Last year I posted my recipe for Classic Vanilla Buttercream. It’s the recipe I use for decorating cupcakes and birthday cakes, especially if I know kids will be the ones eating it. For wedding cakes I like to use a more silkier type frosting that I’ll share with you in the near future. But for everyday cake frosting, the vanilla buttercream is what I use. From that post, I received many comments and emails requesting a chocolate buttercream frosting which could also be used to frost cakes and for piping decorations.
I often referred readers to my most favorite chocolate frosting I use for glazing, frosting, filling, and piping. As you can see from the picture above, chocolate ganache is very versatile and best of all it is made with heavy cream and chocolate. But this frosting is also heavy and very decadent, unless you whip it. Some people would write me and tell me they didn’t want ganache but wanted a more true buttercream. So by popular request I made a batch of American chocolate buttercream over the weekend to share with you. It is great for frosting cupcakes and cakes. It can also be used for frosting brownies or cookies. Like its name suggests, it is more buttery, creamy, and slightly sweeter than ganache. And like ganache, it pipes decorative borders very nicely.
You will need to make sure your butter is soft enough to cream. Do not be tempted to softened it in the microwave unless you know how NOT to melt the butter. Melted butter will not work for this frosting. But if you do use your microwave, I like to place cold sticks in the microwave for 8 seconds. If it’s still too firm, I will microwave it for 2 more seconds.
Next, you’ll want to cream the butter and then then add sifted sugar and cocoa.
This is my daughter Mimi. She likes to help me in the kitchen whenever chocolate is involved. I’ve taught both of my daughters about the baker’s reward philosophy. If you help me in the kitchen, you also get to lick the spoons. Oddly enough, they never seem to want to help me when I’m cooking vegetables. Those stinkers.
Be sure to start your mixer on slow speed after adding the dry ingredients. Otherwise you will have cocoa and sugar fly everywhere landing on everything within a couple feet of you. Your frosting will look strange like clumps of clay. Don’t worry. Once we add some cream it will transform into beautiful chocolate buttercream.
When deciding on whether or not to use milk or cream, I prefer cream. It just makes the frosting… well.. more creamier. Half and half works too. But if you do use milk, it is better to use whole milk for the added fat content. I also prefer to use almond extract when making frosting. It enhances the flavor so nicely and a little bit goes a long way. But if you only have vanilla, use it!
As you can see by these photos, this frosting pipes really nicely. The frosting can be refrigerated to use later. Just make sure it’s in a lidded container. Allow the frosting to warm up to room temperature on the counter before using. Happy cake decorating!
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened (but not melted!)
- 3½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
Here’s a great short video tutorial I did for PBS on how to pipe these beautiful frosting flowers using vanilla buttercream on cupcakes, but you could easily do this with the chocolate one from this page. If you enjoy the video, please like it so I’ll be able to do more!
And here’s another short PBS video tutorial I did on how to make Cookie Monster Cupcakes.
Brenda W says
Thanks for a great recipe! I made it today and it turned out perfectly and tasted delicious! i made mine with kefir instead of milk which gave it a slightly tangy flavor. I think i’ll stick with milk next time, but it’s still very good. If you like tangy, though, use kefir.
Jennifer says
You mentioned in this post that you were going to share a silkier type frosting that you use for decorating wedding cakes. Did you ever post that recipe?
Marina says
I have a question, how long does this frosting last without refrigeration? I have 4 hours class, plus a 2 hour for traveling before I can take cake to destiny, and I wanted to know if it would last long enough.
I was thinking on moving it on an air tight container and then frost the cake in the destination.
Thank you very much!
Karen says
I’m confused with your directions at the bottom. The ingredients list calls for 3.5 C confectioners sugar and .5 C cocoa powder. But the actual directions only have you add 3 C of sugar & cocoa powder… Sooo… Where is the extra cup going??
Marcy says
Did you know that cream has a longer shelf life than milk? Well, now you know! 😉
Marcy says
Did you try letting it warm to room temperature and then adding additional cream?
aaliyah says
Hello Stephen I was looking at the picture of the frosting and I don’t think it is stiff enough to make Chocolate Roses, Maybe if you add a tad more power sure to stiffen it you could possibly make some roses out of this frosting
Sara says
I always had the same issue until a few weeks ago. I made buttercream frosting, but left out the milk/cream until the end. Once everything else was mixed, I added cream to get it to the consistency I wanted. It worked out great. Also, I find can gives it a much better texture than milk. But since it spoils so quick, I usually settle for half and half. Good luck 🙂
Mike says
Its a great recipe, and if I realized how easy buttercream frosting was to make, I would never have bought the stuff from the store, and now that I do I won’t be buying anymore.
NRS says
I used Droste dutch-processed cocoa in this and we absolutely loved it! Very light and fluffy! Thanks for the recipe!
Elise M. says
I haven’t tried that before, but I am sure it would be fine. One thing to think about before you make it is that bacon grease melts at a lower temperature. So if your frosting will be in any kind of heat I would be cautious. Also, which I am sure you know, your frosting will have a bacon flavor.
I hope this helps.
ron says
I’m thinking about using rendered bacon fat instead of butter. Has anyone tried this before?
mary says
I want to know when you say cream what do you mean? There is whipping cream I use that in quiche. So is that the cream you mean ? Please explain or mention a brand. You can email me to my email address you don’t need reply here on site. Thanks and looking forward to making this delicious looking frosting.
beck says
why does my frosting never turn out like its supposed to?
I thought it was just my hand mixer, since whenever I used kitchenaids at school the frosting turned out fine, but at home it was always too watery & adding more sugar never did anything…
But I now have a kitchen aid mixer & decided to try making frosting with it today and my frosting looks nothing like it does in this picture? =\ it still tastes fine, but it’s nothing like what the picture looks like…
guess I’m just not aloud to make frosting at home >_<
Amanda says
I made this tonight for my daughter’s birthday – chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, she said. Ok – ask, and ye shall receive! I’ve never made home made icing before, so I was hoping it was as easy as it sounded. And it really was! My mixer bowl doesn’t have a splash guard, though, and I sprayed sugar/cocoa everywhere even on low. Oops! Mental note for next time, I guess. 🙂
I really don’t care for icing much, but this was really, really good. Too sweet for me (but most icing is), but the kids loved it. It had an amazing texture and enough oomph to stand up well on the cupcakes without being too heavy.
NRS says
Alice, what brand of cocoa powder do you use for this?
Adrienne says
I used this recipe today and it was awesome! I subbed in a little organic coffee extract for part of the vanilla. What an amazing robust flavor! Thanks for a great recipe!
marina says
I tried this one today, and I love it! It was very easy to use and the taste was exquisite. I did use a little less of the amount of sugar listed (almost a cups less!), add some more cacao and a few extra cream spoon. I’ll be using it again as son as I have an opportunity!
If anyone needs, I know a great converter:
http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/butter_converter.html
Chris says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it a couple times and it is a big hit in our family. It is now my go to recipe. I used Hershey special dark too, but love it!
Thanks again!
dora says
I loved this recipe though I had to add quite a bit more cream to get the consistency right. I use special dark cocoa powder from Hershey and because of that it was slightly bitter,so I just added both vanilla and almond extracts it was perfect.
Umme-Ammarah says
Hi,thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe.i made this for my daughter’s birthday cake.i got rave reviews ,thanks to u.everyone said that the frosting tasted like chocolate smoothie.keep up the good work!
Mrsbrown says
Hi there, how far ahead can I make this in advance and how long will the icing last before turning bad(in the fridge or on the cupcakes)? I’ve never added cream in my buttercream before, but I wonder if the cream would make the buttercream spoil quicker? Thank you for your help! Can’t wait to try 🙂
Georgette says
This lovely frosting just turned some tasteless cupcakes (used an off -brand box mix) into a delightful dessert. I’ll never use another chocolate frosting recipe as long as I live. I also encourage everyone to try the almond flavoring. Awesome!
Lacy says
If I use salted butter could I just omit the tablesalt? Also, how do I sift the sugar? Thanks in advance. I am so excited to try this recipe
Stephen says
Hi, I am new to icings and If I may ask, can I use this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting to make Chocolate Roses? Thank you