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
Hey robyn
Can i do 1 cup butter.
But could u tell me what. The measurements of the other ingrediants would be,Thanks
Best chocolate frosting I’ve ever made! WOWZA!
What a thought! I was wondering what it would be like with buttermilk too!. I can not for the life of me fugue out how anyone could possibly mess this recipe up somehow. It’s pretty darn full proof. When I can let the teens, do a stay to finish without a second thought, I love it!
very very good!!
I tried the chocolate cake and chocolate frosting exactly as per the recipe and it came out so good!!!
Thank you for sharing!!!
Thanks Olive! xo
I have a question! I live in Japan and I want to make this frosting (and the cake that goes with it) but we don’t have instant espresso powder in Japan. Can I use instant coffee powder instead??
Hi Jennifer,
It’s not instant espresso powder, but the espresso powder using in baking. I can find it online or in the baking section of some grocery stores or stores with baking tools and supplies.
I don’t use coffee in the cake or frosting. If you can’t find the espresso powder, you can omit it and it will still be delicious. It enhances the richness of the chocolate but doesn’t give it a coffee flavor. Thanks! Enjoy it! xo
I made this cake for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and my my my! It was a Cake worth eating! My sister wanted to know if I would make her one. I did. Her daughters wanted me to make them one. Nope, didn’t do it, gave them the recipe! I like to make my cakes in a bundt pan, just add 10 minutes to the time and stick a toothpick in to make sure it is done. I will definitely make this cake for Christmas this year. Again my my my!
Thanks Linda! xo
A generous recipe to accompany the double-layered chocolate cake. Truly tasty as well. Thanks xxx
How many cups does this make?
This frosting is absolutely amazing! Came out perfectly and had everyone scraping their plates!
Glad you enjoyed it too, Nicole! xo
Ok, don’t cringe. I’m young(12 years), and I can’t use the mixer(too powerful) so I mixed it by hand… I used a spatula thing. By hand.. it took way longer than 15 min I would say 30min-1 hr but it turned out amazing and I would make it again.. if I knew how to use the mixer. 😅 I love this recipe and I recommend it to anyone
I’m just so excited to see your sweet comment, Shea!!!
I love that you made this and enjoyed it! I hope you keep having fun cooking and baking for years and years to come! Happy to have you here! Thanks! xo
Hi! I’m making this frosting for a Christmas cake, and have a quick question; for the frosting what butter would be preferred, salted, or unsalted? I know typically unsalted is used more in baking, but I just want some clarification.
I like to use salted butter, Kaeleen. Thanks!