Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

Cakes & Cupcakes —
August 14, 2020
Cakes & Cupcakes —
August 14, 2020

Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

  • Prep time: 5 min
  • Cook time: 0 min
  • Total time: 5 min

Say hello to your new favorite frosting. This easy chocolate buttercream is silky, richy, super chocoalte-y and the perfect complement for all your fav cakes and cupcakes.

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Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

It’s officially CHOCO’CLOCK! This easy chocolate buttercream is silky, rich, super chocoalte-y and perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes. You’ll love this chocolate frosting!

chocolate frosting on chocolate cupcakes

The Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

Oh haiiiii. You know what time it is? CHOCO’CLOCK, bbs. Happy frosting Friday: Chocolate Edition. We’re here again with another staple every baker should have in her recipe box: chocolate buttercream. This chocolate frosting calls for just 6 ingredients, comes together in a few minutes, and is the perfect complement for all your favorite cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or also just eaten by the spoonful 🙂

The texture of this chocolate frosting is silky as can be. It’s fluffy, creamy, perfectly chocolatey…I mean I’m literally salivating just thinking about it. It’s a heavenly chocolate cloud, and, guys you just have to taste it for yourself.

chocolate frosted chocolate cupcake

What do you need to make chocolate frosting?

Chocolate buttercream calls for simple, staple ingredients that you probably have on hand. With recipes with this few of ingredients, the quality of each ingredient is so imporant:

  • Butter: We like to use unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt in your icing. As with all butter cram frostings, it’s super important to use good butter! We love Vermont Creamery.
  • Cocoa powder: You’ll need a full cup of cocoa powder for this chocolate frosting so make sure you have enough! A good dutch processed or dark cocoa powder will be perfect for this frosting.
  • Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners sugar, this is the base for most homemade frosting. Powdered sugar sweetens and stiffens your frosting. If you want to thicken up this buttercream for decorating or piping stiffer shapes–simply add more sugar!
  • Milk or Coffee: You’ll need just a little bit of liquid to thin the frosting out a bit to let it get nice and creamy. If you’re a purist you can use milk, but if you want to spice things up and enhance the chocolate flavor you can use room temperature coffee instead!
  • Espresso Powder: Like coffee, espresso powder will help to deepen the chocolate flavor. You can usually find this in the coffee aisle of your grocery store.
  • Salt: A pinch of salt will help to cut any excessive sweetness and round out the flavor profile.
  • Vanilla Extract: Make sure you’re using a pure vanilla extract for the best results!

How to make chocolate frosting?

Frosting is super forgiving so feel free to tweak the recipe as needed, but these step by step photos should give you a good idea of what the frosting should look like at each stage!

1.Place the room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until creamy.

stand mixer with butter

2. Add the cocoa powder to the butter and beat until combined, about 2 minutes.

cocoa powder going into mixer    chocolate frosting in a kitchenaid mixer

perfect chocolate frosting in a standmixer

3. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and milk or coffee. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Then increase speed to high.

confectioners sugar going into a stand mixer    coffee pouring into stand mixer

4. Scrape down the bowl and beat the frosting until light and fluffy.

chocolate frosting in a stand mixer

5. Transfer the chocolate frosting to a piping bag or use an offset spatula to frost to your heart’s desire!

chocolate frosting in a bowl

Tips for the best chocolate buttercream you’ll ever have

You don’t have to be professional or even a seasoned baker to make homemade buttercream, but these 5 tips will guarantee you perfect chocolate frosting every time.

  • Make sure your butter is room temperature: Making frosting with butter that is too warm or too cold can really put a damper on your buttercream. We like to leave the butter out for at least 3 hours to make sure the whole stick gets nice and soft.
  • Use a high quality cocoa powder: When it comes to chocolate desserts the quality of your cocoa powder or chocolate will make or break the outcome. Just like you shouldn’t make brownies with a low quality chocolate bar you shouldn’t make chocolate frosting with a low quality cocoa powder. We absolutely love Rodelle’s cocoa powder!
  • Don’t forget the coffee: If you are using coffee make sure it is ROOM TEMPERATURE. If your coffee is hot it will melt the butter in the buttercream.
  • A little liquid goes a long way: When you’re adding in milk or coffee remember that the teensiest amount can totally change the consistency of your frosting. Always go a Tablespoon at a time
  • Don’t be afraid to stray from the recipe: Frosting is super forgiving, so if you’re feeling like the frosting isn’t quite the right consistency for your icing feel free to add more powdered sugar or liquid to either firm or thin it out.

What to frost with chocolate buttercream?

I don’t know about you, but I think chocolate frosting pretty much goes with every single dessert. Use it on cupcakes, brownies, layer cakes, cookie bars…the list goes on! Some of our favs to serve up with chocolate buttercream are:

And there you have it, love bugs. The best chocolate frosting you’ll ever have! Enjoy every last dollop of this creamy chocolate buttercream.

XX

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Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

This easy chocolate buttercream is silky, super chocoalte-y and perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes. You’ll love this chocolate frosting!

This easy chocolate buttercream is silky, super chocoalte-y and perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes. You’ll love this chocolate frosting!

  • Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: whipped
  • Cuisine: american
  • Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: whipped
  • Cuisine: american
Units:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar (about 1 lb)
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 24 Tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

Instructions

    1. Place the room temperature butter in a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Beat the butter until creamy.
    2. Scrape down the bowl and add the cocoa powder. Beat on low speed and gradually increase to high speed until homogenous.
    3. Scrape down the bowl and add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, espresso powder and 3 Tablespoons of milk to start. Beat on low speed and gradually increase to high speed, beating until light and fluffy.
    4. If the frosting feels too stiff, add more milk one tablespoon at a time. If it feels too liquidy, add in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until frosting reaches its desired consistency.
    5. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or use an offset to spatula to frost your desired treats!

Notes

  1. We also love to make this chocolate buttercream with room temperature coffee to really deepen the chocolate flavor.
  2. If your frosting is too wet or too dry add more powdered sugar or milk in Tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Make sure to do it little by little to avoid over correcting your buttercream.

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  1. Hi! Thank you so much for these amazing recipes. I read in the notes you also like to make this with coffee at room temperature, but how much should we add, and would it be a replacement for the espresso powder? Thank you!






    • Hi Olivia! It should be safe as none of the ingredients contain gluten! There might be some cross contamination depending on the brand, but I think you should be good!

  2. How many days in advance can this be made? And can it be stored in refrigerator the re whipped ?

    • Hi Beverly! Yes absolutely! You can even freeze it if you prefer. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months!