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
Thank you sweetie for sharing your recipes , my husband [{Mel} is a true fan 🍥🎂🍰❣️❣️❣️❣️ “keep on kookin'”…… Love the great ideas, in the south here, if ya don’t deep fry something,well it just doesn’t have THAT taste, GIGGLE-GIGGLE!!!!.. ALWAYS appreciate a decedent recipe. “””👀🌎✌️””” As ALWAYS, Michele Park
Hi! I’m thinking of attempting this for my son’s birthday cake! Can I prepare the chocolate cake and frosting ahead of time, like the day before, and leave it out at room temperature?
Sure! It will be fine made the day ahead. I just usually have mine under a cake cover. Enjoy it, Summer! Thanks!
This is the best buttercream I have ever made. I used black cocoa instead of regular unsweetened which I highly recommend. I am not an icing person but this icing is like crack I can’t stop sampling it!
hiya, how do I get the butter quantity into grams or oz please?
Hi Bem,
I have a Conversion Chart you can use. Thanks
This sounds delicious! Do you think it would hold up for piping rosettes?
I am making this for an 93 year old Charlie a sweet very gentleman not hard to please and has liver cancer so we are celebrating !!!! Hallalujah!!!
How sweet to make this for your friend Charlie! I hope he recovers soon. xo
I will be making a groom’s sheet cake for a wedding. I would like to know if this is a very sweet frosting, and I will also be piping rosette’s on the side and piping on the top so can I use it for the icing on cake and for piping? Thanks in advance for your response.
I would like to use this recipe to make one 9″ round cake and use the rest of the batter to make cupcakes. What temperature should I set the oven at if I am going to bake them at the same time?
Hi Heddy,
If you are talking about the Best Chocolate Cake, I would not bake together. Cupcakes bake at 325 for 20 minutes, the cake would bake at 350 for 30 – 35 minutes. You would not want to open the oven to take cupcakes out while cake is baking even if baked at same temperature, which they don’t. You’ll have better results baking each at its own suggested temperature and time. I hope you enjoy them both! xo
We used this on both of my kids chocolate birthday cakes last year and loved it. My daughter wants chocolate buttercream frosting on her cupcakes this year (We love your chocolate cupcake recipe!). Would you cut this recipe in half for each dozen cupcakes?
I’m so glad you enjoy it for such special times, Anne! I always make the whole recipe as I’m pretty generous with frosting. You can always refrigerate any extra if you don’t use it all. When ready to use, allow to come to room temperature out of the fridge and whip it again until smooth and fluffy. Hope this helps! xo
The cake is amazing!
The only change I would make for the frosting is use half the butter and half creme cheese.
It may keep it from getting so solid when put in the frig.
I’m trying it next time.
Judie
Hi Judie,
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy the cake!
You don’t have to refrigerate the cake – it will be ok under a cake dome on the counter for a couple of days.
If you are craving a Cream Cheese Frosting, this recipe is delicious too.
However, I’ve not substituted cream cheese in my buttercream frosting recipe.
Both frostings are delish and taste great on my Best Chocolate Cake. Enjoy – Thanks! xo