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 chocolate cake
Dive into this chocolate decadence!
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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 (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 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
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.
- 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.
Notes
- Quantity: This recipe is enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes or one 9×13 quarter sheet cake. Follow these ratios for a 2 layer cake and these ratios for a 3 or 4 layer cake.
And here is my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe!
so good thanks for sharing your recipe with us so we can try it and enjoy it. No need to change anything on this recipe it’s perfect the way it is.. I just can’t believe some of these people trying to change what you wrote .. people don’t understand how much time you spent in that kitchen trying to get the perfect recipe and them post it here that’s another day or two people need to appreciate more .. thanks again happy baking
★★★★★
This is my go to it is so rich and flavorful. I make a half batch at the time of the month and just devour it.
★★★★★
I’ve made this buttercream a few times and, while it is delicious and pipes well, I have been unable to achieve the nice deep color as seen in your photographs. I have weighed all the ingredients, tried a dark cocoa (Hershey’s Special Dark) and the icing always comes out a lighter almost mocha shade. What brand of cocoa do you use? Or could you make any other suggestions? Thanks!
★★★★
Hi Pam! I always use Hershey’s regular unsweetened natural cocoa powder. I find the Special Dark variety tints the buttercream a grayish brown color. The longer you whip chocolate buttercream, the lighter in texture AND color it will become. Try not to over-mix. Here’s a tip, though. Allow your butter to get extra soft– even softer than normal room temperature butter. “Greasy” (not melted!) butter as the base of chocolate buttercream yields a darker hue.
Thanks Sally!
I’ll give it a try!
Absolutely the BEST chocolate icing recipe!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you love this buttercream, Joanna!
Love this frosting. I do have a question though. If making a chocolate cake with Dutch cocoa would I also use Dutch cocoa in the frosting?
★★★★★
Hi Amanda! You can use either dutched or natural cocoa in frosting. That’s up to you!
Delish, delish, delish!!!!! Using it on my husbands vanilla birthday cake! YUMMMM!!!!
★★★★★
Just baked this ( chocolate of course) in the 6” pans. AMAZING . Also made the chocolate frosting and substituted buttermilk for the heavy cream, which was also called for in the chocolate cake. Also appreciate the weight (ie grams,etc.) measurements in the recipes. So much more accurate. Thanks again and keep baking and sharing!
Love and peace ,
MaryPat
I bet the frosting was so good with the tangy buttermilk! I’m glad you enjoyed it!