Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
This is my best chocolate buttercream frosting recipe! It tastes rich, intensely chocolatey, and not too sweet, perfect for cakes, cupcakes, or brownies. I’m picky about chocolate frosting, and so many are just too sugary. This one has the ideal balance of cocoa and sugar, creating a perfectly whipped, absolutely delicious frosting that’s perfect for swooping onto your favorite cakes or piping onto cupcakes. Once you try it, you’ll want to use this chocolate buttercream for everything. To get you started, I use it for my easy chocolate cake! For more frostings, I love the cream cheese frosting on our banana cake! Key Ingredients Butter: Make sure it’s at room temperature. The secret to great buttercream is great butter, so use a brand you love! I prefer high-fat European butters like Kerrygold or Plugra for a special treat, but familiar brands like Land O’Lakes or Tillamook are fantastic for this recipe. Cocoa Powder: You want unsweetened natural cocoa powder like Ghirardelli or Guittard as these give you the most rich pure chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa powder is fine, but will have a slightly different flavor. Powdered Sugar: Sometimes called confectioners’ sugar, its fine, powdery texture whips perfectly into the butter for a smooth finish. Salt and Vanilla: Don’t skip these! They help bring out the rich, deep flavor of the chocolate. Buttermilk or Cream: You’ll use this at the very end to get that perfect, light, and fluffy texture. Buttermilk adds a lovely tang, while cream makes the frosting extra rich. Whole milk works too, but I highly recommend one of the first two options. Butter: Make sure it’s at room temperature. The secret to great buttercream is great butter, so use a brand you love! I prefer high-fat European butters like Kerrygold or Plugra for a special treat, but familiar brands like Land O’Lakes or Tillamook are fantastic for this recipe. Cocoa Powder: You want unsweetened natural cocoa powder like Ghirardelli or Guittard as these give you the most rich pure chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa powder is fine, but will have a slightly different flavor. Powdered Sugar: Sometimes called confectioners’ sugar, its fine, powdery texture whips perfectly into the butter for a smooth finish. Salt and Vanilla: Don’t skip these! They help bring out the rich, deep flavor of the chocolate. Buttermilk or Cream: You’ll use this at the very end to get that perfect, light, and fluffy texture. Buttermilk adds a lovely tang, while cream makes the frosting extra rich. Whole milk works too, but I highly recommend one of the first two options. Find the full recipe with measurements below. Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Tip 1: Use room temperature butter. This is really important for the best buttercream. You want your butter to be soft to the touch. If you press a finger into it, the butter should smoosh really easily. I leave my butter on the counter for 2 hours, or if I’m short on time, I use the proof setting of my oven and place the butter in there. Tip 2: Whisk or sift your cocoa and sugar. To prevent a lumpy buttercream, whisk your cocoa and powdered sugar really well. Better yet, if you have a fine mesh strainer or sifter, use it to sift the two ingredients together. This makes the cocoa and sugar airier and removes any lumps. Tip 3: You can make chocolate buttercream in advance. One of my favorite things about American buttercream is that you can store it for a week or more in the fridge and for months in the freezer! Thaw overnight (if frozen), then leave on your counter for 1 to 2 hours to come back to room temperature. Grab your electric mixer or stand mixer, then beat it for a minute or two to bring it back to its original fluffy texture, and you are ready to frost cakes, chocolate cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and more! Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting PREP 15 mins TOTAL 15 mins PREP 15 mins TOTAL 15 mins My favorite homemade chocolate buttercream frosting recipe is not too sweet, has a rich chocolate flavor, turns out whipped and fluffy, and it’s easy! I love using buttermilk right at the end to help turn this buttercream into a fluffy, whipped texture, but cream or milk are good options, too. I use this for topping our favorite chocolate cake! Makes 4 1/2 cups You Will Need ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (62g) 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (420g) 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (283g) ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons buttermilk, heavy cream, or milk Directions 1Prep dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Set this aside. 2Beat the butter: Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to beat the room temperature butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. The butter should become noticeably lighter in color and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that it’s evenly mixed. 3Combine ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar and cocoa mixture to the butter, a heaped spoonful at a time, until thoroughly combined. 4Season and whip: With the mixer still running on low, add the salt, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Mix on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds, then check the consistency. The frosting should be thick and spreadable but not runny. If you want a softer, more whipped frosting, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. For extra fluffy frosting, scraped down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again on medium-high to high speed for 10 to 15 seconds. 1Prep dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Set this aside. 2Beat the butter: Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to beat the room temperature butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. The butter should become noticeably lighter in color and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that it’s evenly mixed. 3Combine ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar and cocoa mixture to the butter, a heaped spoonful at a time, until thoroughly combined. 4Season and whip: With the mixer still running on low, add the salt, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Mix on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds, then check the consistency. The frosting should be thick and spreadable but not runny. If you want a softer, more whipped frosting, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. For extra fluffy frosting, scraped down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again on medium-high to high speed for 10 to 15 seconds. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Keep chocolate buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen buttercream overnight in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit out at room temperature for about an hour or two to soften. Then, re-whip it with a hand mixer or stand mixer for a minute or two until it returns to its smooth, fluffy consistency. Darker frosting: As this frosting sits, the cocoa powder will absorb moisture and turn a darker shade of chocolate brown. It also tastes even better and richer after an hour or two. The nutritional facts provided are estimates. Storing: Keep chocolate buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen buttercream overnight in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit out at room temperature for about an hour or two to soften. Then, re-whip it with a hand mixer or stand mixer for a minute or two until it returns to its smooth, fluffy consistency. Darker frosting: As this frosting sits, the cocoa powder will absorb moisture and turn a darker shade of chocolate brown. It also tastes even better and richer after an hour or two. The nutritional facts provided are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size about 3 tablespoons / Calories 160 / Total Fat 10g / Saturated Fat 6.2g / Cholesterol 25.5mg / Sodium 31.2mg / Carbohydrate 19.1g / Dietary Fiber 0.8g / Total Sugars 17.3g / Protein 0.7g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us