Name: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
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))

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

By:Nagi

Published:5 May '18Updated:7 Nov '20

97 Comments

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

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!

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

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Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 mins

Baking

Western

4.96 from 25 votes

Servings

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! 🙂

SaveSave

Renee says

September 7, 2020 at 12:25 pm

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

Elizabeth W says

September 5, 2020 at 9:30 pm

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

- Nagi says
  
  September 7, 2020 at 10:17 am
  
  I’m so glad you enjoyed it Elizabeth!! N x
  
Dee harris says

September 2, 2020 at 6:50 pm

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

- Nagi says
  
  September 3, 2020 at 12:07 pm
  
  Haha I love this Dee 😂 N x
  
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.

Dayne says

August 16, 2020 at 11:02 pm

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!”

- Nagi says
  
  August 17, 2020 at 10:29 am
  
  😂 I love this Dayne!!! N x
  
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

Jessie says

July 24, 2020 at 11:21 am

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

- 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
  
  - Jessie says
    
    July 25, 2020 at 8:52 am
    
    Thank you! Worked perfectly. Followed your instructions almost exactly . Nice and fluffy frosting
    
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?

- Nagi says
  
  July 11, 2020 at 6:54 pm
  
  Hi Lucy, you can just sub the cocoa powder for more icing sugar 🙂 N x
  
  - 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?
    
    - Kerri Al-Khazraji says
      
      October 7, 2020 at 3:55 am
      
      I would try powdered milk.
      
Cori says

July 6, 2020 at 5:36 am

Best frosting ever!!! Thanks

- Nagi says
  
  July 6, 2020 at 10:13 am
  
  You’re so welcome Cori! N x
  
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?

- 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