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
The frosting is great just like my mom used to make. Does the cake need to be refrigerated because of the milk in the frosting?
The cake doesn’t need to be refrigerated. I put mine on a cake stand with cover or cover a cake plate and it’s great on the counter for a few days – if it lasts that long! 😉 Thanks!
Can I make this without the espresso? It’s for my lil one’s birthday
Certainly! I hope it’s a great birthday and everyone enjoys it! Thanks!
Hi, Robyn, I used gluten free all purpose flour and the cake came out absolutely perfect. It was so delicious, I can’t imagine it possibly tasting any better. The chocolate butter cream frosting was the perfect complement. Have you ever tried substituting pure powdered stevia for the sugar in the cake or frosting?
Hi Marilyn,
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I’ve not tried with stevia so I can’t say how it would turn out. Thanks so much! xo
This was voted BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE AND FROSTING by my family. Absolutely loved this. Thank you so much for sharing.
Just made this for my daughter’s birthday party tomorrow. The batter overflowed my pans into the bottom of the oven and then completely fell after I removed them from the oven. The toothpick came out clean, but both cakes were still kind of wet on the bottom. We live in Colorado, so I am assuming it has something to do with high altitude. So frustrated! It’s snowing here and I really don’t want to go to the store for more cocoa power. ?
Any advise on what to do on my 2nd attempt?
Hi Jodi,
Yes, you’ll need to adjust the cake recipe according to your altitude. xo
Robyn,
Thank you for this wonderful cake recipe. I have made it several times and it is always a hit.Everyone loves it. It is tender and delicious, and nothing from a store comes close by comparison.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
I’m so glad you love it, Elizabeth! xo
What’s the best way to store this frosting? I really want to make it the night before, but does it keep the same consistency for spreading the next day? Thanks!
Hi Alexus,
If you need to make it the night before, you could store it in an airtight container. If it needs it, you can fluff it again with the mixer for a few seconds before spreading. Thanks!
Can I half the recipe since I only have 2 x 6 inch cake pans?
If I could possibly give this cake 6 out of 5 stars I would. This recipe is the BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER. My husband and I enjoyed this moist, delicious ,moist , flavorful, addictive, cake. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. Hands down winner.
Thanks so much! So happy you enjoyed it!!! xo
Thank you for the answer. Just wanted to add I bought some espresso powder and got new flour and the cake came out so much better! And now husband loves it! Thank you for sharing this great recipe.