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
Simply amazing! I needed a frosting for cupcakes I was making for a fundraiser. I shared my extra cupcakes with my neighbor … we both agreed that this was the best chocolate buttercream frosting we have ever had! I hate to admit but I easily could of just had the frosting and bypassed the cupcakes. I had followed the directions exactly. This is a recipe that I will share! Simply love it!
I made this recipe last year and it was the best frosting I have ever made!!! I make it vegan for my bf using earth balance butter and soy milk. For his birthday, I asked him what cake he wanted and I was excited when he wanted the same frosting from last year. It is super easy and REALLY tasty!!! I just wanted to say Thanks!!!!
I’m so glad you love it, Kate!
Hey
Will it taste bad if I don’t use the expresso powder?
Thanks
It should still taste good but I notice that when baking with chocolate things like coffee and expresso really bring out the flavor of chocolate
I made this but my frosting turned out tasting sandy. How can i improve this?
Hi San. It sounds like your butter and sugar didn’t cream together like it should have. You’ll want to make sure that your butter is softened to the best cream together with the sugar. That step is essential for a nice buttercream frosting. I hope that helps!
Hmmm… i will take note of that point and try to make this again! Thank you! 🙂
Just thinking… did you use powder sugar or granulated sugar? Make for sure you sift or have the powder sugar smooth prior to blending it with butter. I had it do that once many years ago but I used granulated sugar, never with powder sugar.
This is hands down THE BEST chocolate frosting ever!!! I’ve been trying to find the perfect Choc frosting and this is it!! The espresso powder really makes this frosting amazing!! Its so good you can really just eat it out of the bowl by itself!!!
I have made this frosting with your chocolate cake before and it was delicious!! A huge hit at our party! This year I am looking to use the chocolate cake recipe but my son is requesting mint chocolate frosting with this chocolate frosting as a filling. Do you think I could make this chocolate frosting ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a day or two before assembling the cake? I typically bake the cakes ahead and freeze them but wait to make the frosting until the day of assembly. Just wondering if this one would be OK to make ahead.
Hi Jenn,
I’m so glad you love this chocolate buttercream frosting, too! My son loves mint chocolate and it sounds like your son has a great idea for his cake! You can absolutely make this frosting ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. I would recommend placing in a sealable zip top bag and removing as much air as possible from the frosting. Then, allow to reach room temperature and stir to combine well before frosting your cake. xo
My icing was very runny until I added a lot of extra powder sugar. I only used 1/4 cup of milk instead of the 1/2 because it looked so runny. I used country crock light butter out of a tub. I can’tfigure out why it was so runny. I prefer not to use a lot of sugar because it gets too sweet.
Hi Jamie,
I think the problem was in using the Country Crock spread. By using a light butter substitute spread, the fat content is greatly reduced. While I’ve not made this frosting with a butter substitute, I believe you’d need to “doctor” the frosting by adding in meringue powder to help stiffen it instead of having to add so much more powdered sugar.
I agree when making it with alternatives which so many people do, it does not turn out the same. I would never use Country Crock as it would also affect the taste
Hi there Robyn,
Is this chocolate cake recipe able to be divided into smaller layers and then frosted and covered in fondant? Or is it too moist and soft for that?
Hi Jessica,
I do not use fondant (my family dislikes it), so I can’t really answer from personal experience. There have been others that have left comments about using fondant that might be helpful to you. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
It was likely runny because you did not use pure butter, what you used has water in it. There is really no substitution when making buttercream frosting, have to use real butter
You icing was runny bc you used country crock spread. Use stick butter!
It was deffinatley the country crock. I made the same mistake once a couple years ago when I was in a moment of weakness, laziness, and I needed more frosting, you have to use real butter.
You have to use real butter not margarine
I to made the chocolate butter cream frosting…I piped it on my cooled cupcakes and the watched it run off…it took a whole bag of powder sugar..very sweet but my husband loved it
Should I use salted or unsalted butter? Thank you!
salted always go for salted if in doubt
Where do you find espresso powder?
Go to medagliadoro.com and use their “find store” link to locate a place near you that sells it. In San Diego, it shows that Ralph’s (Kroger owns them) and Target are the most common places to buy it. I have also seen it at Smart & Final (CA, AZ & NV only), but they’re not listed on the website (meaning that you might find it at other non-listed places as well).
I found it at King Arthur flour on line, it’s about $7.95 for 3 ozs
I found it in the coffee aisle of the grocery store.
You can find it at the grocery store, you just have to read the label very closely. A higher end grocery store will have more of a selection. It is regular coffee beans ground very very fine, so you may be able to do yourself as well. If all else fails, or it’s just plain easier, buy some from starbucks or any coffee shop. Buy just a bit more than you need and take it home in a cup.
I had to search the Italian international aisle to find it.
Espresso Powder depends on where you live. In Canada – we found it at Zehrs, and a specialty shop. In New York, we found it at Wegmans. Another option is through Amazon. We found both – Nescafe Espresso and Medaglia D’Oro. The Medaglia D’Oro is what my in laws used and drank when they came over from Italy. This is the one that I used because it brought back wonderful memories of his Mom. Good Luck
Starbucks sells the VIA expresso powder. It’s very good, and you just buy what you need.
If you can’t find expresso powder, offered in some markets, use strong instant coffee granules. Worked for me! The whole cake came out just as described…AWESOME! Bringing up to Vermont from MA….in a snowstorm LOL
Any Italian specialty store will have it near the coffee.
Great tip, Heidi! Thank so much for sharing! xo
Can you use heavy cream instead of regular milk?