Chocolate lovers, rejoice! The best chocolate buttercream frosting recipe is here to add sweet, creamy delightfulness to your homemade baked goods.
Many decadent cuisines come from France, and frosting is likely one of them. No one can say for sure, but due to some old, historic recipes found years ago, a French chef may have invented the tasty fluff to spread on a cake back in the 1600s. No matter how it came to be, the world-approved, and today, bakers are still frosting cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and more.
In this recipe, the unsweetened cocoa mixed with confectioner’s sugar yields a sweet but not too sweet frosting that holds up to anything you spread it on. Prepare to lick the bowl when you’ve finished the frosting spreading duties. Although many frosting recipes claim to be buttercream, they sometimes use shortening instead of butter, and that’s a big mistake. Real butter in a buttercream frosting creates a creamy texture and the best taste.
If you love chocolate, put this recipe in a safe place so you can refer back to it often. Anytime confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, and butter collide, an extraordinary relationship is formed. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean. Chocolate buttercream frosting is a cocoa lover’s dream: soft, delicate, and rich with chocolate flavor.
In a pinch, I spread this delicious frosting on graham crackers when I feel I have earned a reward. However, if I am in baking mode, I make these Strawberry Cupcakes and substitute the strawberry buttercream frosting with this chocolate buttercream recipe. A dollop on top of these Chocolate Chip Cookie Pots is also to die for.
Why You Must Use Unsalted Butter
Sometimes, a recipe calls for unsalted butter, and all you have in the refrigerator is salted butter. It’s tempting to grab what you have. I have been there. After all, who wants to make a run to the grocery store? The thing is, there is an important reason to use unsalted butter rather than salted butter.
Have you ever bit into a sweet treat and found the salt overpowered the sweetness? That’s where unsalted butter comes in. You get the rich flavor and texture that butter offers, but you can control the amount of salt in the frosting. In this recipe, 1/8 teaspoon of salt is just enough.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Step 1: Cream the butter until smooth. Using a mixer, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed until creamy.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients and liquids. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Start on low to combine, then whip on high for 1 minute.
Step 3: Adjust consistency and taste. If needed, add more sugar to thicken or cream to loosen the frosting. Taste and add a pinch more salt if desired.
FAQs & Tips
It’s best to keep buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place any leftover frosting in a container with a tight lid and keep it in the fridge for up to one week.
If you find the frosting too thick or dense and not spreading well, try mixing it again on high speed with your kitchen mixer to incorporate air into the frosting. You can also add milk or cream, one tablespoon at a time, as you mix to thin out the frosting.
Sometimes, buttercream frosting can be particular even when you follow the recipe. Climate, temperature, and other issues can affect how it turns out. If your frosting is too runny, add more confectioner’s sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until you get a better consistency. Also, try sticking the frosting in the refrigerator to thicken it up.
Don’t give up if you don’t have cocoa powder in the pantry. You can replace it with chocolate chips and still create a beautiful chocolate buttercream frosting. Melt 8 oz. of chocolate chips (unsweetened or semi-sweet) to replace the 1/2 cup cocoa powder.
Yes! Create a dairy-free buttercream frosting by replacing the butter with a vegan buttery spread, and switch out the heavy cream or milk with non-dairy milk, such as coconut or almond milk.
Serving Suggestions
How should you serve chocolate buttercream frosting? I’d say serve it with everything you possibly can. Frosting is delegated to the dessert menu, so enjoy it after dinner or with an afternoon cup of hot tea. I love this delicious frosting on William’s Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies as a little treat. Pair that with a cold glass of milk, and you are good to go.
It’s also perfection atop a Chocolate Kahlua Cake… chocolate paradise! And let’s not forget Frosted Sugar Cookies. They’re a classic to pair with buttercream frosting.
The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cream the butter until smooth. Using a mixer, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed until creamy.
- Add dry ingredients and liquids. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Start on low to combine, then whip on high for 1 minute.
- Adjust consistency and taste. If needed, add more sugar to thicken or cream to loosen the frosting. Taste and add a pinch more salt if desired.
