This chocolate buttercream frosting is rich, decadent, silky smooth and easy to make! It’s perfect for decorating your favorite cake, cupcakes or cookies.
If you ask me, frosting can make or break a dessert, and this chocolate buttercream frosting is definitely a make. It’s rich, fluffy, and perfectly chocolatey — basically, everything you want in a frosting! Plus, it’s super easy to whip up with just a few pantry staples.
Whether you’re spreading it on this delicious strawberry cake or piping it onto healthy chocolate cupcakes, this frosting is guaranteed to impress. And honestly, once you’ve tried homemade buttercream, you’ll never want to go back to the store-bought kind. It’s that good. So grab your mixer and let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Light and fluffy – Whipped until perfectly creamy, it spreads like a dream and pipes beautifully onto cakes and cupcakes.
- Made with simple ingredients – Just five basic ingredients you probably already have on hand. No weird additives or mystery ingredients here!
- Quick and easy – You can whip this up in under 10 minutes. Seriously, it’s almost too easy.
- So versatile – Perfect for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or even sandwiching between cookies. It’s a frosting that works for everything!
- Better than store-bought – Once you try this homemade chocolate buttercream, you’ll never go back. It’s fresher, richer, and so much more delicious.
Ingredients Needed
- butter – the base of the frosting. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature for the smoothest, fluffiest texture.
- vanilla extract – adds a touch of warmth and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- cocoa powder – the star of the show! Use unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich, chocolatey taste.
- powdered sugar – weetens the frosting and gives it that classic buttercream texture.
- milk – almond milk or regular milk works to thin out the frosting to your desired consistency.
Substitutions & Notes
- Make it vegan: It’s simple to make this chocolate buttercream vegan or dairy-free! Use a vegan butter like Earth Balance or MIYOKO’S CREAMERY and replace the milk with a plant-based option like almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk.
- Low-sugar option: For a lower sugar version, try using powdered erythritol or Swerve confectioners’ sugar in place of powdered sugar. Start with less and adjust to taste, as sugar substitutes can vary in sweetness.
- Add a twist: Swap vanilla extract for almond, coconut, or even peppermint extract to create fun and unique flavor variations.
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Step 1: Add butter and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar one cup at a time, whipping on medium speed until fully combined and smooth.
Step 3: Add milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Step 4: Spread frosting on your favorite cupcakes or cake and enjoy!
Brittany’s Tips!
- Soften the butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature before starting. Softened butter blends more easily and helps create a smooth, fluffy frosting.
- Sift the powdered sugar: For the creamiest texture, sift your powdered sugar before adding it to the mix. This helps eliminate any lumps.
- Add milk gradually: Start with 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
- Don’t overmix: While you want the frosting to be fluffy, overmixing can cause it to lose structure. Mix just until everything is smooth and creamy.
How to Use Chocolate Buttercream
This chocolate buttercream frosting is incredibly versatile and can be used in so many delicious ways! Here are a few ideas:
- Frost cupcakes – Spread or pipe this frosting onto a batch of healthy vanilla cupcakes for or these almond flour cupcakes the ultimate treat.
- Layer a cake – Use it as a rich, creamy filling and topping for your favorite layer cakes. Pair it with my healthy vanilla cake or healthy birthday cake for a decadent dessert. For double the chocolate my protein cake would be delicious with this frosting.
- Top brownies – Take your brownies to the next level by spreading a thick layer of this frosting on top. It would be amazing on my oat four brownies!
- Sandwich cookies – Use it as a filling between two cookies for an easy chocolate sandwich treat. Try it on my sunbutter cookies or swap the vanilla frosting for this chocolate buttercream frosting on these pillowy soft pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin + chocolate = a match made in heaven.
Storing Leftover Frosting
Refrigerator – Keep your leftover chocolate buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When you’re ready to use it, let it soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then give it a quick whip to bring back its fluffy, creamy texture.
Freezer – Want to save it for later? This frosting freezes beautifully! Store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use, thaw it in the fridge overnight and re-whip for that dreamy consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grainy frosting happens when powdered sugar isn’t fully incorporated. Be sure to add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Sifting the sugar beforehand also helps achieve that perfectly smooth texture.
It’s all about whipping! Beat the butter until it’s light and airy before adding any other ingredients, and then mix everything on medium speed for the perfect fluffy finish. Don’t rush this step—it’s worth the extra couple of minutes!
I used Straus Creamery lightly salted butter, which I love because it adds a hint of salt without it being overpowering. That said, unsalted butter is usually the way to go for buttercream frosting so you have better control over the flavor. But, if salted butter is all you have, you can definitely use it.
Homemade chocolate buttercream is richer, creamier, and free from preservatives. Plus, you can control the flavor and sweetness, making it so much better than the tub from the store. Once you try it, you’ll never look back!
More Frosting Recipes
Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes here on EBF!
