The Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe essential for birthday cakes and celebrations! It’s the best chocolate buttercream frosting I’ve ever tasted!
The Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is definitely a must in my house! Rich and delicious, this buttercream frosting is perfect for cakes, cupcakes and more.
This compliments so many delicious cakes and cupcakes, but my favorite is when it’s paired with my Best Chocolate Cake. It is literally the perfect chocolate frosting so it’s naturally so good on chocolate cupcakes or even my Vanilla Cake. But seriously, it is pretty amazing on anything it touches. Like a spoon works just fine, too!
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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.
Here’s how I make it.
Ingredients for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
You’ll need these ingredients to make this frosting.
- butter – softened. I prefer using salted butter.
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- confectioner’s sugar – also called powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla extract – this homemade version is rich and delicious, but if you can use another quality vanilla if you wish.
- espresso powder – this adds a such a richness to the frosting further enhances the amazing chocolate flavor. It’s easy to make your own and is available in many grocery stores, cooking supply stores or online. This little extra ingredient heightens the deliciousness even more!
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
To make this delicious frosting, you’ll need a large mixing bowl or a large bowl for a stand mixer.
- Add cocoa to large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through the cocoa well to remove any lumps.
- Then, add softened butter to the bowl with cocoa. Cream together the butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
- Next, alternately add sugar and milk to the cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a HIGH speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added. This is important – so please make sure to mix it just as described in these instructions. It makes the frosting into fluffy, delicious perfection!
- Then add your vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
- If your frosting appears too dry, add more milk, only one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- If it appears too wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, only one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- Frost your cake or cupcakes as desired and enjoy!
Thankfully, this chocolate buttercream comes together quickly and makes plenty to frost a three layer cake or three dozen cupcakes beautifully.
Can I Store Extra Frosting?
Yes! If you have leftover buttercream frosting once you’ve frosted your cake, you can refrigerate or freeze it.
To Refrigerate
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.
To 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.
More Favorite Frostings
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Whipped Cream – not a frosting, but still a great topping to many desserts.
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
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
You may also want to try my White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe as well.
I ❤ this frosting! I paired it with your chocolate cake (also a huge hit) for my oldest son’s birthday last year, and we were in heaven! I’m going to make it again today for a yellow cake – my baby’s smash cake. Although I’m sad I don’t get to eat a big slice with cold milk, I’m excited to see how beautiful the cake looks in our photos! Plus, I might sneak a couple tastes… Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
My daughter make cupcakes and used your delicious buttermilk chocolate icing. It’s so tasty and good. It totally “made” the cupcakes. However, she has tons of icing left over. I don’t want to throw it out. Can it be stored in the freezer and if so, how long? How about the refrigerator?
I’m so glad she enjoyed it! You can definitely store any remaining in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for several months. To use, just allow it to come to room temperature.
Hi Robyn
Thank very much for sharing your receipe
I was wondering if I need to put the frosting in the fridge or can it stay room temperature
I will need to frost the cake for tomorrow
I will be covering it with fondant
Thank u
Robyn,
Can I save some of the frosting if I don.t use it all?
Thanks for this delicious chocolate frosting recipe! I’ve made other buttercream frostings, but they usually turn out too gritty and sweet. This was reminiscent of a chocolate truffle center and was creamy and not overpoweringly sweet. I’ll be using it again for sure! I’ve made this for my husband’s birthday cake today and it turned out great! Thanks, Robyn!
This is a very very very good frosting. Thank-you!! xx
Simply devine. Be sure to remove yourself from the kitchen if the cake hasn’t cooled… you’ll find yourself eating the icing it’s so good. I had to place myself on a total ban. Couple of rookie mistakes… be sure your butter has softened to room temp. Mine was still a little hard and when I placed it with the cocoa and turned on the mixer…. oh boy did I create a cocoa snow storm! Covered myself, the bench, the floor, the kettle and the mixer with a lovely layer of chocolate! Then trying to finish up and get to bed, I didn’t allow the cake to completely cool so the icing became a little bit liquid on top. I had waited an hour but it wasn’t enough. Threw the cake in the fridge and all was solved.
I’ve just made your ‘best ever chocolate cake’ once again. This time I’ve doubled up the recipe and I’m going to stack it up high (so four cakes!) and decorate it with construction vehicles (diggers, grader etc) for my son’s third birthday. I hope my cake turns out just as well as the first time I made it as I got lots of kind compliments then 🙂
Hey Robyn!
I have made this recipe multitudes of times, both as a cake and cupcakes. Every time I make it, it has been a huge hit! Thank you for new standard recipes in my kitchen!
However, I was wondering if you have any experience baking gluten free? I wanted to make this recipe again today for a super bowl party, but the family I am making it for eats gluten free, and I was wondering if you would have any suggestions on what to use as a flour substitute?
I would greatly appreciate any advice you have! Thank you so much!
God Bless!,
Annikki
Hi Annikki,
Thank you so much for your comment! While I’ve not used it for this recipe specifically, I’ve heard great results with using Cup 4 Cup as a gluten free flour blend in this recipe from readers who have emailed me. I hope that helps!
Just wondering how many cups does this yeild