This is the best chocolate buttercream frosting recipe you will ever make. It's light, airy with real melted chocolate, not just cocoa powder. I have been using this for all my cakes and cupcakes only to receive rave reviews from my customers. Today, I share with you my secret to making the best chocolate buttercream recipe with this step-by-step video tutorial.
Table of Content
If you take the trouble to bake a delicious cupcake don't just frost it with a mixture of butter, sugar, and chocolate. Isn't that what chocolate buttercream is? Butter, sugar, and chocolate. Well, yes and no! They may be just three main ingredients, and yet, if you do it right, it can be the best frosting recipe you have put on your cakes or cupcakes.
I've said this before and I'll say it again, often the difference between good and OMG is a little bit of extra effort. So today, I share with you my way of making this chocolate buttercream frosting recipe in just 5 minutes with only 5 ingredients.
About this frosting
Having been in the cake business for as long as I have, I have made oh so many buttercream recipes. But, when it comes to chocolate frosting, this one gets huge, and I mean huge reviews. It's not just a big ball of dense chocolate and sugar.
It's light, fluffy with just the right amount of chocolate. The trick is in whipping the buttercream so the whipped cream adds volume and stability. Also, the amount of chocolate is just right. So, while it's a decadent frosting it does not overshadow the cake or dessert.
Ideally, you want to use no less than 54% chocolate. And yet, I have often used up to 70% chocolate in an effort to keep the frosting less sweet. This works great for frosting cupcakes, cakes, or dessert, that need chocolate buttercream.
Also, this is a very forgiving recipe that works great with any chocolate - dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Butter - I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of salt in my recipe. And yet, if salted butter is all you gave go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe.
- Powdered sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar. When looking for powdered sugar always buy one made from cane sugar, not beet sugar. You will find the buttercream made from cane sugar does not have a grainy consistency.
- Fresh cream - Just a little but adds so much more. If you are unable to use fresh cream, I'd recommend using non-dairy creamer or just 2 tablespoon of water. I like using ¼ cup cream, but if you need to pipe stiff borders use less than that. It will keep the frosting stiffer.
- Chocolate - Use the best quality chocolate you can afford. After all, the chocolate is the star of the show here. You can add a little more (50 grams) or use less chocolate in this recipe, but it can affect the consistency and taste. (see F&Q below)
- Vanilla - A good quality vanilla will make a huge difference in anything you make. Premium vanilla can be expensive, which is why I make my own homemade vanilla extract, bean paste or sugar.
Step by step instructions
- Melt chocolate in the microwave or double boiler - set aside to cool.
- Make sure the butter is room temperature not cold.
- Use a whisk or mixer and cream the butter for a minute.
- Add salt, fresh cream and vanilla - mix a minute longer, until well combined.
- Now, add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Once all the powdered sugar has been incorporated,
- Continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes more until you have a light and fluffy buttercream.
- The cream in the mixture will whip and give you almost stiff peaks.
- Tip: If you do not whip enough, the buttercream will be soft consistency, which may not be pipeable. So, whip until you have a stable whipped cream kinda light and fluffy frosting. (See video)
- Lastly, add the melted cooled chocolate to the buttercream and stir well to combine.
More buttercream recipes
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- Best Coffee Buttercream Frosting
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- See all frosting recipes
Frequently asked questions
It really depends on the type of frosting you use and the weather where you keep the cake. This chocolate buttercream frosting can be kept out for a few days (2 to 3 days at room temperature) as long as it's not hot and humid because it's made with butter. That said, if you live in a hot and humid climate like Israel, India, or Texas in summer, it is best to leave them in the fridge for long hours.
If you make extra buttercream don't throw it away. Freeze it and it will last for months.
You certainly can use this buttercream to frost a whole cake. In fact, I have over 30 plus buttercream recipes that you can use to frost cakes and over 30 plus layer cake recipes to use all these buttercream flavors.
You can, but if you want to pipe flowers using the Russian piping tips, I highly recommend my stiff buttercream recipe. You can also find tips for using Russian Piping Tips here.
Troubleshooting & tips
- My chocolate buttercream is not smooth but grainy - You must ensure the buttercream and chocolate are room temperature when combining. Do you know what happens when you cool chocolate? It sets.
- How can I add chocolate to the buttercream without seizing - Another fool-proof method to adding the chocolate would be a tempering method - add a little buttercream to the chocolate first. Combine well, then add the chocolate to the rest of the buttercream.
- My buttercream is lumpy? - Make sure the butter is room temperature not cold. Cold butter does not cream beautifully. The added advantage of creaming room temperature butter is that it lightens the butter. This works best when you want to add food color gels.
- My buttercream is too soft - You either added too much liquid or the butter was too soft when you started it. Place the butter in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.
- My buttercream is too sweet? - Buttercream is butter and powdered sugar, so it is supposed to be sweet. And yet, you can use good quality chocolate with 70% plus cocoa to make it less sweet.
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Printable Recipe
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe - Just 5 minutes
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted Butter ((2 sticks) room temperature)
- 3 cups (360 g) Powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Whipping cream
- 4 oz (100 g) Chocolate (Dark (60% fat and above is best) )
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in the microwave or double boiler - set aside to cool.
- Make sure the butter is room temperature not cold.
- Use a whisk or mixer and cream the butter for a minute.
- Add salt, fresh cream and vanilla - mix a minute longer, until well combined.
- Now, add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Once all the powder sugar has been incorporated,
- Continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes more until you have a light and fluffy buttercream.
- The cream in the mixture will whip and give you almost stiff peaks.
- Tip: If you do not whip enough the buttercream will be soft consistency which may not be pipeable. So whip until you have a stable whipped cream kinda light and fluffy frosting. (See video)
- Lastly, add the melted cooled chocolate to the buttercream and stir well to combine.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Megan
Hi there! I’ve really enjoyed using your recipes. I am using this one to make a birthday character cake, and I need the brown to be darker! 😂 I’ve tried adding gel food coloring of opposite colors (blue and orange and purple and yellow), and can’t see a difference. Added more melted chocolate, and I’m thinking cocoa powder might work, but I’m really messing with the makeup now. What do you suggest?
Veena Azmanov
Hey Megan, Yes, don't add too many gel food colors especially with cocoa powder and chocolate, it tends to make the buttercream grainy (can split).
Ideally, I found, to make a dark chocolate buttercream the best is to first, make a cocoa paste with hot water. Cool it down and then add to the buttercream until you get a nice deep dark color. (Hot water deepens the cocoa color)
You can then add more dark melted cooled chocolate for flavor later as well.
Kate
This is the most delicious buttercream frosting! I admit, I cheated and made a box cake for an office gathering, hoping the frosting would make up for it, and I wasn't disappointed. It wasn't as chocolatey as I would have liked, but I am living in Saudi Arabia and could only find 56% cocoa baking chocolate. The frosting's texture was nice and stiff and the taste was utterly delicious. Easy and quick to make, too.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, for the lovey feedback. Happy to hear you enjoyed this buttercream.