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
Can I use a hand mixer for the frosting and the cake?
Sure Sarai! Hope you enjoy the cake! Thanks!
I just started living on my own and have never made a cake from scratch before. Tried this with the best chocolate cake yesterday and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. Thank you! This has been added to my recipe drawer ????
This makes my day, Sasha! I remember that feeling (from a long time ago – haha) of moving out on your own…baking that first cake from scratch…both are major accomplishments!
I’m so thrilled you gave it a try and enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing this with me! I hope to you find many more recipes on my site to try that you will enjoy!
Best of luck to you, Sasha! xo
Hi! I want to use this for my boyfriend’s birthday cake. Just want to clarify if you used salted or unsalted butter. A reply would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance =)
Hi Joannah,
I use salted butter. I hope you and your boyfriend enjoy the cake! It’s a delicious one and great for birthdays! Thanks!
I love your decadent choc cake receipe, but can I make this in advance and freeze? Please reply
Hi Josie,
Yes – you can freeze the cake. I let the layers completely cool, wrap each layer well in freezer safe wrap and store in airtight container. Then day you want to serve, let thaw completely prior to frosting it.
Enjoy it! Thanks!
Would this frosting be good with on strawberry cake? Thanks!
I’ve already made this frosting earlier this month for my husband’s birthday and alternated the layers with a simple ganache frosting. It was so good my husband wants me to bake another immediately…(this has never happened before with a dessert, he doesn’t like the same thing back to back and usually prefers something different., so I’m impressed!)
Quick question, have you ever tried using part unsweetened chocolate and part cocoa, instead of all cocoa? I have a block of guittard I’d love to use.
Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Shari!
That sounds amazing with the alternated frostings that you made for your husband’s birthday! I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed the cake!
I’ve not made this frosting by combining an unsweetened block of chocolate and cocoa like you are describing, but it sounds delicious! If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Thanks!!!
Hi Robyn
I plan to make your chocolate cake recipe for my son’s birthday. (Major hit last time I made!!)
I want to make blue icing….should I use this recipe & substitue cocoa powder with icing sugar (& then blue paste colouring) or should I make the vanilla frosting & add colouring?
I’m just wondering as there seems to be less quantity in the vanilla frosting & im not sure if it would be enough to fully cover the cake.
Thanks in advance!
D 🙂
Hi Denise,
You could use the Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and color it if you wish. If you want you can always make more frosting if you think you need it, but it should be plenty for the Best Chocolate Cake. I can’t say that changing this Chocolate Frosting recipe would yield the best results since you’d be omitting an important ingredient, but I’ve not done what you are asking about.
If you look at my Best White Cake, I use the Vanilla Buttercream recipe to frost that cake. That may help you decide about the amount of frosting.
I hope your son has a wonderful birthday! I’m happy you enjoy the cake and hope your frosting turns out exactly as you’ve hoped. Sounds like a fun cake!
Thanks so much! xo
Thank you so much for your quick response! It’ll not be until end July but I’ll let you know how I get on!
Regards
Denise
What can I do if I have leftovers will it freeze or not worth the bother?
It should freeze fine, Hannah. Just wrap it well so that the frosting itself is covered and then place in an airtight container. Thanks!
Hi! Is it alright if I use sweetened cocoa powder instead of unsweetened? Or will that make it too sweet?
Hi Keren,
I’ve not used sweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, but I think it could possibly make it too sweet. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
How long does the buttercream last and how should I keep it. I had some left overs and would like to use it soon. The cake and frosting were a hit! Thanks!
hi,
just loved your recipe ,planning to make it for my hubby’s birthday as he s a chocolate lover.
am planning to bake two 9 inch cakes and layer it ..so just wanted to know is the quantity way too much..
Hi Sara,
I use this recipe for my Best Chocolate Cake recipe, which is also two 9 inch cake layers. I hope you enjoy this! It’s delicious! Thanks!