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’ve made this frosting a few times now and was only able to get it perfect the first time. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong! The frosting turns out lighter and fluffier for some reason and has a bit of a grainy texture. The only thing I can think of is that the first time I made it, I used a random, store brand of powdered sugar. The following two times I made it, I used the C&H sugar brand. Could that have changed the texture? Texture aside, any ideas what could be making the frosting such a light brown color? Thank you!!
If the only change you have made since your first time making this frosting is the brand of sugar, I would think that would be your problem. Some powdered sugars are ground finer than others. The frosting is not a really dark color, Bhawan. Again, some cocoa powders are darker than others which can affect the color of your frosting.
Excellent and easy, the way a buttercream frosting should be!
Hi,
Is the butter salted or unsalted?
Thank you
I use salted butter, Alveena.
For the 1 cup unsweetened cocoa, is that cocoa powder? Is there a particular brand you like?
It is unsweetened cocoa powder, KC. I have used several different brands but use Hershey’s the most.
Please email receipt for cake and frosting
Juanita, here’s the link for the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (Ever) and for the Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe. Just click on the names of the recipes in blue ink. Hope you enjoy the cake!
I was thinking of adding walnuts for some texture; do you think this would work?
I haven’t added walnuts to this buttercream recipe, Donna, so I’m not sure how it would work.
I forgot to add the vanilla extract. Can I add it & mix again before icing the cake tomorrow?
You should be able to add the vanilla, mix the frosting well after adding, and then frost your cake, Charline.
Hi Robyn!
I’m making this cake for my other halfs birthday. He loves mint chocolate icecream so gna top the cake with Aero. I can bake normal cakes no bother, im the go to in the family but i have always avoided chocolate cakes in case they turned out dry and yuck. After reading the reviews on here I cannot wait to get started. Any tips on incorporating Mint? My plan was to make the cake as is, then instead of espresso in the icing i would add mint extract?
Let me know what you think 🙂
I haven’t made this as a mint frosting but I would use mint extract in place of the vanilla and still add the espresso powder, Adele. Hope this helps and he loves his birthday cake. I might do a trial of the frosting before the big day to make sure it tastes how you want.
Hi, I’m planning to make this frosting along with your chocolate cake:) Does it make a difference if the butter is unsalted?
Thank you!
You can use unsalted butter in this recipe, Aarushi. You don’t have to add salt to it. I just prefer to use salted butter in my baking.
Has anyone tried halving the recipe? Would it still work? Thanks!
Amazing and easy to make! But quick question.. once you frost the cake do you have to put it in the refrigerator, considering the frosting recipe has milk in it?
I don’t refrigerate the cake, Hanna. I just place it under a covered cake dome. Sometimes refrigerating a cake causes it to become dry.
Hello, how long can we let the cake sit out without “spoiling”?