Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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Crafted to perfection by a pastry chef, this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is a chocolate lovers dream. Compared to other American buttercreams, it has more heavy cream, which gives the frosting a more airy and creamier texture. The melted chocolate also adds a subtle sweetness and decadent chocolate flavor. It’s smooth, silky, and irresistible.
Reasons You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s well tested. Our contributing pastry chef ran multiple tests on this recipe nailing down which combination yielded the best results. We’re not gatekeeping either!
- It’s the perfect partner for our beloved Yellow Cake Mix Recipe.
- It’s lighter and fluffier than most buttercreams which makes it easier to work with.
- Instant coffee or espresso powder can be added to bring out the richness of the chocolate.
- It’s freezer friendly! Whether you double the batch or don’t use all that you made, you can pop this frosting in the freezer.
- We included piping bag tips. See instructions from our pastry expert below.
Ingredients Needed
Making a frosting from scratch is easy peasy. (Almost as easy as making Maple whipped cream!) Here are the ingredients you’ll need.
Our Tests for This Frosting
Our contributing recipe developer, who is a pastry chef, began by tested 3 variations at once so she could compare them all together: One recipe with cocoa powder, one with melted chocolate, and one with both.
She was able to nail down the best method that is smooth, silky, and light while still retaining a rich chocolate flavor which paired so well with the yellow cake mix recipe.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Melt Chocolate
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 10-15 second intervals until smooth. Let cool for about 4-5 minutes, stirring every minute or so. If using espresso powder, combine with just enough hot water to dissolve (only a teaspoon or two) and set aside to cool.
Combine
Place softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Mix on medium-low speed with a hand mixer (or stand mixer using a paddle attachment) until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Whip
Add heavy cream, vanilla, and espresso mixture (optional) and beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down as needed.
Add Chocolate
Add cooled chocolate and mix on medium speed until fully combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Tip: If the frosting contains too many air bubbles, take a spatula and “beat” the frosting in a back and forth motion to expel the air from it.
Piping Bag Tips
#1: Angled Tip
- Simply cut off the tip of the piping bag at a 45 degree angle (can be longer or steeper depending on the desired effect. Pipe with the long side of the bag on the bottom (pictured).
- This tip is primarily used to create a dynamic zig zag pattern.
#2: Leaf Tip
- This tip is made by cutting a single triangle into the piping bag.
- This tip is used solely for making leaves, which can vary in shape and size (it definitely takes some practice though).
Tip #3: Star Tip
- The star tip is one of the most common and versatile tips that bakers use. It can be used to make kisses, swirls, shell borders, rope borders, etc.
- To make the tip, you cut clean across the piping bag and then cut several little triangles to make the “teeth” – it will look like a zig zag. The more triangles you cut, the more ridges your star will have.
Can you freeze Chocolate Buttercream Frosting?
Freeze for Later: Buttercream can be frozen for up to 3 months. The easiest way to store it is to place the frosting in the middle of a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it up to form a “pillow.” This method also allows for easy cleanup when it is removed from the freezer.
Prepare from Frozen: Remove from freezer and let buttercream thaw to room temperature. Use a stand or hand mixer and beat until light and fluffy. If the buttercream starts to separate, allow to warm up some more (continue to let sit at room temperature, torch the sides of the bowl (if metal), or heat over a gas stove or double boiler).
FAQs
We tested using 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips. While it will be darker in color, it seemed a little separated and not as light or fluffy as the others.
The buttercream can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer using the pillow method – place the buttercream onto a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap up to create a “pillow.” It will keep in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes! 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder can be added to the dry mix for extra chocolate flavor.
More Desserts You’ll Love
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Easy Chocolate Buttercream
Crafted to perfection by a pastry chef, this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is a chocolate lovers dream. Compared to other American buttercreams, it has more heavy cream, which gives the frosting a much lighter and creamier texture. The melted chocolate also adds a subtle sweetness and decadent chocolate flavor. It’s smooth, silky, and irresistible.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon espresso or instant coffee powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Melt Chocolate: Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 10-15 second intervals until smooth. Let cool for about 4-5 minutes, stirring every minute or so. If using espresso powder, combine with just enough hot water to dissolve (only a teaspoon or two) and set aside to cool.
- Combine: Place softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Mix on medium-low speed with a hand mixer (or stand mixer using a paddle attachment) until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Whip: Add heavy cream, vanilla, and espresso mixture (optional) and beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down as needed.
- Add Chocolate: Add cooled chocolate and mix on medium speed until fully combined, about 1-2 minutes. Use at room temperature and store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freeze for Later: Buttercream can be frozen for up to 3 months. The easiest way to store it is to place the frosting in the middle of a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it up to form a “pillow.” This method also allows for easy cleanup when it is removed from the freezer.
Prepare from Frozen: Remove from freezer and let buttercream thaw to room temperature. Use a stand or hand mixer and beat until light and fluffy. If the buttercream starts to separate, allow to warm up some more (continue to let sit at room temperature, torch the sides of the bowl (if metal), or heat over a gas stove or double boiler).
Notes/Tips
- It is important to let the melted chocolate cool, otherwise it may melt the butter.
- Any type of chocolate (milk, dark, white) can be used.
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder can be added to the powdered sugar for additional chocolate flavor if desired.
- Add additional powdered sugar (¼ to ¾ cup) if a stiffer frosting is desired.
- The chocolate is easiest to melt in the microwave – it’s such a small quantity and so a double boiler isn’t entirely necessary. It is important that is is cooled before adding to the frosting so that it doesn’t melt the butter. Additional powdered sugar can be added to create a stiffer frosting.
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Instant coffee or espresso powder can be added to bring out the richness of the chocolate.
- This recipe is more than enough frosting for our Yellow Cake Mix recipe. You can also use it to top our Double Chocolate Brownies, if you’re daring.
Delicious! I don’t typically bake, and this simple recipe was perfect for frosting my mother’s birthday cake. I used a double-boiler method to melt the chocolate chips.
So glad the recipe worked out well for you Holly. Happy belated birthday to your mom! Thanks for leaving a review.