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– it’s incredibly CREAMY, silky, smooth, and rich. Like a decadent brownie in frosting form. Melts in your mouth and is unbelievable on chocolate cupcakes.
Even though it’s a wonderfully creamy chocolate buttercream, it holds its shape beautifully. So it’s 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:
- Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
- Yellow Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Banana Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- If you scale it up, you can use it to frost a layered cake, like I do with my marble cake recipe
Dive into this chocolate decadence!
Favorite Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature2
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- 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 2 full minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.
- 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 for a few seconds so it's creamy again.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe is enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes or one 9x13 quarter sheet cake. Follow these ratios for a 2 layer cake and these ratios for a 3 or 4 layer cake.
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And here is my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe!
Is this recipe overly sweet? Does it have a gritty texture? I find that sometimes recipes with coca and powdered sugar they can have a gritty texture and is super sweet and so swiss meringue is my go to but this sounds so easy and delightful!
I love this recipe! It has a really smooth and creamy texture and has the right amount of sweet. I would definitely recommend this recipe!
Highly recommend! I made this recipe just this morning. I don’t typically have an issue with my ABC being gritty but…I sift my powdered sugar always. For this recipe I sifted about 2c of powdered sugar w/the cocoa (I used dark chocolate because that’s all I have), added it to my creamed butter with about 1 T milk and the vanilla. I beat it for a few minutes until it was smooth, added the salt, and another cup ish of sifted powdered sugar. I then added milk to reach the consistency I wanted and beat it again for another minute or so. It is delicious and piped beautifully. I piped generous swirls on 12 cupcakes and have a bit left over so I put it in the freezer. I think because the recipe calls for cocoa powder, which is inherently bitter because it’s unsweetened, you don’t end up with it being cloyingly sweet–which is issue with most ABC recipes. I will for sure make this again.
This is a lovely buttercream! Made it yesterday and it came out with a creamy and beautiful texture. @Carrie, if you find that your buttercream is slightly grainy, have a look at your powdered sugar, some brands add cornflour which will give it a slight grainy texture.
If I added 1/3 cup cocoa instead of 1/2 cup would I need to increase my sugar a bit?? I like a very light chocolate frosting
Can this recipie be used as a macaron filling? If so,would I need to alter the recipe at all?
This chocolate buttercream, as written, would be wonderful as a filling for macarons. Enjoy!
How long could this buttercream be stored in the fridge?
Hi Josie! Cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Could I use regular cocoa powder or is it better with the unsweetened?
Unsweetened is best.
Thank you! Made the buttercream this morning to go on my sons 16th birthday cake.
I need to fill 2 cakes with this buttercream, but i don’t know how much frosting i should have. It is a 2 tier cake. Bottom cake 7 in with 3 tiers, top cake 4.5 in with 4-5 tiers. Can you please let me know how much frosting i should do? I assume that if i make the recipe twice, it will suffice to fill it and dirty ice it…
Hi JoAnn! I would make 2 batches of this chocolate buttercream to ensure you have enough. You can freeze leftover frosting if needed. See step 2 for instruction.
Hi Sally,
Thank you very much!!! I am sure that it will be perfection!
Thanks a lot! I will come back with feedback after the party 😀
This is literally the best frosting I have ever had. I use it for everything. I’ve never messed it up, and it is always the perfect consistency. Thank you so much for sharing!
Is it possible to make this frosting without using an electric mixer? Going to make your cupcakes for my son’s birthday next weekend, but don’t want to spend money on a mixer that I might never use again. Thank you!
It would be very difficult to make frosting by hand! You can definitely use a hand mixer thought – it doesn’t have to be a stand mixer.
I have two dozen cupcakes I need to frost r a baaby shower. Could I just double the recipe or do i need to make two batches?
Hi Dana! You can certainly double it, but I find the texture is better when I work with only 1 batch at a time. But that’s your call!
I only have Nestle Toll House Cocoa. It doesn’t say if it’s natural or Dutch-processed. It just says “perfect for baking 100% pure cocoa” and the only ingredient is cocoa. Is it safe to assume it’s natural process?
Hi Elizabeth! It’s probably natural unsweetened cocoa.
I have usually had problems with frosting in the past. So glad I found this – it is perfect. Used natural cocoa powder; only needed to add a little bit more cream.
What cake part would you recommend for this frosting?
This frosting can go with any cake you want! Marble, white, chocolate, even strawberry!! Enjoy!