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–+ servings
A slice of chocolate wacky cake on a serving utensil.

Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Melissa Norris
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 mayonnaise cake or this chocolate depression-era Wacky cake.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 183 kcal

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

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.
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 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5TablespoonsCalories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 63mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 273IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Frosting Recipe
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