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
Hi! I would love to try this chocolate frosting. Could it be made a day in advance, and if so what are your storing recommendations? Thanks in advance, looks delicious!
I would like to use this with your best white cake ever recipe. Does this make enough to frost the 3 layer cake? Or should I increase the amounts…?
For reference, previously I used your fluffy white butter cream recipe and doubled that to frost the 3-layer white cake per your suggestion in the white cake post… yes, I’m a fan of frosting. lol Would I need to double this recipe too to end up with a similar amount or does this yield more than the white butter cream recipe?
I just made your buttercream frosting… Wow! You’re right- it’s perfect! Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Clea!
Can it be stored at room temperature? Thx! !!!!!!!!
Made this chocky cake for my husbands birthday on the weekend. It was absolutely delicious!!! Have already had to pass the recipe on. The buttercream icing was to die for. This is my new go to recipe. Thanks heaps 🙂
Forgot to rate 5 stars!!!!
Happy birthday to your husband! I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Made a good frosting. One could easily cut this recipe in half and it would still frost a double layer cake. I am pretty heavy handed with my frosting and still had a ton left over.
Hi Robyn- Glad I found your site. I will be trying your white cake recipe soon, as it looks and sounds divine! My question today is about Espresso. I bought a box of dark chocolate covered espresso beans and am looking for a tasteful way to incorporate them into my chocolate buttercream. As I don’t have espresso powder, I was thinking of grinding them and adding to the frosting which will be between the layers. Do you think that will be successful with taste/texture? Thank you.
I’ve made this twice now- awesome! 🙂 And so easy too!
I saw your recipe and i read some comments and one lady said she doesn’t want to put the expresso powder and she said do i still have to put boiling water. In the recipe it doesn’t say anything about boiling water. I want to make sure because i want to make some for a kids t-ball team.
Hi Claudia,
She was referring to the chocolate cake recipe which includes the boiling water. The frosting does not. I hope they love it!
I used the exact ingredients listed and followed the instructions step by step exactly how it says and it turned out runny even after adding an additional cup of sugar.. I don’t know what happened and why it’s not how it’s supposed to be 🙁
I think the batter is suppose to be like that. When I made this my batter was very runny and I followed the recipe exactly, I was a bit worried it wasn’t right, but when I baked it it turned out perfect.