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Home Baking Recipes

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

By:Nagi
Published:5 May '18Updated:7 Nov '20
103 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Fluffy and smooth with a lovely chocolatey flavour, this is how to make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! Follow along with the quick recipe video (below recipe). Use this buttercream to frost cakes and cupcakes – it can be piped, spread and used to sandwich cake layers!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting www.recipetineats.om

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Fluffy and chocolatey, buttercream frosting is a classic favourite for smothering over cakes and cupcakes. This Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is:

✅ Perfect for piping – it holds its shape with swirls, roses etc

✅ Can be used for sandwiching between cake layers – it won’t ooze out everywhere like cream when you cut into the cake

✅ Fluffy, creamy, luscious and buttery. Totally indulgent and will rival any high end bakery!


How to make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream frosting is not hard to make but it does take time – and an electric mixer or stand mixer. The key is beating, beating, beating – for at least 6 minutes, usually 7 to 8 minutes.

The longer you beat, the fluffier it is and the smoother it is.

Beat, beat, beat!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting www.recipetineats.om Chocolate Buttercream Frosting www.recipetineats.om

Other than beating, the only other tip I have for a beautiful classic buttercream frosting is to use the right butter to icing sugar (powdered sugar) ratio. Too much sugar to butter = gritty frosting. Too little, and it just tastes like butter.

Go forth and enjoy! – Nagi x


Use this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for:

  • Chocolate Cupcakes – no stand mixer required for these incredible cupcakes!
  • Chocolate Cake – the BEST everyday chocolate cake, ever!
  • Classic Vanilla Sponge Cake

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting www.recipetineats.om

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Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 mins
Baking
Western
4.97 from 26 votes
Servings12
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. The key to ensuring your buttercream comes out fluffy and smooth (rather than dense and gritty) is to beat, beat, beat and to use the right ratio of butter to icing sugar.
Quantity - This makes enough to swirl frosting on 12 cupcakes (see photos in post), to smear on 18 cupcakes, or a single layer 20-22cm / 8-9" cake (like this Chocolate Fudge Cake).
For a 2 layer cake, like as depicted in this Chocolate Cake recipe (2 layer 22cm/9" cake), increase the recipe by 50%. Use the recipe scaler (hover /click on servings and slide) and increase until icing sugar becomes 3.75 cups (ie 3 3/4 cups) / 450g.

Ingredients

  • 200g / 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder , unsweetened, preferably Dutch Processed, sifted(Note 3)
  • 1/4 cup milk (any)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  • Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attached. Beat for 3 minutes on speed 7 until it becomes pale.
  • Add half the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat for 3 minutes - start slow, increase to speed 7.
  • Add remaining icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat again for 3 minutes.
  • Add milk and vanilla if using. Beat again for 1 minute on speed 7.
  • Spread onto cakes / cupcakes, or spoon into frosting bag and pipe.

Recipe Notes:

1. Icing Sugar - if you are in Australia, get the packets labelled as Soft icing sugar. Not Pure Icing sugar- that's for royal icing, the stuff that goes hard that's used for writing. 
2. Quantity - This makes enough to swirl frosting on 12 cupcakes (see photo in post) or frost one 22cm / 9" cake (top, sides and filling) a reasonable amount.
To frost cake more generously, like as depicted in this Chocolate Cake recipe (2 layer 22cm/9" cake), increase the recipe by 50%. Use the recipe scaler (hover /click on servings and slide) and increase until icing sugar becomes 450g / 3.75 cups.
3. Dutch Processed cocoa powder is a more intense flavour than normal cocoa powder. So you will get a better chocolate flavour.
4. To make this using chocolate instead of cocoa powder, use 75g / 3 oz 70%+ cocoa dark chocolate. Melt and cool, then whisk in at the end.
Keywords: Buttercream frosting, chocolate buttercream, cookie frosting
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe video!


LIFE OF DOZER

BY POPULAR DEMAND…. Dozer photo added!! I didn’t have one in this recipe because it was an extra recipe for the Chocolate Cupcakes. Gasp shock horror! Better fix it! 🙂

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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103 Comments

  1. Teresa says

    February 28, 2021 at 1:46 am

    Hi Do I need to store the cake in the refrigerator after it’s done? Thank you

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 1, 2021 at 10:39 am

      Hi Teresa, depends on how long you want to store it for and how hot it is where you are. You can store in the fridge, but I’d let it come to room temp before serving. N x

      Reply
  2. Cari Schatzle says

    February 13, 2021 at 4:48 am

    5 stars
    first time making chocolate buttercream frosting. I must say not bad. Where it called for .67 cups of cocoa for 16 servings I did 1/2 cup plus 2tbsp; where it called for 3.33 cups sugar i did 3 1/3 cups Taste good. Perhaps I will invest in a gram scale. Stand by for my results with the chocolate cake. I must say my KitchenAid mixer has come through once again. Definitely a life saver when it comes to beating the heck out of stuff. Thanks again for this recipe., Naji.

    Reply
  3. Natasha says

    January 17, 2021 at 1:58 pm

    Hi Nagi, I followed your frosting and chocolate cake recipe and it was DELICIOUS; received so many compliments on it. I surely will be making it again, thank you!!!

    Reply
  4. WEE SHIOU PHING says

    December 27, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    Hi, for recipe chocolate buttercream frosting. Can i know 2 1/2 cups icing sugar is how many gram ? Or maybe u can give me recipe in gram. Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  5. zaza says

    December 13, 2020 at 2:57 am

    i subbbed the milk with whipping cream and it turned out crumbly. Do i add milk or water?

    Reply
  6. Renee says

    September 7, 2020 at 12:25 pm

    Made this today…was delish! My new fav chocolate frosting! Thank you!!!!

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth W says

    September 5, 2020 at 9:30 pm

    5 stars
    Best chocolate cake recipe ever. Baked in 24cm springform tin. Took about an hour. Moist, not overly sweet with beautiful rich flavour.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 7, 2020 at 10:17 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it Elizabeth!! N x

      Reply
  8. Dee harris says

    September 2, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    5 stars
    Hey Nagi
    Love this icing!!!!!! Its now not about thecake in my household its about the icing!!!
    When I say “Ive made a cake” meeh But When I say “Ive made the Icing” !!!! All hell breaks loose LOL

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 3, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      Haha I love this Dee 😂 N x

      Reply
  9. Anastasia says

    August 19, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    Hi Nagi,

    I’ve honestly never made a frosting (or baked a cake) before. Lockdown 2.0 has really inspired me haha. I don’t have a stand mixer, only a hand mixer with 5 speed settings and a turbo button. Will it be okay to use a hand mixer on speed 5 and beat it a bit longer (or maybe I should use the turbo setting?)?

    Thank you!!

    P.S.: I made ur Famous Byron Bay Cookies last weekend and it was amazinggg ur a godsend!! Boyfriend & I finished it in 4 days all by ourselves haha.

    Reply
  10. Dayne says

    August 16, 2020 at 11:02 pm

    5 stars
    I discovered your chocolate cake and buttercream frosting last year and now my family only wants me to make them (no other flavors). Yesterday I made an “other” yellow cake with the chocolate frosting. My very adult daughter declared “you could put that frosting on a shoe & it would be delicious!”

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 17, 2020 at 10:29 am

      😂 I love this Dayne!!! N x

      Reply
  11. Finn says

    August 15, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    Hi Nagi, this buttercream is heavenly. I made it for my sister’s birthday and everyone loved it

    Reply
  12. Jessie says

    July 24, 2020 at 11:21 am

    Is it possible to use thickened cream instead of milk? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 24, 2020 at 11:23 am

      Hi Jessie, yes definitely – use 2 tablespoons of cream and 1 tablespoon of water in place of milk. N x

      Reply
      • Jessie says

        July 25, 2020 at 8:52 am

        Thank you! Worked perfectly. Followed your instructions almost exactly . Nice and fluffy frosting

        Reply
  13. Lucy says

    July 10, 2020 at 1:55 pm

    This may seem like a silly question, but if I wanted to make a vanilla buttercream, could I use this same recipe excluding the cocoa?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 11, 2020 at 6:54 pm

      Hi Lucy, you can just sub the cocoa powder for more icing sugar 🙂 N x

      Reply
      • Meredith Reynolds says

        July 23, 2020 at 11:46 pm

        But cocoa powder has no sugar in it. Seems like subbing sugar would make it too sweet. Any other subs?

        Reply
        • Kerri Al-Khazraji says

          October 7, 2020 at 3:55 am

          I would try powdered milk.

          Reply
  14. Cori says

    July 6, 2020 at 5:36 am

    5 stars
    Best frosting ever!!! Thanks

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 6, 2020 at 10:13 am

      You’re so welcome Cori! N x

      Reply
  15. Amy says

    June 27, 2020 at 2:14 pm

    I’m making a tall 4 layer chocolate cake this week for my daughter’s birthday. Would you recommend using this frosting between layers or a firm chocolate ganache?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 29, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      Hi Amy, it really depends on the cake you’re using to be honest! N x

      Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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