Here's the thing about me, I don't like American buttercream. I find it too sweet and often gritty. It doesn't have much substance being mainly just butter and sugar. However, I get the convenience of it since it's certainly the easier choice from Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Italian Meringue Buttercream or Ermine Buttercream. I recently found out that a lot of my readers also do not like buttercream, so I was determined to develop a recipe that we could all LOVE. This is my BEST Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and it is so intensely chocolatey, rich, smooth and not too sweet. It is simple to prepare and almost has the texture of whipped ganache. It is incredible! If you love making different types of frostings, check out my Best Chocolate Frosting recipe which is based on chocolate ganache, and then also my very popular Chocolate Fudge Frosting that has a soft fudgy melting quality. I pair those frostings with my BEST Moist Chocolate Cake recipe, and this Buttercream Frosting goes with my Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make - this chocolate buttercream frosting is SO EASY to make and there's no chill time, whipping egg whites or boiling sugar involved.
- Simple ingredients - this recipe uses just 5 simple ingredients.
- Rich dark chocolate frosting - it has the most delicious chocolate flavor and a texture that's literally like eating a whipped chocolate truffle.
- Not too sweet - the best part about this chocolate buttercream is that it is not too sweet and it doesn't use a whole pound of icing sugar.
- Perfect for piping - this frosting holds up so well and is perfect for even intricate piping tips.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- Dark chocolate – you'll need pure dark chocolate to make this frosting. Anything between 50 and 70% cocoa solids will work, but I highly recommend dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids. You can blend semisweet chocolate with my favorite bittersweet chocolate callets which are very convenient. The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa butter content and so the firmer the frosting will be. If you use semisweet chocolate, the frosting will be sweeter and a bit softer.
- Unsalted butter - it's important to use unsalted butter for buttercream to give a nice creamy flavor, and this way you can control the salt.
- Icing sugar - you'll need powdered sugar (also called icing sugar) and it is often very lumpy so it is important that you sift it before using it.
- Cocoa powder - any kind will work. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
- Cream - you need heavy cream or whipping cream with 35% milk fat. Make sure it is at room temperature. Cold cream will split the frosting.
- Salt - even though I suggest unsalted butter, that doesn't mean salt isn't important. Salt is SO important in baking, and especially in chocolate recipes!
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Bloom the cocoa powder. First combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Let it cool completely.
- STEP 2). Cream butter and sugar. Combine soft butter and icing sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until very pale, creamy and whipped. Add the cooled cocoa powder mixture, vanilla and salt and beat until very pale and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of cream and beat until smooth. Add another tablespoon and beat again.
- STEP 3). Mix in melted chocolate. Add half of the melted cooled chocolate and mix until just incorporated. Add another 2 tablespoons of cream (one tablespoon at a time) and beat between each addition. Add the last of the melted chocolate and mix it in, then finally beat in the last tablespoon of cream. This gradually addition of cream ensures that the frosting doesn’t split and gives you a smooth creamy consistency.
- STEP 4). Frost the cake! Use immediately to pipe or spread onto cakes or cupcakes. This frosting pipes very nicely. It will firm up as it cools further and the chocolate sets. This frosting is very stable so store at room temperature for up to 4 days. Do not refrigerate.
If you love chocolate cake, then also check out my Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake which is kind of like the SaraLee chocolate cake except homemade and WAY better!
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR THE BEST CHOCOLATE FROSTING
- Use soft butter. Your butter should be soft enough that you can easily press your finger into it. It should not be melted or greasy/weeping. At this stage, it whips the most efficiently with the sugar to make it nice and fluffy.
- Use a dark chocolate between 50% and 60% cocoa solids for best results. Do not use milk chocolate for this recipe - it will not work. Also, do not use bittersweet chocolate because the higher cocoa butter content will cause the frosting to stiffen up.
- Let the chocolate cool completely - if you add warm melted chocolate to the creamed butter and sugar, it will melt the butter and break down all the air bubbles you worked so hard to make in the fluffy mixture.
- Sift the icing sugar. Powdered sugar is often very lumpy and those pesky lumps sometimes don't even break down with the mixer. For the fluffiest texture, I recommend sifting the icing sugar.
- Have the cream at room temperature. Adding cold cream to your room temperature butter is a great way to break it! Cold liquid will not blend easily into soft butter and in order to coax liquid and fat to form a smooth emulsion, they must be at the same room temperature.
- Do not over beat - do not over-mix the frosting once you add the melted chocolate. Whipping the chocolate can make it too stiff and it may become difficult to spread.
RECIPE FAQ
Although I mostly use 70% bittersweet chocolate for baking, this frosting recipe is ideal with dark chocolate between 55 and 60% cocoa solids. The sweeter chocolate has less cocoa butter so it won't firm up as quick in the frosting. I prefer this dark chocolate.
Yes, unfortunately icing sugar is fully of pesky lumps. If yours isn't lumpy, feel free to use it directly in the frosting.
I don't recommend freezing this buttercream since it contains melted chocolate which will firm it up a lot. It's best used immediately after making it.
Yes! This buttercream pipes like a dream!
How 'bout some cake for that frosting?
Here are some delicious cake recipes:
Practice your piping:
These cupcake recipes are great to pair with this frosting:
Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon 18g Dutch Process cocoa powder (I prefer this one)
- 3 tablespoon 45ml boiling water
- ⅔ cup 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ⅓ cups 160g powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 oz 170g semisweet dark chocolate between 50-60% cocoa, melted and cooled
- 4-5 tablespoon 60-75ml 35% heavy whipping cream at room temperature or slightly warmed (*NOT COLD*)
Instructions
- First combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Let it cool completely.
- Beat the soft butter in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until very smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until pale, creamy and fluffy. Add the cooled cocoa powder mixture, vanilla and salt and beat until evenly combined and very fluffy. This is the last stage where you will incorporate air into the buttercream. The mixture will look sort of grey-colored at this point. Add 1 tablespoon of cream and beat until smooth.
- Add half of the cooled melted chocolate and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add 2 tablespoons of cream (one tablespoon at a time) and beat between each addition. If you add all of the cream at once, it may separate.
- Add the remaining melted chocolate and mix it in gently, then finally beat in 1 tablespoon of cream. This gradually addition of cream ensures that the frosting doesn’t split and gives you a smooth creamy consistency. The consistency is highly dependent on your room temperature and humidity, so if it still looks too thick or stiff, gently mix in 1 more tablespoon of cream. Also, it's important to mix on low speed at this point since whipping on high will cause it to stiffen up.
- Use immediately to pipe or spread onto cakes or cupcakes. This frosting pipes very nicely. It will firm up as it cools further and the chocolate sets. This frosting is very stable, so store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate.
Kirstin
The instructions first mention using the cocoa mixture then later instructing us to use half the cocoa mixture. Can you clarify those steps? Thanks so much!
Mike. C
Made a very moist chocolate cake/cupcakes from Mitte cookbook, and tried your frosting for them. I liked it very much! It's just enough sweetness without being overly sweet. Not gritty, and I prefer to leave my cakes out for room temperature quality whenever I want to enjoy. This frosting makes leaving it out, a great option. I saved it and will def make again.
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Mike. This comment means a lot! I'm glad you enjoy this frosting recipe.
Krista
Can this be made a day or two in advance of frosting the cake? Just stored at room temperature as you mentioned and then whipped back up before frosting?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Krista, I wouldn't recommend it as the melted chocolate firms up and will make it difficult to whip. It may only work if you live in a very warm environment (>24 degrees C)
Cynthia
This recipe is truly amazing! It is the most chocolatey frosting I've ever tried and it's not too sweet which my family likes. Thanks for this great recipe!
Annabelle Webb
I can't wait to try some of these recipes, they sound and look yummy