Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate buttercream has a smooth and silky texture and also holds its shape well. Perfect for frosting cookies, cake or cupcakes, this simple buttercream is one you’ll want to make again and again!

Buttercream is not everyone’s favorite frosting. It can be heavy, sugary and too sweet….

But it is my belief that when done right, buttercream is silky smooth, light, rich and delicious. It also holds its shape very well, unlike most whipped frostings, which makes it perfect for frosting chocolate cupcakes, cakes or cookies.

This chocolate buttercream recipe is incredibly easy and is one of those recipes you just need to have on hand. You never know when a craving for the perfect chocolate cupcake or vanilla cake will come around, and with this chocolate buttercream frosting recipe, you’ll have the perfect frosting for it ready in no time.

There are a Few Rules to Good Buttercream 

1. Whip: The most important thing is to whip the buttercream very well. This helps all the ingredients melt into each other, brings some light airiness to the mixture, and creates the silky smooth texture you really want in a frosting.
2. BUTTER: The next is to use real butter. You can’t have classic buttercream frosting without butter. The butter is the essential flavor that makes this frosting so delicious and there really is no substitute for that.
3. Scrape: The final rule is to scrape the sides of the bowl often. It’s kind of the worst when you think you’ve mixed up the perfect frosting only to scrape it out of the bowl and discover a whole layer at the bottom that did not get mixed.

Never fear, the best chocolate buttercream frosting is actually very simple and this recipe shows you exactly how to achieve it.

Why Make This Recipe

1. Simple: There are only five (pantry staple!)  ingredients in this buttercream. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. You’re sure to love this easy chocolate buttercream frosting.
2. Delicious: Homemade chocolate buttercream is just so much better than store bought. You may think store bought is easier, but the flavor of homemade makes it worth it every time.
3. Versatile: Buttercream is the perfect frosting for so many of your favorite recipes. You can mix up a batch of this delicious frosting for your favorite cakes, cupcakes or cookies!

What Do You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients

1. Unsalted butter: You want your butter to be softened, not melted. This is important for achieving the right texture. The easiest way to get the right texture is to let the butter come to room temperature on the counter for a few hours.
2. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Feel free to use regular cocoa powder or dutch processed cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder has a slightly more rich chocolate flavor
3. Milk: I prefer whole milk. You could also substitute cream.
4. Vanilla Extract: Use my measurement or measure with your heart. 
5. Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioners sugar or icing sugar. 

Tools

1. Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

How to Make This Recipe

Step One: Beat the Butter

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on low speed to beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Increase speed slowly as you mix to medium speed.

Step Two: Add the Cocoa

Add the unsweetened cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract, then beat until well incorporated.

Mix in the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Step Three: Spread and Enjoy

Spread or pipe the frosting onto your desired treat. Enjoy! 

Expert Tips

• Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl often as you mix. Don’t let any butter escape!
• Give the butter plenty of time to whip and get nice and creamy. It may help to let the butter and vanilla whip up together for a bit before adding the other ingredients. Whip it on a high speed to let plenty of air into the mixture.
• Achieving the right consistency can be tricky. If you feel like your frosting is too dry, add milk just a teaspoon at a time and allow it to fully mix in before adding more.
• If you feel like your mixture is too thin, you may want to let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before adding a little more powdered sugar, just a tablespoon at a time. Allowing the mixture to rest in the fridge allows the fats in the butter to come back together. It is possible your butter may have softened too much.

FAQs

Why is my Buttercream so Light?

Sometimes whipping the frosting can make it appear light in color. The deep chocolate flavor should still be there. 

If you desire a rich chocolate color you could try this trick:

Take one cup of the mixture and microwave it for just ten seconds. Then carefully mix that small heated amount back into the larger bowl. 

How Much Frosting Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe usually makes enough frosting to frost an 8-inch two-layer cake, one sheet cake or 24 cupcakes. That may vary depending on how thick you layer your frosting on. If you pipe on a thick layer of frosting for truly picture-perfect cupcakes your frosting may not go as far.

That’s OK! This recipe is easy to double or just make again and save the leftovers for your next dessert.

How Do I Know The Butter is Soft Enough?

Butter can be left at room temperature to prepare for this recipe. Just leave it on the counter for an hour to an hour and a half. The softened butter should be soft to the touch, but still slightly cool. It may stick just a bit to the wrapper.

Do not try to soften your butter in the microwave for frosting. The risk of melting it is too great!

Can I Substitute Heavy Cream?

Many buttercream recipes call for heavy whipping cream. This may help your buttercream retain more air, but whipped cream also tends to wilt over time. 

This recipe calls for a very small amount of milk, which you could substitute with cream if you desire.

You could also try substituting coffee for the milk. Be careful to use room temperature or cold coffee and not hot coffee!

Do you Need to Sift the Dry Ingredients?

Sifting the dry ingredients is always a good idea to prevent any lumps but in this recipe you usually whip it so much that any lumps are wiped away anyways. Sifting is not a critical component to this recipe.

Does the Frosting Need to be Refrigerated?

This chocolate buttercream frosting does not need to be refrigerated. It can be left at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.

That being said, even if the frosting doesn’t technically go bad, the flavor of it may change if left out of the refrigerator. To preserve the flavor and freshness I recommend refrigerating the frosting (and any dessert it is used on). 

The texture of the frosting is a bit better at room temperature so it’s a good idea if you are making some ahead of time to let it rest on the counter top to come to room temperature before serving.

Can You Make this Frosting Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make this frosting ahead of time. 

Simply mix it up and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It also freezes very well for up to three months. Bring it back to room temperature and give it a good mix to use.

Did you enjoy this Chocolate Buttercream Recipe? If so, check out these other recipes I picked out just for you: 

• Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Chocolate Cupcake Recipe