Rich, decadent chocolate buttercream frosting with a smooth, creamy texture perfect for cakes and cupcakes.
There’s not much that’s better than rich and chocolatey frosting. We put this on everything from cakes, cupcakes, brownies and anything else we can think of. Our whole family loves it.
This frosting is perfect for birthday cakes, for cupcakes and it pipes really well. This frosting can be made super fluffy or creamy depending on how you mix it.
What’s special about this frosting?
- Rich chocolate flavor
- Fluffy or creamy, depending on how you mix it
- Perfect on chocolate cake, red velvet and yellow cake
- Pipes well
- Family favorite
- Easy to make
Pro Tip!
To make this frosting fluffy, once all the ingredients are mixed well, turn the mixer on high speed and mix for a couple minutes.
Note About Recipe Measurements: I write recipes using volume (cups) measurements because here in the U.S., this is what people are more familiar with and I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when baking. For metric/weight measurements, click the ‘metric’ button under the ingredients in the recipe card below. The weights are converted by a program, not me, and it’s just a best guess. I can’t guarantee that weighing the ingredients will produce the exact same results, since I test recipes using volume measurements.
Recipe
Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature (if you can't get salted butter, just use all unsalted and add a pinch of salt.)
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 6 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk (may add in another tablespoon if needed)
Instructions
- Add the room temperature butter and the cocoa powder to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high until well mixed and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 20 seconds or so.
- Add 3 cups of the confectioner's sugar plus 2 tablespoons milk and mix on low until combined, then on medium until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and the last 3 cups of confectioner's sugar. Mix on low until combined, then on medium until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix again for about 20 seconds or so.
- Check the consistency. If it's too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk and mix again. Repeat until the desired consistency has been reached.
- For fluffy buttercream, mix for about 2 minutes on medium-high to high speed.
- For smoother frosting, mix on low for a couple minutes.
- Spread onto cooled cake layers or pipe onto cupcakes. This recipe makes enough frosting to cover about 24 cupcakes or a two-layer, 8-inch round cake.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Share
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FAQs:
I prefer to use a combination of butters. I think it gives it a unique flavor that stands out among the other buttercream recipes, but it can still work if you use all salted butter, just do not add any additional salt as there will be plenty.
I definitely prefer to use a combination of butters. I think it gives it a unique flavor that stands out among the other buttercream recipes, but it can still work if you use all unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt into the buttercream and mix well.
You can. I do if it’s clumpy, but it’s not vital.
Yes. Add it to an airtight container, or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
This recipe will make enough frosting to cover a two-layer, 8-inch round cake or about 24 cupcakes.
This frosting should be stored in an airtight container and can be stored at room temperature for about 5 days or in the refrigerator for about a week.
Yes, this frosting pipes well.
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Sally
This is by far the BEST choc buttercream ever! You posted this before and it has become my all time favorite and stand by of all time. THANK YOU!
Kara
Awesome! So glad you love it! I have a similar recipe to this one called Double Chocolate Buttercream and I’ve added this buttercream to other chocolate cake recipes on the site, but felt like it really needed it’s own post for just the buttercream, because I love it so much. 🙂 So glad you do to and thank you so much for your wonderful comment!