Delicious Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Rich, chocolatey, smooth, and buttery deliciousness – this chocolate buttercream will level up just about any dessert! 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I love a good smooth and creamy chocolate frosting. Chocolate buttercream on chocolate cake is one of my favorite combinations. It’s such a classic flavor profile – you really can’t go wrong! I’m not a huge baker (although I aspire to be one!) and had never made buttercream before I tried out this recipe. No real reason other than I had built up in my mind that the process was far more intimidating than it actually is. I was so pleasantly surprised by how easy this recipe came together, and it makes me feel like I can be more adventurous in living out my buttercream piping dreams. I also love that this frosting isn’t overly sweet and was really easy to work with, and I know you will too!

Ingredients for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

The ingredients are pretty straightforward and easy to make this frosting. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 8 ounces of softened butter
• 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar
• ½ cup of milk
• ½ cup of cocoa powder
• ½ tablespoon of vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon of salt

Chocolate Buttercream Recipe Variations

• Make it dairy free – substitute a vegan butter and coconut milk or coconut cream to make this a dairy free buttercream. 
• Use heavy cream – for the most decadent frosting, use 1 cup of heavy cream in place of the milk. 

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream

Here’s how you’ll make this deliciously creamy buttercream:

1. Add ingredients to the mixer – using a whisk attachment, add all of the ingredients to a stand mixer.
2. Blend until smooth – start on a low speed and blend the ingredients until combined.
3. Increase speed – increase the speed to medium-high and blend until smooth.
4. Frost – use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Gradually add the dry ingredients – if you have a smaller mixing bowl, we recommend creaming the butter first, then gradually incorporating the dry ingredients so that you don’t have a cloud of powdered sugar explode in the kitchen.
• Don’t let it get too hot – if your buttercream gets too hot, it may become runny. If this happens, try cooling it in the fridge for 30 minutes to help it set up. 

How to Decorate with Chocolate Buttercream

This chocolate buttercream can be spread on cupcakes or a cake using a knife or spatula. You can also use a piping bag for smooth and fun decorations!

How to Serve Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate buttercream is delicious on cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes or funfetti cupcakes would be yummy) or chocolate cake. It is also beautiful and tasty piped on top of sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookies. Really, anything you would enjoy with chocolate would go great with this buttercream!

How to Store Buttercream Frosting

This chocolate buttercream is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and used within 5 days. Before using, let the frosting come to room temperature and re-whip if needed to reach a fluffy consistency.

Chocolate Buttercream FAQs