure if it will affect them. Even then it’s still delicious!
This year I have extra buttermilk (from the cake recipe) and was wondering if I can use the buttermilk in place of regular milk for the frosting as well?
Thanks for all your yummy chocolate cakes!
I haven’t used buttermilk to make this frosting, Skye, but I have seen that other people have. If you use the buttermilk, let me know how you like it.
DELICIOUS! Followed the recipe and had to add a bit more milk. The flavor is amazingly delicious and elevated my chocolate cake to OVER THE TOP YUMMY!
That’s great, Tami. So happy you love the cake!
This really is the perfect recipe. I’ve made it many times and thought I should finally leave a review and say thank you. I am not a talented baker, but I follow the recipe and instructions exactly as written and the cake always gets rave reviews as “the best chocolate cake ever”. I’m asked to make it frequently by friends and family. Thank you Robyn!
Thank you, J Mora. I love that your family and friends love this cake and request it, too.
Tested this for Christmas and WOW. The espresso powder adds flavor while the Ghirardelli Majestic added decadence. Now to make another one for my wife’s Birthday on Wednesday. Thank you for sharing.
Kyle, the espresso powder does make a difference to the chocolate flavor, doesn’t it? Hope your wife has a very happy birthday and loves her cake!
The name says it all! This was by far the absolute BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever made!
The icing was literally “the icing on the cake”! Soooo delicious!
Thanks, Shel. Love your icing reference! So glad you love this cake and frosting.
I don’t have a mixer. Will the frosting come out the same if it use whisk it with my hand?
I haven’t tried making this frosting without a mixer, Silvana, but you can make it using a wooden spoon and a whisk. Hope you enjoy!
I haven’t tried any recipes yet, however, I have printed off 5-10 recipes already. I will report back later on. Thanks for all these wonderful recipes.
I hope you enjoy those recipe, Eddie, and find many more here that you like. Thank you for taking a look at the recipes and let me know how you like the ones you try.
I respecte the recipe at the letter T. The frosting was too liquid so I added sugar as recommended and finally it was too sweet.
How to make it perfect with less sugar?
Anyway the kids loved it.
Vincent, be sure to add the milk one tablespoon at a time and after each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a HIGH speed for about a minute. This is really important to make sure the frosting is fluffy and not too wet or dry. If you reach consistency you want before you add all the milk, stop then. I have never found the frosting to be too sweet when I make it this way and you are not adding extra sugar to the recipe. Hope this helps.
What are the ingredients in grams?
Tara, I’m sorry but I don’t have that recipe converted to grams.