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
Possible a silly question but, salted or unsalted butter. I was assuming unsalted but wanted to be sure bc I will need a lot of the icing as I’m making my first 2 tiered cake ? Some recipes I’ve seen call for salted, some unsalted. Thanks!!
Hi Michelle,
I hope you enjoy the frosting – it’s delicious! I use salted butter. Thanks!
This is now our family’s favorite dessert!! Wow! I even made it for our Company’s Auction for raising money for a special committee!! It was a bidding war!!!! 🙂
Hi Dawn! That’s so wonderful!
Thanks so much! I’m thrilled it did well for your auction and that your family enjoys it!
I literally typed in ‘The world’s best chocolate cake’ in Google and this was the first pop up. I’ve made it twice already because it is just fantastic!!! Really did not disappoint. 🙂
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it! It’s such a special cake to my family too! Thanks so much for letting me know you liked it!
I will try this recipe I can’t resist chocolate cake
Enjoy the cake! Thanks!
Hi could anyone tell me how much a cup is in grams or 0ounces, and also would I use self raising or plain flour.
I’m in the uk that’s why I’m unsure on these things thank you
Hi Gemma!
I’ve shared my Conversion Chart here for you. I hope enjoy the frosting! Thanks so much! xo
Just made this cake and frosting for a church auction. I substituted a few of the items, like I used ground coffee for the espresso, coconut sugar for cane sugar and added coconut oil in with the butter. The cake and frosting was delish. Thanks so much for the recipe.
So glad you liked it Ruth! Thanks so much!
hi robyn,
1) do you have any brand recommendations for the cocoa powder? have you tried using dutch processed cocoa?
2) i used this for the perfect chocolate recipe, but found the icing grainy. not sure if it was because of the cocoa powder. is ganache icing ok too?
thanks and hoping to hear from you!
Hi Pia,
Any unsweetened cocoa powder is fine – Hershey’s, Ghiradelli, Nestle as well as many other brands of unsweetened cocoa powder work well.
If your frosting was grainy, the butter, cocoa powder and sugar may not have gotten fluffy enough when you creamed those together.
Thanks so much! xo
Our daughter has a peanut allergy so we are make a lot of cupcakes for various birthday parties or get togethers. This is our go to recipe. It always gets rave reviews. Thanks so much.
Oh I’m so glad you enjoy it, Pam! Thanks so much for letting me know you like it! xo
I just want to say that this is the best recipe for anything I have ever found online. I get asked to make all the family birthday cakes because of this frosting. Just absolutely perfect.
So glad you liked it, Nora! Thanks so much! xo
I made this frosting along with the chocolate cake, while the cake and frosting came out great in texture, all I could taste was the espresso powder. It was just overwhelming for me. I will try this again without the coffee.
Hi Payal
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the taste of the frosting. You can definitely omit the espresso powder next time.
Thanks!
I am so excited to try this recipe for myhusband’s birthday! 3 quick questions:
1) salted or unsalted butter?
2) any milk? or does it need to be whole milk?
3) where do I get espresso powder?
Thank you so much!
~ Katie
Katie, I usually use unsalted butter, the one time I used salted (had my reservations) it was way too salty a taste for me. Just add a pinch or salt to taste.
You can use a tablespoon or two of strong coffee made in your coffee maker. I would use whole milk (any kind you prefer)
Thanks Reni!
I’ve always used salted but you can certainly used unsalted if your tastes prefer. Thanks so much for your tips! xo