Here we go! This is my favorite chocolate buttercream recipe. I’m tempted to call it a “basic” chocolate buttercream, but it’s anything but basic; it’s incredibly CREAMY, silky, smooth, and rich. Like a decadent brownie in frosting form. Melts in your mouth and tastes unbelievable on chocolate cupcakes.
Even though it’s a wonderfully creamy chocolate buttercream, it holds its shape beautifully—just as Swiss meringue buttercream does. This is simply perfect for piping even the most intricate and fancy designs.
What Tastes Best with Chocolate Buttercream?
I’ve made this chocolate buttercream more times than I can count, but I love it with:
- Yellow Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Chocolate Frosted Cookies
- Banana Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- If you scale it up, you can use it to frost a layered cake, like I do with my chocolate cake, and yellow cake
Dive into this chocolate decadence!
Help! My Chocolate Buttercream is Really Light in Color
After beating so much air into the mixture, chocolate buttercream can lighten up in color. Of course this doesn’t change the flavor at all, but if you want it a little darker, I have a tried-and-true trick.
Take 1 cup of the prepared buttercream (you can just eyeball it, a little less than half). Place it in a heatproof bowl. Microwave it for 10 seconds. This loosens the mixture up and helps the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder combo absorb more of the liquid. Place that back into the big bowl of frosting and stir it in by hand. The frosting should be smoother, and darker in color.
More Favorite Frostings
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Cream Cheese Frosting & Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Black Chocolate Buttercream Frosting which tops these Black Velvet Cupcakes
Favorite Chocolate Buttercream
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2.5 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite chocolate buttercream recipe. It’s incredibly rich, creamy, silky, smooth, and easy to work with for decorating cakes and cupcakes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Beat in another pinch of salt if desired.
- Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Quantity: This recipe makes enough to frost 12–16 cupcakes or a thin layer on a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake. For a 2-layer cake, follow the ratios from this chocolate cake. For a 3- or 4-layer cake, follow the ratios from this piñata cake.
And here is my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe!
Reader Comments and Reviews
How much would be needed for a half sheet cake? Do I need to double it?
Hi Abby, this makes enough for a quarter sheet cake, so doubling it should be enough for your half sheet!
What’s a good substitute for vanilla extract?
Hi Levi, do you happen to have almond extract to use in its place?
Hi. Would this work with organge zest? Thank you
Hi Ashley, you can absolutely add some orange zest to your liking.
Just found this recipe OMG the easiest and tastiest Ive found ,never seen your site before (I am in UK) but shall continue to check your rec ipes out when trying new ones… 5*for sure although I just put all ingredience into my electric mixer mixed for 3 mins hey presto done
I made this at the weekend to ice a chocolate cake I’d made for my son’s birthday- followed the recipe in grams exactly (UK baker here) and it came out absolutely perfect – we all agreed best chocolate icing!
Could you use buttermilk instead of the heavy cream/milk?
Hi Krista, we haven’t tested it, but don’t see why not! Some bakers prefer to use buttermilk since the tang offsets some of the sweetness of the buttercream.
I’m wanting to use this to pipe a design. Is it best to place it in the fridge to cool before using or can I just dive right in after making the frosting?
Hi Bailey! You should be able to just dive right in, but if the buttercream starts getting too warm/greasy from the heat of your hands, you can always pop it in the fridge to cool down a bit before continuing.
This is sure fire. Excellent butter cream. This is my first layer cake. The frosting was easy and tastes great
Hands down the best chocolate buttercream frosting- my go to recipe. Comes out perfectly. Use ingredient measurements as written.
Very good frosting! I decreased the amount of sugar a bit and added several more tablespoons of liquid (I used half and half) because my frosting was getting too difficult to spread. Other than that, it was a good solid recipe which I plan to use again and again. Thank you!
this is the best recipe iv’e ever done and it tastes soooooooooo moist and fluffy and overall perfect
Important note for other bakers: she links to a recipe with proportions scaled up for a 2 layer cake. Those proportions are definitely enough to cover a 9” two layer cake, but NOT quite enough for much piping or decorating. The amount cut it super close for me, so I would recommend making more to avoid running out.
The recipe itself was delicious. I added maybe around 2 tsp of espresso and doubled or tripled the vanilla, both of which I recommend. I was looking for a chocolate frosting for a birthday cake, and this is the one Pancake Princess used in her chocolate cake bake off. A great rec!
My granddaughter does not like frosting. I am making your vanilla cupcakes for her birthday dinner and wondered if I could use this chocolate buttercream to make cream filled cupcakes per your directions.
Yes, absolutely!
Having just a truly terrible day and realised I needed chocolate. Boom. Frosting meet spoon. I even added mini chocolate chips because why not!
I am planning to bake 24 cupcakes. Should I double the recipe?
Hi Gabie, this recipe makes enough to frost 12–16 cupcakes, so yes, we would make a double batch!
This was the worst consistency, do not add milk of any kind. It ruins it. Just double the butter or add more for consistency, the milk ruined it i am literally peeved, its my sons bday. Should have followed the original buttercream recipe and just done extra butter to balance out the cocoa powder.
Hi Chelsea, thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry you were disappointed. Adding more butter would make a considerably heavy or even greasy buttercream. Do you find that addition worked for you? Cream or milk are typically added to thin and smooth out frosting/buttercream.
Love this chocolate buttercream frosting. How long is the shelf life once decorated on cake please? And is it suitable to frost cake under fondant?
Hi Sharon, we’re so glad you love it! The frosting keeps well in the refrigerator for about 1 week. You can use it under fondant, but fondant cakes are usually best left at room temperature.
Good morning
Can I decorate a cake with this chocolate butter cream and then freeze the cake?
Thanks
Hi Hilary, absolutely. Here is everything you need to know about how to freeze cakes.
YUM
SALLY’S BAKING never fails to deliver the best baking goods!
Made no adjustments, why would I? It is deliciously appointed….
The taste of this frosting is amazing
Can I leave this out or does it need to be refrigerated once it’s on the cupcakes?
Hi Elizabeth, you can leave it out at room temperature for a little while, but we’d recommend storing in the refrigerator overnight. We will typically store cupcakes covered at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for 3 days. Glad you love the frosting!