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
I have the Starbucks Espresso Dark Roast ground coffee. Can I use that as is for espresso powder? Or does it need to be the beans that you roast and then grind?
Jami, I think this should work. You will just need to grind the coffee until it is finer. Hope this helps.
Hello! I made the chocolat cake with this frosting. They are amazing! Thank you so much. I made a three layer cake, but there is too much left over. I maybe used even not the half of it all. Do you know if i can freeze it for a next recipe (cupcakes or once again this cake)? Now i have just put it into the fridge…
You can freeze the buttercream frosting, Sara. 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.
So i was kind of skeptical because of how much the ingredients asked for, but it turned out AMAZING!
I fluffed the butter first so that it would turn out “fluffier” in the end, and then added cocoa etc. Even my mom who doesnt like chocolate icing/frosting etc, loved it!
I have had a few folks who are not chocolate lovers say they love this frosting, too, Allie. So glad your mother loved it.
I am making this with the best chocolate cake recipe of yours for my birthday. I am thinking of cutting the 2 9-in cake halves in half so I have 4 layers to frost. Should this amount of frosting be enough to frost that plan if I don’t get over zealous with the layers? thanks!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter, Sandy.
Happy Birthday, Sandy. This recipe makes a generous amount of frosting for a 3 layer cake. You may want to make 1 1/2 recipes to make sure you have enough for your cake. If you have any frosting left over, you can always store it in the refrigerator or freeze it. If you refrigerate it, it’s good in the fridge for about 3 – 5 days. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container. If you want to freeze it, put 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.
Hi Robyn, thanks for sharing this recipe I love it…going to use it again on my birthday cake
Could I use Turkish coffee instead of expresso powder?
I use espresso powder made for baking, Tina. I don’t use coffee in the frosting.
Just made this and it it better than I even imagined…..thank you!
Yum….yum…
Thanks, Jeanmarie!
I didn’t add the espresso powder and it turned out amazing!!!! It was like fudge. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’m glad you liked it, JJ. Thanks
Instead of espresso powder, i just added a shot of espresso.. still turned out great!
Thanks, Priscilla. So glad it worked for you with the espresso.
this is hands down the ONLY recipe you’ll ever need for the BEST chocolate buttercream frosting. Heads up: it makes a TON. I always half the recipe (even for a layer cake). But otherwise it’s perfect!
Thanks, Annie. I have found this is the perfect size recipe to frost a 3 layer 9-inch cake.
Can i use espresso powder if the cake is meant for kids birthday? This is my first time baking a chocolate cake.
Also can I use your chocolate cupcake recipe to make 6 inch cake?
You can omit the espresso powder. I haven’t made a 6-inch cake using the cupcake recipe but others have said they did.
Hi. I’m excite to make this frosting. How much does it make? I want to frost a 2 layer 8-in round cake. Thank you!
This recipe makes 4 1/2 cups, Alison. It is enough to frost your cake. Hope you enjoy!
Hello,
This recipe looks amazing! Is it ok if I dont use the espresso powder? Do I need to substitute it with anything?
You can just omit the espresso powder, Joan. Hope you enjoy the cake.
Can you make the frosting a day ahead?
Lauren, you can make this frosting ahead and always store it in the refrigerator or freeze it. If you refrigerate it, it’s good in the fridge for about 3 – 5 days. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container. If you want to freeze it, put 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 ran out of cocoa powder and used hot cocoa mix to make up the difference! 😜 Still came out delicious
Just wondering can I substitute in almond milk?
Yes, Hele, you can use almond milk in this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Just made this cake and frosting . Best chocolate cake ever and best frosting!! I’ve tried lots of different recipes for cake and chocolate frosting. None comes close to this one. It’s the best. It’s also easy to make not complicated recipe.
I am making 2 cakes. Do I need to make double the frosting? Or can I frost two cakes with this recipe. I’m just wondering if I need to go buy 10 cups of confectioners sugar. I don’t have that much on hand!! Thank you!
Ana Maria, this recipe makes enough to frost a 3 layer cake or 3 dozen cupcakes.
Well I’ll be a chocoholic junkie!! YES!!! This IS the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. Kudos to you, chef. That touch of espresso powder was the secret ingredient nobody could figure out. The je-ne-se-quois element made the dessert conversations even more delightful. Merci, C’est magnifique!
Thank you, Mick.
Is it salted or unsalted butter? Thank you!
I use salted butter, Miranda.
Hi! Can I substitute almond or other non dairy milk? Thanks so much!
You can use almond milk or other non-dairy milk, Gabrielle. Hope you enjoy!