Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Frosting

• Quick and easy. This frosting will only take about 5 minutes (if that) of active time to make, followed by 15 minutes of cooling. It’s so quick and easy, and the results are pretty darn unbeatable.
• Big chocolate flavor. Using very warm water in this buttercream activates the ingredients in the cocoa powder, leading to intense chocolate flavor.
• So smooth. I LOVE the texture of this frosting. It’s smooth, creamy and fluffy.
• Wonderfully versatile. Use it on cakes and cupcakes, or sandwich it between two cookies. This frosting is perfect for spreading onto cakes and also pipes into the prettiest shapes.

Looking for a vanilla frosting? Check out my Classic Vanilla Buttercream. It’s just as smooth. Just as creamy. Just as quick and easy.

Ingredient Notes

Ready to make the best chocolate buttercream frosting ever!? Here’s what you’ll need. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

• Salted butter – Allow the butter to soften at room temperature before using. Otherwise, you’ll end up with lumpy frosting. You could use unslated butter. Just make sure to add a dash of salt to the frosting to balance out the sweetness.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Either unsweetened natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder will work. Dutch-processed will give a slightly more intense, rich chocolate flavor.
• Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar works to sweeten the buttercream as well as give it structure.
• Vanilla extract
• Very warm water – It is important that the water is quite warm. The heat will help the cocoa powder bloom, yielding a bigger, better chocolate flavor. Want an even more intense chocolate flavor? Use warm coffee instead.

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This chocolate buttercream frosting recipe so simple you can make it in 3 steps Here’s a quick rundown of how to do it. Check out the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

1. Mix the ingredients. With the paddle attachment of your stand up mixer, beat together the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and warm water and mix on low speed.
2. Turn it up. Increase the speed to medium and beat the frosting for 2 minutes.
3. Cool. Allow the frosting to cool for 15 minutes before using.

Helpful Tips

• You need some salt. A little salt is crucial here. It helps enhance the chocolate flavor of the frosting as well as balance out the sweetness. That’s why I always use salted butter. You can use unsalted butter instead. Just make sure to add a pinch of salt while you’re mixing.
• Room temperature butter. Before you begin, allow the butter to sit out at room temperature until softened. If it is too cold/firm, you’ll likely end up with a lumpy frosting.
• VERY warm water. The water you add to the frosting should be very warm. The heat encourages the cocoa powder to bloom into its full chocolaty potential.
• Use a paddle attachment. While you could use a whisk attachment to make this frosting, a paddle attachment is best. It helps whip everything up without incorporating too much air into the buttercream. The results? A perfectly smooth, creamy, light (but not overly airy) chocolate frosting.
• Don’t skimp on mixing time. Once the ingredients are all combined. You’ll want to continue beating the frosting for ~2 more minutes to get the texture right.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl. While mixing the frosting, pause occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This will help ensure that everything makes it into the frosting as well as a nice, even texture.
• Let it cool. Allow the frosting at least 15 minutes to cool after you’ve finished beating it. It will set up a bit during this time, making it more manageable to spread.

Ways to Use Your Chocolate Frosting

I use this chocolate frosting recipe ALL the time. Here are some of my favorite places to spread it/pipe it:

• To fill and frost cakes. Use this chocolate buttercream to fill and frost my classic Chocolate Layer Cake. Feeling adventurous? Try it on my Peanut Butter Cup Cake or this Bacon Pecan Crumble Chocolate Cake. You really can’t go wrong!
• Piped onto cupcakes. Load your buttercream into a piping bag and pipe it in swirls on top of these Chocolate Cupcakes or even in place of the strawberry frosting on these Strawberry Cupcakes.
• Cookie sandwich. You’ve heard of ice cream cookie sandwiches, I’m sure, but have you ever tried sandwiching frosting between two cookies? If you haven’t, you have to try it with this buttercream. Pipe it between two Chocolate Chip Cookies or these Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies.

How to Store

• Counter or fridge: Once cool, you can store this buttercream in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days.
• Freezer. If you’d like to hang on to your frosting for longer, allow it to cool and then seal it in an airtight, freezer-safe container. You can freeze it for up to one month. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before using.

Note that if you store your frosting in the fridge or freezer, you’ll need to allow it to warm to room temperature before using. I also like to fluff it up again by beating it (just a bit) in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

More Easy Frosting Recipes

• Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting
• Creamy Brown Sugar Frosting
• Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
• Perfect Party Frosting
• Whipped Nutella Frosting
• Pumpkin Butter Frosting