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! 🙂
I have made this last night and I too found that adding the milknhas made it curdle / separate slightly. I started with the butter at room temp (not melted) but it was a warm evening and all that beating made it quite runny (rather than fluffy). I doubled the quantity of icing for a mutli-layer cake, but used less than half the amount of milk in the recipe as I was worried about it being too runny. I have chilled it and still hoping I can make it work on the cake once it comes back up to room temp again. Any idea what I did wrong?
Hi Emma – your butter was too soft to start. Ideally it needs to be butter that is at 17°C/63°F, which is cooler than you might expect! It should be soft enough that it is pliable so when you poke it, it leaves an indent. But still cool enough so that you don’t end up with shiny grease your your finger. N x
Beautiful. Very chocolatey and fluffy. Made it to go on my husband’s birthday cake, and I’m sure he’ll love it. Thanks for sharing.
I am so glad you enjoyed it Wendy! N x
Hi, trying the vanilla cake. Do I need to put down baking paper. Can’t I just do it the old fashioned way with oil and flour in the bottom of the cake tin?
Hi Jo…the vanilla cake got tested with all of those different variations and the way it is written gives you the best results for colour, texture and rising height. You can try it that way but I know for sure that the way it’s written gives the best results…I baked it over 89 times!! N x
Hi Nagi
Can this recipe be used without the cocoa and coloured different colours to decorate a child’s birthday cake?
Hey Nagi! I dont have a stand mixer but I have an electric hand beater. Will that work just the same?
Yep same used the hand mixer and turned out delicious
Thank you for confirming! Happy baking 🙂
O love the recipe, but I make to much, can I freeze them. Sorry mi English, I’m from chile!
Hi Nagi, love your recipes! Can you use salted butter?
Hi S, I prefer unsalted for sweet recipes. N x
Hi Nagi, I was just wondering how would you store this? For example, if I was making this in advance by a couple of days would I keep it at room temp or in the fridge? Thank you!
Hi Chloe, are you making it and frosting a cake? I wouldn’t recommend making in advance to store unless it has frosted a cake. Depending how warm it is, you can store in the fridge or at room temp (if it’s hot where you are, I’d recommend the fridge, then bring the cake to room temp before serving) N x
My first time making buttercream frosting and it was delicious! Thanks Nagi!
Wahoo, that’s great Judy!! N x
Trying to make a 2 layer cake and to use the recipe scaler for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Instruction: “hover/click over servings”. Can’t make it work. Is there a problem?
I had trouble too but I was clicking where it say to tap or click hear. I clicked on the cupcake number and it let me use the sliding scale
Hi Peter, it’s working from this end – try refreshing your browser. N x
Added milk to the icing and it separated 🙁 not happy.
omg same bestie !
Hi Jenny, it definitely shouldn’t separate, what happened when you beat it into the buttercream? N x
Hi Nagi, love your recipes!!! I just made the chocolate cake and frosting for a work colleague for his birthday it was fantastic. You are always my go to for recipes, love them all. Thank you for sharing 😉
What are the nutrition stats?
Can my cake be iced with the buttercream then frozen ?
It needs to travel and will be decorated later .
Yes 100% Christine! N x
Can I make the cake , ice it and freeze it . It needs to travel and will be decorated later .
Omg delicious buttercream! I am not a big fan of buttercream but this is so addictive!
Hi Nagi, I am making this cake for my daughter’s birthday (have made numerous times, it is such a crowd pleaser!!) and would like the icing to be pink. Can I skip the cocoa powder and add some food colouring instead?
Hi Nathalie – see the vanilla buttercream here, all you need to do is add a couple of drops of colouring 🙂 https://discountspot.info/my-very-best-vanilla-cake/%3C/a%3E N x
Beautiful texture and yummy… I so appreciated you including how to adjust amounts for two-later cake! Enjoy many of your recipes, Nagi 🙂
Hello ! Can we replace the cocoa powder by cinnamon ?
Hi Myriam, you could use this buttercream recipe here and add a dash of cinnamon! https://discountspot.info/my-very-best-vanilla-cake%3C/a%3E N x
Hi Nagi, I’m making this for my son’s birthday but want to make the cake and icing in advance and keep them separate until I’m ready to decorate (once he’s in bed so we can surprise him the next day!). Any tips for making and storing the icing until I’m ready to use it please? Thanks!
Hi Do I need to store the cake in the refrigerator after it’s done? Thank you
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