Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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! Wanting to make this for a birthday in my family, but I don’t have any espresso powder on hand (nor does my local grocery sell it). I was wondering if instant coffee would do the trick or to just omit it completely from the recipe? Thanks!
You can just omit it, Corinne. The cake is still delicious without it. The espresso powder just enhances the chocolate flavor.
I once tried it with instant coffee and it did not have the same effect. If you don’t have the espresso powder I’d skip it. But I’d highly recommend getting it for the next time you make this recipe – it really enhances the chocolate!
It really does make a difference when you use espresso powder. Thank you for pointing that out, Annie.
Hi , the cake is delicious. Can we freeze the extra frosting for later use ?
You can freeze the buttercream frosting, Shailla. Put the frosting in a freezer safe, airtight food storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use after freezing, remove from freezer and place it in the fridge overnight to thaw. Right before you get ready to frost your cake, allow the frosting to come to room temperature and mix it well again to make it fluffy before using.
I tried it with instant coffee but crushed it into a powder before adding it and it was delicious and really enhanced the flavour.
Forgot to add that I also did the same for the actual chocolate cake and it was delicious
Do you use salted butter in your frosting or unsalted?
I use salted butter, Nicola.
Hi Robyn,
How much frosting does this make?
Hi, can i use fondant over this chocolste frosting?
Rizvi, I’ve not personally used fondant with my chocolate cake, but others have and had success. You’ll find their comments in the comments section under the cake. I hope that helps! xo
I used some regular coffee and it works really good!
Hi Robin! I’d like to alter this recipe for Kahlua frosting. Can I just swap the vanilla for Kahlua liqueur? Thanks 🙂
I’ve never made it with Kahlua, Jen, but I’ve read that you can substitute it in equal amounts. If you try it, let me know how it turned out.
Wonderful chocolate cake – used oat milk – enjoyed by all.
I love a buttery frosting but alas we are all dairy free 😢. I have been looking for a dairy free chocolate frosting and although I have tried many, I have not found one that leaves me wanting more – any suggestions?
Sandi, you might like to try my Fudge Icing Recipe. It is one you will need to pour over cake and let it harden. Here is Cilla’s comment on how she made it dairy free. “I have a dairy allergy and was able to substitute the milk with almond milk and the butter with vegan butter and I loved how it turned out.” Hope this helps!
How do you get your buttercream to look so dark? I’ve made this buttercream several times and it’s lovely, but it isn’t as dark as the one in your picture above.
It could be the difference in the brand of cocoa we are using, Sunita.
Best Chocolate Cake ever!! I make it every year for my son’s birthday. So I am making it today!!
Happy birthday to your son, Sherry. I’m so happy you and he loves this cake! xo
This will be my forever recipe. This is honestly the most delicious frosting I’ve ever tasted and so easy to make. I don’t believe I will ever go back to canned/pre-made frosting again! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thank you. So glad you love it. xo
Making this today to celebrate Easter with my chocolate lovers. Curious if anyone has made with almond , oat or coconut milk? We have a dairy allergy in our youngest, I have plant/vegan butter on hand for that substitution 🙂 thanks in advance!
People on here have said they have used coconut milk in this recipe, HWT. Hope you and your family have a happy Easter!
My new go-to frosting recipe! I made this with your chocolate cake recipe and it was AMAZING. It was rich and creamy, and the prefect amount of sweetness. I didn’t have espresso powder so I omitted that and didn’t realize the butter was supposed to be salted, but the frosting still turned out so good! Excited to see what it will taste like with espresso!
I want to pair this with your chocolate cupcake recipe, but I don’t want to have too much frosting left over. I took a spoon to the left over frosting from the cake, so I’d like to avoid that! Can I just half all of the ingredients in this recipe to make a smaller batch?
You can just half the recipe, BC, if you want. So glad you love the cake and this frosting. Thank You. xo
This frosting is so delicious!!! It was light and creamy with just enough chocolatey sweetness. Plus, it didn’t have that sugary granular taste that you get with some frosting recipes. Don’t skip the espresso because it gave it just a hint of deeper complexity which added a lot to the flavor. And, it makes a lot! I actually had to half the recipe because I had only made 1 and a half dozen cupcakes. Highly recommend, you can’t go wrong!
Thank you so much, Chantel. xo
Has anyone made high altitude adjustments that kept the cake from falling? I hate attempting to tweak on my own. The cake is so delicious, even caved in 😁
I live at about 1000 feet altitude so you will need to make adjustments if you live in a high altitude, Kathleen. There are two sites that may help you with making the adjustments you need: Colorado State University Extension and New Mexico State University. Hope this helps.
Wow! This is the best chocolate buttercream I’ve ever made/had! Thank you for the fabulous recipe!
Thank you, Mona. I’m so glad you love the frosting. xo
This is amazing five stars thank you so much
Thank you, Levi!