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!
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Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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:
Nutrition Information:
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! 🙂
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.
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!!!
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.
i subbbed the milk with whipping cream and it turned out crumbly. Do i add milk or water?
Made this today…was delish! My new fav chocolate frosting! Thank you!!!!
Best chocolate cake recipe ever. Baked in 24cm springform tin. Took about an hour. Moist, not overly sweet with beautiful rich flavour.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Elizabeth!! N x
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
Haha I love this Dee 😂 N x
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.
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!”
😂 I love this Dayne!!! N x
Hi Nagi, this buttercream is heavenly. I made it for my sister’s birthday and everyone loved it
Is it possible to use thickened cream instead of milk? Thanks!
Hi Jessie, yes definitely – use 2 tablespoons of cream and 1 tablespoon of water in place of milk. N x
Thank you! Worked perfectly. Followed your instructions almost exactly . Nice and fluffy frosting
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?
Hi Lucy, you can just sub the cocoa powder for more icing sugar 🙂 N x
But cocoa powder has no sugar in it. Seems like subbing sugar would make it too sweet. Any other subs?
I would try powdered milk.
Best frosting ever!!! Thanks
You’re so welcome Cori! N x
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?
Hi Amy, it really depends on the cake you’re using to be honest! N x
Hi Nagi, loving your site so far. Baking the Chocolate cake now. I want to colour the buttercream grey (for an elephant cake), so would you have a version that’s not chocolate? Do I just take out the cocoa and replace same amount of icing sugar? Thanks. I hope to ice tonight or tomorrow. Cheers!
Hi Jiji – yes it’s something I need to publish! Just replace the cocoa with icing sugar 🙂 N x
Your instructions say, 1 1/2 c icing sugar to 1 stick butter. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 c icing sugar and 3 sticks of butter. It doesn’t add up? What should it be? Thank you
Hi Natalie! That’s the ratio I use for buttercream, but the recipe quantity is scaled up to be the right quantity to frost 12 cupcakes or 1 cake 🙂 I can see why that was confusing though so I’ve removed it!! N x
Hi Nagi. I’m making a surprise birthday cake on Friday for a good friends dinner party Saturday night (10 people mx -covid19 style). It will be a chocolate cake with drips and chocolate shards and a small/Medium bottle of vodka sticking out of it. My question is,
I have all the ingredients for your buttercream but no stand mixer with paddle. I do however have a thermomix with a ‘paddle type’ attachment. Can I use this to get the same results. My cake will be 4 tiers high to incorporate the bottle. How much frosting will I need.
I’m basing my cake to be an 18-20” diameter cake.
Hi Nagi, each time I make this my buttercream has air pockets in it. Do I need to have my mixer on a lower speed? It still takes amazing though!
Hi Allison, sounds like it might be whipping slightly too much, try reducing the speed and using a paddle attachment (not a whisk attachment) N x
This recipe looks delicious! I was wondering if it would work as a Vanilla Buttercream if I just don’t add the cocoa powder? Or will I have to add/adjust the ingredients to compensate?
Hi Abigail – yes it will, just replace the 1/2 cocoa with 1/2 cup icing sugar 🙂 N x
Hi the recipe is so good but can i ask is it ok if the icing is a bit darker than yours
Totally fine Mahek – this will be down to the cocoa powder used. N x