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
Whoa! This is the best buttercream chocolate frosting hands town! My kids love Nuttela so I added about 2T. It turned out really good!
Hello, how far in advance can this be made and stored in the fridge (not freezer). Thanks!
Hi AR, this buttercream can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Saving this recipe so I never forget it! So silky smooth and really not to sweet! I only have salted butter in my fridge so I skipped the added salt. So simple. Super quick to make. Even got compliments on it
Can i use chocolate instead of cocoa?
Hi Karla, we haven’t tested this buttercream using baking chocolate rather than cocoa. However, our Swiss meringue buttercream does use pure baking chocolate, if you’re interested in giving that a try.
Your chocolate buttercream is amazing! In fact every recipe I have tried from your site has turned out perfect. Thank you so much for your in depth explanations of everything.
Oh this is my families favorite chocolate buttercream! We have one with dairy allergies so i use plant butter and oat milk instead of the dairy products, and it is still delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Sally Love your recipes. The chai Cinammon Bundt cake was fabulous. Is it possible to put a chocolate filling into the center of your yellow or chocolate cupcakes? I do not want to upset the texture of the cupcake.
Thank you
Barbara
Hi Barbara, you certainly can! Just with a cupcake corer, spoon, or back of a piping tip and fill.
Hi! I was wondering what top you use to decorate your cupcakes and any advice? Thanks
Hi Angela, our Piping 101 post shares all of our favorite piping tips and tricks for cupcakes — hope it helps!
Excellent and easy, and foolproof
Your recipes are perfect!!!! Thank you so much!
Assuming this was for cupcakes, how many does cupcakes can you frost with this? Thanks!
The recipe says enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes, or a thin layer on a 9×13
Hands down, this is the only chocolate buttercream I’ll ever make!! Silky and smooth! I’ve used this to fill macarons but wondered if you could use white chocolate. I’d like to tint it Christmas colors for Christmas Macarons. Thanks so much for tour thoughts.
Hi Shirley, we’re so glad you like the chocolate buttercream! I would try our White Chocolate Frosting! Enjoy!
Hey Sally,
I wanted to ask can we use regular sugar instead of confectionery sugar??
Hi Simran, we don’t recommend it. Regular granulated sugar will not incorporate the same way and will leave your buttercream tasting gritty because the granules will not dissolve. Confectioners’ sugar is best here.
This has a lovely texture but isn’t very chocolatey
Hi. Is this a crusting buttercream?
Hi Geri, it does not crust as written, but you can try half butter and half shortening (so 1/2 cup of each) for a crusting buttercream if desired. Enjoy!
Hi there! As I am making your chocolate cake, I was going to by some buttermilk. Would it be acceptable to use the rest of the buttermilk in place of the heavy cream in this recipe?
Hi Jamie! 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.
Hi, I was wondering , can I use almond milk insted of cow milk for this recipe ?
Thank you!
You can use almond milk in a pinch, yes.
can margarine be substituted for the butter?
Hi Ida, we don’t recommend using margarine for frostings. Best to stick with butter here!
I just made this icing for a chocolate cake and it was absolutely delightful! Scrumdidiumptious indeed! Didn’t even need to make the cake. Gimme a spoon and I’m goin to town! It was very much bussin. Finna make me act up. 😉
I made this icing for the first time and loved it. I didn’t change a thing to the recipe. It’s definitely the only chocolate icing I will make now. My husband said it was the best chocolate icing he has had since his mom passed away 15 years ago. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for your kind note and feedback. We’re thrilled you and your husband enjoyed this frosting recipe!
Can I double this recipe or do the ratios change? I have 26 cupcakes to ice! Thanks
Absolutely!
I loved this frosting accept its much to salty. Is there a reason for that?
Hi Cass, Be sure you are using unsalted butter. If you use salted butter try skipping the added salt.
I’ve never been able to replicate a bakery buttercream— but this is it! Thank you so much, Sally!
hi! this frosting is so great but unfortunately i made too much of it! just wondering if it’s possible to freeze it and use again some other time?
Hi Anabel, you can freeze this buttercream for up to 3 months. 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.
Making this tonight! After frosting the cupcakes, do they need to be refrigerated because of the milk in the frosting? Or can they sit out at room temperature?
Hi Hallie! After decorating anything with buttercream, it’s fine for 1 day at room temperature. After that, we would refrigerate it. But, use your best judgment and whatever you are comfortable with- we’ve never had any problems leaving frosted desserts at room temperature for a day.
Can I halve this recipe as I usually don’t put too much buttercream and have leftovers?
Hi Celeste, absolutely! Simply halve all ingredients.
wow! this was so good! made german chocolate cupcakes stuffed with coconut pecan frosting, then this frosting. everyone loved them!
Absolutely fantastic recipe! I only had salted butter, so I omitted the salt. Went perfectly with the Simply Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Perfect!!
Easy to make and simply delicious! I paired it with Sally’s yellow cupcakes and the combination was perfect! My son specifically asked me to make this frosting for his birthday cake! 🙂