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 don’t have confectioners sugar. Can I use regular sugar, and if so, how much?
Confectioners sugar is the same as powdered sugar. You wouldn’t want to do a straight substitution since the consistency is way different. Here is a recipe to make powdered sugar from regular sugar: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-powdered-sugar-88812 –
No, regular sugar will not work.
On the butter do I use salted or unsalted and what can I sub the espresso powder with if I can’t find here in my store
Unsalted butter. I usually add cocoa chilly powder to enhance the flavor of chocolate.
I couldn’t find expresso powder either. I did find instant expresso granules (with instant coffee) and ground it up. It turned out great.
Hi! I’m attempting this tomorrow and wanted to know if it’s okay to leave the espresso powder out?
It would just be for a little extra flavor boost, so it’s fine to leave it out if you want
It should be fine. The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor but shouldn’t affect the consistency. I’ll be making this in two days for my son’s birthday. I was thinking of leaving it out too. My espresso powder is old.
Wow I just made this icing for my cupcakes and wow it’s so delicious. Easily the best frosting ever! My mom tried it and she said it was the best icing ever and she really doesn’t like chocolate! Thanks for the gr at recipe??
I’m so glad you and your Mom both love it! xo
Just wow!! My 10 year old Daughter is passionate about baking and decided to try the frosting (frosting only) just today to test if they were gonna be good for the cupcakes we are making tommorow. When we finished whe couldn’t stop licking the bowl until it was clean!! Thanks so much for this great frosting recipe ?
So glad I found this recipe! I didn’t have the espresso powder so substituted 1/4 cup strong fresh brewed (cold) coffee. I used then 1/4 cup cream instead of milk. I used this on brownies. The first question a guest asked was, “What is this frosting recipe?!” So light, so delicious – everything I wanted from a chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.
Made this cake at the weekend for my daughters 10th birthday, would have to agree – it IS the best chocolate cake ever! ?
I made too much frosting however, how long will they stay fresh for & could I freeze it?
My 12 year old child tried the recipe and forgot the boiling water but it was still delicious. Tasted like chocolate brownies.
We will definitely try it again with the boiling water this time. Her hee
Hi! It sounds delicious! I was wondering if the coffee taste is strong? Can you really taste the coffee flavor?
To just had this on the chocolate cupcakes last week and it’s absolutely DIVINE. You can’t taste the coffee, it just enhances the flavor of the chocolate like salt enhances the flavor of a sweet item. I add espresso powder to everything chocolate that I make. It makes the chocolate flavor even better.
I made this and it is delicious! The frosting was so light! It was almost chocolate whipped cream. Would put more chocolate in it next time though.