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
Hi –
I really love your chocolate recipes! I have a question though…..Which type of cocoa do you use? Dutch process cocoa or baking cocoa powder? I have Ghirardelli dutch and baking cocoa.
I use unsweetened cocoa powder, Debbie. Enjoy!
Is this frosting thick enough to decorate a cake using a bag and tip?
This is a thick frosting, Jen. Enjoy!
Hi, can I use chocolate instead of cocoa powder? If so, What kind of chocolate would I use and how much? Does no name cocoa powder work?
Hi –
You will need to use cocoa powder for this recipe. Enjoy!
Hi I would love to use your recipe!! Do you use powder sugar for your frosting and can I make it in advance and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days?
Made the chocalate cake but tweaked it a little, instead of the hot water I did hot milk and I also added chocalate chips on top of the batter. It was rich and chocolatety just how I like it, thanks so much for the recipe so easy to make and delicious, also worka well as cupcakes even better!!!!!
Hi Robyn
I made the chocolate cake and the frosting. I melted dairymilk chocolate and stirred it into the frosting to make it extra rich and also smashed up two daim bars and stirred that into the frosting. It was soooooooo good. The Daim gave it a surprise twist. Cake recipe is so good too!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, I’m excited to try it.
What kind of cocoa powder do you use? Is it cocoa processed with alkali (Dutch-process) or the more acidic”natural” cocoa powder? I know it makes a big difference in how the cake comes out and I didn’t see it noted!
And what kind of pan do you use? Dark metal? Shiny/light colored metal? Ceramic? Cook time and temp vary a lot with different baking materials but no one every mentions what they use 🙁
I appreciate your advice (and thank you for sharing your so clearly well-loved recipe!)
Hi Elizabeth,
You can use either type of cocoa powder. I use a regular cocoa powder most often. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much! xo
I made this and it was hands down the best chocolate frosting I have ever had. since it made more than I needed, I put it in the refrigerator because of the milk in it. It’s set up pretty hard so I was wondering if you could leave it on the counter? If not, how long would you recommend leaving it out or how would you recommend bringing it to room temperature?
Hi Lisa,
After taking it out of the fridge, allow it to come to room temp, then fluff it up again with your mixer before using. Thanks!
I’ve made this recipe several times before and everyone loves it.😍😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️❤️
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks!
This makes a ton of frosting, or did I do something wrong? I also used buttermilk in the frosting. Will it be ok?
This does make a good amount of frosting, Vera. I use regular milk in the frosting when I make it. I hope you enjoy it! xo