When you think of the best chocolate buttercream frosting, it's gotta be whipped to silky perfection with just the right amount of sweetness and decadent chocolatey flavor. This recipe has just six ingredients, comes together in five minutes and pairs perfectly with Grandma's heavenly chocolate mayo cake, Depression-era chocolate wacky cake, chocolate beet cake, or these homemade graham crackers.
If you're baking up a homemade chocolate cake, it's gotta be topped with frosting. Whether it's the caramel frosting in this recipe, the peanut butter frosting from this recipe, or the cream cheese frosting from this recipe, we're topping our cakes and cupcakes with one of them!
But the recipe I reach for most often is this simple buttercream frosting. You can omit the cocoa for a vanilla buttercream option and it's equally as delicious!
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Video Tutorial
The frosting recipe begins at minute 6:54 below:
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
When it comes to recipes, they've gotta be straight forward. That's just one of the reasons why you'll love this recipe for the best chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Simple Ingredients - With just five ingredients, you can likely open up your refrigerator and pantry and see that you already have them all. Whenever I can make a recipe from pantry staples, it's a win.
- Quick - No one has time to slave over recipes that take a long time... one tip here to speed things up is to remember to take your butter out so it comes to room temperature before you're ready to make the frosting.
- Delicious - I'm not a fan of chocolate frosting that's overly sweet. This recipe calls for less powdered sugar than you'd normally see. But don't worry, this frosting is still plenty sweet and the chocolate flavor is what really shines through.
Home and HandMade
This buttercream frosting recipe is featured in my book Home and Hand Made on page 189. If you love from scratch cooking and easy yet cozy homestead meals, this book is for you. Grab your copy and start cooking up delicious recipes in your kitchen today.
Tips for the Best Buttercream Frosting
- Use Softened Butter - Make sure to take your butter out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before making this recipe.
- Scrape, Scrape and Scrape Again! - When mixing together the frosting, be sure to scrape the sides down multiple times to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add Cream Slowly - There's nothing worse than adding too much cream and having a thin or runny frosting. That's why I recommend adding the cream one tablespoon at a time.
How to Make Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients & Supplies Needed
- Stand Mixer - In order to get the frosting light and fluffy, it's important to use a stand mixer or a handheld electric beater. I used my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Butter - Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you begin this recipe. If it's too cold, it won't get as soft and fluffy. Using unsalted butter means you can control the salt in the recipe. If you use salted butter, you may not want to add salt until you taste the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar. As I mentioned, the amount of powdered sugar is reduced here. If you like your frosting sweeter, feel free to increase the amount. You may find you need to add more heavy cream to get a spreadable consistency.
- Cocoa Powder - You can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder or natural unsweetened cocoa powder here; even a dark cocoa powder would be delicious! The choice is up to you.
- Salt - Don't forget the salt! Salt=flavor and it balances out the frosting. If you skip it, your frosting will be bland. I love Redmond Real Salt! If you use that link and coupon code "Pioneering" at checkout, you'll get 15% off your order.
- Vanilla Extract - Have you ever made your own homemade vanilla extract? It's far superior to any I've purchased from the store. If you'd like to give your frosting a different flavor, you could use almond extract, maple extract, mint extract, etc.
- Heavy Cream - This is for lightening and thinning out the frosting, so it has that silky texture we're all looking for in a buttercream. You could use milk if you don't have any heavy cream, but for a more decadent frosting, stick with the heavy cream.
Check the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Using a stand mixer or hand-held electric beater, beat the butter on high speed until light and creamy (about 3 minutes).
Step 2: Add in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla.
Step 3: Cream together on low until all ingredients are combined.
Step 4: If your butter wasn't quite soft enough, it may look a little mealy, but that's OK! The next step will fix that and make it all come together.
Step 5: Add cream, one tablespoon at a time and mix on medium-high speed until the frosting reaches the desired consistency (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape the bowl several times during this process. You may not end up using all the cream!
Pro Tip: Go slow adding your cream! If you add too much, you'll have to add a lot more powdered sugar and cocoa powder to thicken it back up, and this will alter the end results.
If I didn't already say this is the best chocolate buttercream frosting, then let me say it again! When your frosting is finished, it should spread with ease and be rich, creamy and decadent.
The final step is to frost your cake or cupcakes and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? If you tried this chocolate buttercream frosting or any other recipe on my website, please leave a?star rating and let me know how it went in the?comments below! Thanks!
How Much Frosting Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe makes one generous cup of frosting, perfect for frosting my chocolate wacky cake that I bake in an 8 1/2-inch cast iron skillet (equivalent to an 8x8-inch cake).
Frosting cupcakes? This recipe will lightly frost about 12 cupcakes. Double the recipe if you'd like to generously frost the cupcakes (or have leftovers!).
Frosting a cake? This recipe will frost an 8x8 or 8 1/2-inch cast iron skillet cake. If you're making a larger cake or a layer cake, you'll want to double the recipe.
Pro Tip: Reserve just a little frosting and spread it on a graham cracker, top it with another graham cracker and place it in the freezer. This is a treat my mom always made for us kids growing up and it's like the most delicious ice cream sandwich you've ever tasted!
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: To store the frosting in the refrigerator, put it in an airtight container and store it for up to one week!
Bring the chocolate buttercream frosting back to room temperature and re-whip before frosting cakes.
Freezer: To freeze, store in an airtight container and freezer for up to three months.
Defrost the frosting in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature and re-whip before frosting cakes.
FAQs
Can I double the recipe?
Yes! This recipe doubles with ease. You may need to mix it a bit longer to get it light and fluffy.
Can I substitute heavy cream?
Also yes! You can substitute the heavy cream with milk; just remember to add one tablespoon at a time, as you may need less.
What is the best cocoa powder to use for chocolate buttercream frosting?
Either unsweetened natural cocoa (I get mine in bulk from Azure Standard) or Dutch process cocoa. You can find cocoa powder in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
Do I need to sift the dry ingredients?
There's no need to sift the dry ingredients unless you're worried about clumps. The mixing and scraping usually removes any lumps, so I skip this step, and it always turns out creamy and fluffy!
📖 Recipe
Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or electric beater
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar also called confectioner sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch salt two pinches if you're using unsalted butter
- 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer or hand-held electric beater, beat the butter on high speed until light and creamy (about 3 minutes).
- Add in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla.
- Cream together on low until all ingredients are combined.
- If your butter wasn’t quite soft enough, it may look a little mealy, but that’s OK! The next step will fix that and make it all come together.
- Add cream, one tablespoon at a time and mix on medium-high speed until the frosting reaches the desired consistency (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape the bowl several times during this process. You may not end up using all the cream! Pro Tip: Go slow adding your cream! If you add too much, you’ll have to add a lot more powdered sugar and cocoa powder to thicken it back up, and this will alter the end results.
- Frost and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Use Softened Butter - Make sure to take your butter out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before making this recipe.
-
- Scrape, Scrape and Scrape Again! - When mixing together the frosting, be sure to scrape the sides down multiple times to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
-
- Add Cream Slowly - There's nothing worse than adding too much cream and having a thin or runny frosting. That's why I recommend adding the cream one tablespoon at a time.
- Refrigerator: To store the frosting in the refrigerator, put it in an airtight container and store it for up to one week! Bring the chocolate buttercream frosting back to room temperature and re-whip before frosting cakes.
- Freezer: To freeze, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Defrost the frosting in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature and re-whip before frosting cakes.
Penny Collingridge
This is the cake my mother in law made for every family picnic or dinner. Everyone looked forward to her cake!
Jennifer
I tried this wacky cake which turned out perfect and the chocolate icing and it was amazing. Thank you Melissa for sharing this great recipe. It will definitely be my go to for a quick dessert
Janet
I learnt to make this cake about 70 years ago with my Aunt! It is simple easy and delicious. It is for sure a must try.
Maddie
This was fast and tastes sooo much better than those store bought tubs. It has actual flavor and texture was perfect.