This creamy chocolate buttercream frosting has the perfect balance of sweetness and rich chocolate flavor. Made with only five ingredients, this whipped chocolate frosting spreads and pipes smoothly for a beautiful finish on cakes or cupcakes!
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[November, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- A whipped chocolate frosting that's easy to make with only five ingredients
- Spreads and pipes smoothly onto cakes and cupcakes
- Can be used as a filling for truffles
When you want frosting for chocolate cake or cupcakes, make this easy chocolate frosting (aka chocolate icing) instead of heading to the store. You only need five ingredients and a few minutes for the best chocolate buttercream icing that's silky smooth and richly flavored!
This easy chocolate frosting is very chocolately without being overly sweet. The mouthfeel is rich and clean, not oily or artificial tasting as some commercially-made buttercreams can be.
As a chocolate cake frosting recipe, it spreads and pipes smoothly for a beautiful finish on cakes or cupcakes.
So step away from that store bought tub of plastic-tasting frosting - you can make the best chocolate buttercream in minutes. And you'll get to lick the bowl and beaters as a reward!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What a fun guest post! Your daughter seems to really know what she's doing, this frosting came out delicious! And she was right, it didn't last too long in the fridge.....
- Austin
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this chocolate buttercream recipe:
Ingredient Notes
This chocolate frosting recipe has a 4 : 3 recipe ratio of 4 parts powdered sugar to 3 parts butter (by weight). For thicker frostings, you will want a higher ratio of sugar to butter; for thinner, keep them more equal.
Butter: Having the butter at a warm room temperature allows it to quickly beat up smooth and fluffy. The cooler the butter is, the longer you'll need to beat it to smooth out any lumps. If the butter is very soft, it isn't necessary to cut it first.
Powdered Sugar: Sifting the powdered sugar helps it incorporate into the creamed butter easier.
Chocolate: Melted dark chocolate provides the rich chocolate flavor in this chocolate buttercream recipe.
Vanilla: Using vanilla extract is optional, and is used to support the chocolate flavor.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make chocolate frosting
Step 1: Prepare the chocolate and powdered sugar
Melt the chocolate in the microwave on HIGH in 45 second increments or in a double boiler over 1-inch of simmering water. Set aside. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps, if needed.
Step 2: Cream the butter
Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on Medium speed for about 30 seconds or until it's smooth and creamy (photo 1).
Step 3: Beat in powdered sugar
Slowly begin adding powdered sugar in stages, mixing on Low speed (to maintain some appearance of cleanliness in your kitchen). Once the first addition is fully incorporated, add the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as need to keep everything well combined (photo 2).
The mixture will become lighter in color and thicker as you add more powdered sugar.
When all your powdered sugar has been added, beat the frosting on Medium speed for 30 seconds, then mix in the vanilla, if using (photo 3).
Step 4: Adjust the frosting's consistency
Adjust the frosting's thickness by adding in the milk (or milk alternative) in 1 teaspoon increments until it's as thick or thin as you prefer (photo 4).
Beat the frosting on Medium-High speed to make it fluffier, about 1 to 2 minutes (photo 5). Now you have a silky smooth vanilla buttercream frosting.
Step 5: Add melted chocolate
Now is the time to transform your vanilla buttercream to chocolate buttercream. Slowly pour the melted dark chocolate into the buttercream and mix on Medium speed (photo 6).
Once the chocolate is fully mixed in, beat on High speed for another 30 seconds or so for some extra aeration.
Hooray! You now have fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting! Fill, crumb coat, and frost or pipe as you like (photo 7).
Storage instructions
Store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to use it, let it come to room temperature on the counter for several hours before using (you can stick it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to help soften it if you’re short on time). It’s best to whip it on high speed in your mixer for 30 seconds for a better consistency before using.
Yield Notes
The recipe should make about 6 cups of buttercream, enough to frost and fill a 2-layer 8- to 9-inch round cake or a 3- 4-layer 6-inch round cake.
Tips for buttercream success from an expert cake decorator
My younger daughter is an expert cake decorator (full disclosure: this is her fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting recipe!). She's made award-winning cake designs since middle school. For my older daughter's wedding, she made the wedding cake, a groom's TARDIS cake, and a surprise anniversary cake for my husband and me!
Here are some of her tips for making this chocolate icing recipe:
- For the chocolate, either chocolate wafers, chocolate chips or solid chocolate bars work well since it's going to be melted. Also, the darker the chocolate (at least 60 to 72% cocoa), the better! Darker chocolate will provide a deeper, richer flavor to chocolate buttercream. Even for those who don’t like super dark chocolate, I’d still use dark chocolate if you have it because there is so much sugar in the frosting, it will still be very sweet.
- When making any type of buttercream recipe, softened butter works best. You can use colder butter if you must, but it will take much longer to get the nice smooth consistency you want and you may end up with flecks of unmixed butter in your frosting.
- Using sifted powdered sugar is better for incorporating it into the creamed butter, but to be honest I never sift mine and it works just fine.
- Normally I put vanilla in everything (usually about 3 or 4 times the recommended amount because I love vanilla extract). However, lately I haven’t been using vanilla in my buttercream and I’m finding it comes out just as good, if not better, so the choice is yours whether to use it or not.
- This buttercream recipe is a basic outline for a whipped chocolate frosting. You can experiment as you see fit to make more or less frosting or to change the flavor or consistency to your taste. The amounts here are the best approximations for what I generally use.
Other uses for homemade chocolate icing
You can also use this chocolate frosting recipe make Dark Chocolate Truffles. Just keep the frosting very thick and roll into 1-inch balls with a small cookie scoop. Freeze the balls for 15 minutes, then dip in tempered chocolate. Allow to dry on a Silpat silicone mat or wax paper before serving. Yum!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
American buttercream frosting is the easiest type of buttercream to make. It's just butter that's been whipped until it's light and creamy, then sweetened with powdered sugar. Flavor with vanilla extract and you get vanilla buttercream frosting recipe. Adding melted chocolate gives you this chocolate buttercream frosting, which is a dream unto itself.
Going one step further, you can make an Italian buttercream frosting which is an Italian meringue (egg whites whipped with sugar syrup) with butter beaten in. Italian meringue frosting tends to be less sweet than American buttercream since the sweetened meringue is doing the work of the powdered sugar in an American buttercream recipe. It's a little more effort, but it tastes very nice and works well in Italian meringue macarons.
There's also a Swiss meringue buttercream, but we're getting a bit far afield. For now lets go the easy route and stick with the basics for now.
Unless you're using it right after making it, you'll need to store the buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to use it, let the frosting come to room temperature on the counter for several hours before using (you can stick it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to help soften it if you’re short on time). It’s best to whip it on high speed in your mixer for 30 seconds to get back that fluffy consistency before using.
Actually, no! A buttercream frosted cake can be held up to 3 days at room temperature. This buttercream frosting protects the cake from drying out, so it will stay fresh and moist. If possible, cover the cake to keep the frosting from getting crusty.
Most likely you have too much liquid in the mix. When adjusting the consistency, a little milk goes a long way! If you add too much milk and the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar to stiffen it up.
This holds true when you're using the frosting as well - if you’re frosting a cake and decide the buttercream is too thin, mix in some more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add some more milk.
I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More frosting recipes to try
Recipe
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 4½ ounces dark chocolate, melted (¾ cup), see Recipe Notes
- 1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened, cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, optional
- 1 to 3 teaspoons milk, soy milk, almond milk, or water
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave on HIGH in 45 second increments or on the double of a double boiler over 1-inch of simmering water. Set aside. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps, if needed.
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on Medium speed for about 30 seconds or until it's smooth and creamy. The cooler the butter is, the longer you'll need to beat it to smooth out any lumps. If the butter is very soft, it isn't necessary to cut it first.
- Slowly begin adding powdered sugar, mixing on Low speed in stages (to maintain some appearance of cleanliness in your kitchen). Once the first addition is fully incorporated, add the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as need to keep everything well combined. The mixture will become lighter in color and thicker as you add more powdered sugar.
- When all your powdered sugar has been added, beat the frosting on Medium speed for 30 seconds, then mix in the vanilla (if using).
- Adjust the frosting's consistency by adding in the milk (or milk alternative) in 1 teaspoon increments until it's as thick or thin as you prefer.
- Beat the frosting on Medium-High speed to make it fluffier, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour the melted dark chocolate into the buttercream and mix on Medium speed. Once it's fully mixed in, beat on High speed for another 30 seconds or so for some extra aeration.
- You have chocolate buttercream frosting! Fill, crumb coat, and frost or pipe as you like.
- Storage instructions: Store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to use it, let it come to room temperature on the counter for several hours before using (you can stick it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to help soften it if you’re short on time). It’s best to whip it on high speed in your mixer for 30 seconds for a better consistency before using.
- This recipe should make enough buttercream to frost and fill a 2-layer 8- to 9-inch round cake or a 3- 4-layer 6-inch round cake.
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Judy says
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scotchscones says
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Austin says
What a fun guest post! Your daughter seems to really know what she's doing, this frosting came out delicious! And she was right, it didn't last too long in the fridge.....
Tammy says
Glad you liked it! 😉