This chocolate buttercream frosting recipe is rich, creamy, and made with just four ingredients! This classic chocolate buttercream recipe has a smooth, fluffy texture and deep chocolate flavor that spreads easily and pipes beautifully on cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. It comes together in about 10 minutes and works perfectly for decorating any dessert.
🔎 Quick Look: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 10 minutes
🧁 Yield: Frosts 24 cupcakes or one 8-inch 2 layer cake
🔧 Tools: Stand mixer or hand mixer, mixing bowl, and spatula
🎂 Best For: Frosting cakes, piping cupcakes, decorating cookies, filling macarons
⭐ Difficulty: Very Easy (perfect for beginners!)
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This chocolate buttercream recipe is a tried-and-true frosting favorite on Partylicious, with tons of positive reviews from readers who love how reliable, easy, and versatile it is. Whether you're frosting a birthday cake, decorating cupcakes, or piping detailed designs, this frosting delivers consistent, delicious results every time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Reviews
"This truly is the best chocolate frosting! I can eat it off the spoon. Soo good!"
- Priscilla
“This really is the best! This recipe is a keeper!!! I have never had much success making chocolate frosting. It usually ends up bitter, gritty, and dry tasting. NOT this recipe! It is creamy and delicious. I used heavy whipping cream at the end to lighten it up. The added tips are great, too! Thanks!”
- Pinterest User
❤️ Why You'll Love This Chocolate Buttercream Recipe
- Tried-and-true: This chocolate frosting recipe has over 60 ratings with an average rating of 4.99 stars, plus many more saves and positive feedback on Pinterest, making it a reliable favorite readers come back to again and again.
- Smooth, fluffy, and easy to work with: It spreads effortlessly on cakes and pipes beautifully for cupcakes, borders, and decorations, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers.
- Quick and Easy: Using butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk or cream, this frosting comes together in about 10 minutes!
Jump to:
- 🔎 Quick Look: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Reviews
- ❤️ Why You'll Love This Chocolate Buttercream Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make
- 💫 Tips for Making Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- FAQ and Troubleshooting
- Make Ahead and Storing
- More Buttercream Frosting Recipes 💫
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Butter: Both salted or unsalted butter work fine. If using salted butter, cut the salt to just a pinch or omit altogether.
- Milk/Cream: This thins out the frosting to your desired consistency. You can use heavy whipping cream or a non-dairy liquid as well.
- Cocoa Powder: Make sure it is unsweetened. Both regular and Dutch processed cocoa powder work fine.
How to Make
Similar to almond buttercream frosting and coffee buttercream frosting, this recipe is an American buttercream recipe, which makes it incredibly easy to prepare with a smooth, fluffy texture perfect for frosting and decorating.
- Add the softened butter: Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Beat until creamy: Mix the butter for about 3 minutes, or until it becomes pale, smooth, and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder: Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl and mix on low speed until combined.
- Continue mixing: The mixture may look dry or crumbly at first. This is normal. Continue mixing on low speed until the frosting begins to come together.
- Increase speed and whip: Once the frosting forms, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for another 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Adjust the consistency if needed: For a lighter, fluffier, or creamier chocolate frosting, add a few tablespoons of milk or cream and continue mixing until it reaches your desired consistency.
💫 Tips for Making Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Use room temperature butter: The butter should be soft but not melted. This helps it blend smoothly with the powdered sugar and creates a creamy, lump-free frosting.
- Whip the butter first: Mixing the butter for a few minutes before adding the powdered sugar creates a lighter, fluffier texture. This step helps incorporate air and improves the final consistency.
- No Cocoa Powder? No Problem: If you don't have cocoa powder, you can use about 6 ounces of melted chocolate instead. Let it cool to about 75-80°F (barely warm to the touch) before mixing so it doesn't melt the butter.
- Sift dry ingredients if needed: If your cocoa powder or powdered sugar has lumps, sift it before mixing. This helps ensure a smooth frosting without grainy or uneven texture.
- Perfect for black frosting: Chocolate frosting is ideal for making black frosting because the dark base requires less food coloring. This helps you achieve a deep black color more easily than starting with vanilla frosting.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
Over the years, I've received many questions about this chocolate buttercream recipe, and here are the most common:
This is normal in the early stages of mixing and usually just means the butter hasn't fully incorporated yet. It can also happen if the butter wasn't quite soft enough, but this is not a problem.
Simply continue mixing and the frosting will come together. If it doesn’t, add milk or cream a few teaspoons at a time and keep mixing until the chocolate buttercream frosting becomes smooth and fluffy.
Yes, you can reduce the amount of powdered sugar to make this chocolate American buttercream frosting less sweet. However, using less sugar will make the frosting softer and less stable, which can affect piping, decorating, and how well it holds its shape at room temperature.
Since American buttercream is naturally on the sweeter side of frosting recipes, you can also try Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, and Whipped Chocolate Ganache, which are all naturally less sweet than chocolate American buttercream.
Yes. This is a great frosting to use under fondant.
Yes. This is an American buttercream, so it will form a light crust on the surface as it sits.
This is an easy fix and highly recommended if you’re frosting a layer cake or piping with a piping tip and pastry bags. To remove and smooth out air bubbles, switch the mixer to low speed and mix for a few minutes to smooth out the frosting. You can also press the frosting against the side of the bowl with a silicone spatula to release trapped air.
Yes, chocolate buttercream frosting freezes very well. Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw it in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature and re-whip until smooth and fluffy.
This chocolate buttercream recipe makes about 2.5 to 3 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost 18-24 cupcakes with a standard swirl, one 8-inch two-layer cake, or a 9×13-inch sheet cake. For 3-layer cakes, or cakes with decorative piping, I recommend 1.5 or doubling the recipe.
Make Ahead and Storing
This buttercream frosting can be made ahead of time and is freezer friendly. It can be kept in the fridge for up to a week and up to three months in the freezer.
Make sure it is very tightly covered with plastic wrap and/or in freezer bags so the butter does not take on any additional flavors. When ready to use, let it soften in the refrigerator, then stir or remix with a mixer.
If you love chocolate frosting, be sure to check out my collection of the best chocolate frosting recipes!
More Buttercream Frosting Recipes 💫
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- Mixer
INGREDIENTS
- 2 sticks butter 1 cup, softened
- 1 pound powdered sugar 16 oz , 3.5-4 cups
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 – 2 tablespoons milk or heavy whipping cream up to 1/4 cup, optional
- 1/4 tsp salt optional, if using unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla optional
Instructions
- Using a stand or handheld mixer, mix the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off mixer and add powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Mix on low until it starts to combine, about 1 minute. It might start to look crumbly, this is normal, just keep mixing.
- Once the frosting has started to come together, turn speed to medium and continue mixing until fully combined.
- For a lighter frosting, add 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream and continue mixing for another minute.
- Once it's your desired consistency, it's ready to use on your favorite cakes and cupcakes.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter: The butter should be soft but not melted. This helps it blend smoothly with the powdered sugar and creates a creamy, lump-free frosting.
- Whip the butter first: Mixing the butter for a few minutes before adding the powdered sugar creates a lighter, fluffier texture. This step helps incorporate air and improves the final consistency.
- No Cocoa Powder? No Problem: If you don’t have cocoa powder, you can use about 6 ounces of melted chocolate instead. Let it cool to about 75-80°F (barely warm to the touch) before mixing so it doesn’t melt the butter.
- Sift dry ingredients if needed: If your cocoa powder or powdered sugar has lumps, sift it before mixing. This helps ensure a smooth frosting without grainy or uneven texture.
- Perfect for black frosting: Chocolate frosting is ideal for making black frosting because the dark base requires less food coloring. This helps you achieve a deep black color more easily than starting with vanilla frosting.
- This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and up to three months in the freezer.
Paula Cleveland says
Why don’t you tell the amounts?
Sophia says
I do – it’s in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Michelle says
This frosting is absolutely delicious!
Sophia says
so glad you liked it!!
Priscilla says
This truly is the best chocolate frosting! I can eat it off the spoon. Soo good!
Rosemarie says
How long can this frosting be good before refrigerate.?
Sophia says
Hi, it can sit out for up to a day or so.
LC says
I made this chocolate recipe. Very good recipe. Taste delicious!
Mike Sr says
Hello, how much frosting does this make? Is it enough to frost and fill a 3 layer 9 inch cake. I like the recipe but need to know if it will be enough before I make it. Thanks
Ashlynn says
I just made a 3 layer 9 inch round cake and iced it with this recipe and even had some left over . Hope this helps!
Heidi says
I just made this & used 1/4 cocoa powder & about 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar & added the couple TBSP of heavy cream, as I wanted a lighter chocolate frosting for my butter brickle cake. So delicious!