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’m looking for a chocolate cake and chocolate butter-cream recipe for my nephews construction cake in just over a week. There are a few out there with good reviews. In your The best chocolate cake ever recipe you have 2 cups of sugar, I’m from Australia and I’m just wondering what sugar your referring too – caster sugar, brown sugar. And with your Chocolate butter-cream recipe why do you use that much icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar). I have a great vanilla butter cream that uses 250 grams of butter with only 2 cups of pure icing sugar. Thanks.
This is delicious even when I made with expired baking powder! Second time around it rose fantastically. I used coconut oil instead and am going to make into cake balls. So far yummy!
I’m so glad you love the chocolate cake! xo
Thank you for this! ^_^
Love this recipe! Also, your cake stand is amazing – would love to know where you bought it! Thanks!!
Omg so tasty!! just made it for my birthday cake which i am taking to swimming tonight for all my buddies, I am sure they will all love it so much!!!!!!!! So tasty 😀 perfect recipe, loads of icing though ahahahhah
Hi there, I was just wondering if the espresso powder makes the icing taste like coffee? It is such a small amount that I do not think it would, but I really do not like espresso/coffee flavor. I like following recipes to a “T” the first time I use them…but don’t really have time to experiment. Thanks in advance!
Hi Michelle,
It really enhances the chocolate flavor and I can’t detect a coffee flavor. Of course, if you are very sensitive to it, you could omit it. Either way – I think you’ll enjoy the buttercream! xo
If I do not want to use the espresso powder will I still need to add a cup of boiling water? Thanks!
Hi Lexi,
Yes, you’ll still use the boiling water even if you omit the espresso powder. Hope you love it!
Where do you get needs water not in recipe..or am I missing something..
I can’t find a mention of boiling water in the list of ingredients or in the method but the comment about it makes it seem like it may be essential! Can you enlighten me?
Just realised comment referred to cake recipe not frosting recipe!
Have you ever used this frosting as your crumb coating under fondant?
HI Renata,
I have not personally, but others have done so and have left comments previously. If you don’t find them on this recipe, you might find their comments about their experiences with it on the classic vanilla buttercream recipe.
I was wondering, how much cups of frosting does this yield?
I found the results a tad bland (using unsalted butter). I added 1 dash salt and the flavor popped out a lot more. Not salty tasting at all either.