How to make chocolate cream cheese frosting! This recipe is made with cocoa powder and is simple, fool-proof, and richly chocolaty.
It’s creamy and smooth but is still sturdy enough for piping and would be the perfect complement to your favorite cake or cupcake recipe!
Due to popular demand (and a persistent sweet tooth), I’ve been trying to amp up my frosting section on the blog recently.
So far I’ve covered some of my favorite frostings, including a decadent, silky smooth (but not too-sweet) chocolate frosting and a classic (and perfect, it’s literally my favorite) cream cheese frosting, and today I’m marrying these two favorites together into this chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe.
Despite my afore-mentioned sweet tooth, buttercream frostings were always too sweet for me growing up, so as soon as I discovered cream cheese frosting my mom switched over to icing and decorating my birthday cakes exclusively with classic and chocolate cream cheese frosting. While many cream cheese frostings don’t stand up well to piping or decorating (too many are too soft and runny), this recipe is stiff enough for decorating and, as you can see in the above picture, works perfectly for piping on top a cupcake.
Chocolate cream cheese frosting only requires 6 ingredients and for my recipe I always use cocoa powder (rather than melted chocolate) to give my frosting a rich chocolaty flavor.
Take a good look at your cocoa powder before adding it in to your mixer, and if it looks particularly clumpy I recommend running it through a sifter with your powdered sugar so that you don’t have any lumps when you go to pipe the frosting — there’s nothing more annoying than ruining that perfect chocolate swirl because your piping tip has a lump of cocoa powder or powdered sugar jamming up the flow.
Another tip for silky smooth frosting: Make sure that your cream cheese and butter are softened before beating them together. Cream cheese that’s still cold can also cause lumps in your frosting. I always recommend beating the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer first until both are well-combined and lump-free, and then adding your other ingredients.
Alright, I think that’s all I have to say about today’s super simple frosting recipe. I’m also just back from vacation and recovering from a crazy/wonderful week of sunny days and late 2AM nights with 29 of my favorite family members, so hopefully everything I just typed came out as coherently as possible 😉
Enjoy!
And if you’re wondering about the cupcakes in this picture, I just made my favorite vanilla cake recipe, added a handful of sprinkles, and baked into cupcakes. My funfetti cake or chocolate cupcakes would also work nicely!
How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened brick-style, not spreadable
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar*
- ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
Instructions
- Combine the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer or a stand mixer to beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened, 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened
- Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar*
- Add cocoa powder and beat until well-incorporated into the frosting -- be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that all ingredients are well-combined.½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
- Frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Riya
Can I use molten chocolate instead of cocoa powder?
Sam
I think it could work, but it’s definitely going to be trickier. You will need to make sure the chocolate has cooled enough so it won’t melt the other ingredients, and you may need to add a little extra sugar. 🙂
Riya
It worked! And, it was so delicious!!😀
Just to let you know, your vanilla cake recipe is my goto recipe all the time and I use it as the base for my fruit cakes too!😀
Sam
I am so glad to hear it! And that is awesome, I’m so glad you like the cake too! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out, Riya! 🙂
Mridul
Can I add a little whipped cream in it ?
Sam
Sure! A little will go a long way though and just keep in mind that the more you add the thinner your frosting will be.
Tina
In only have spreadable cream cheese and won’t make it toothe shops. Can i get away with it?
Sam
Hi Tina! I’m afraid the spreadable cream cheese would end up being too runny. I’m sorry. 🙁
Melissa
Can I frost a 3 layer cake with this amount?
Sam
Hi Melissa! I would recommend increasing the recipe by 50% for a 3 layer cake. 🙂
julie singer
Chocolate cream cheese frosting is my go-to. (It makes me happy when I am sad). I love this recipe!
Sam
Thank you so much, Julie! I am so glad you enjoy the frosting. It always helps cheer me up too. 🙂
Lara Bishop
It is so good! My daughter doesn’t like store bought frosting as it is too sweet. I make this recipe with a little less sugar and she loves it. We often just eat it by the spoonful without cake as it is just like chocolate cheesecake!!! I also like that I can determine how dark or light a chocolate flavor I want!
Sam
I’m so glad you and your daughter enjoyed the frosting, Lara! Thank you so much for commenting (and I’ve definitely eaten my fair share with a spoon, too!).
lottie
will this work to ice a cake?
Sam
Yes it will cover an 8 or 9 inch 2 layer cake. 🙂
Gina
Absolutely perfect icing, we are making a gravity defying cake and it worked perfectly! Thank you for sharing!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for letting me know how it worked out for you, Gina!
Sandy
Perfection
Sam
Thank you so much, Sandy! 🙂
Brian C.
Great recipe! I have used it several times. My last time I changed the cocoa for a strawberry flavor and it come out great again.
Thanks again for putting this out for us.
Sam
You’re very welcome, Brian! Thank you for commenting, I appreciate it! 🙂
Ashley
Absolutely delicious! Super easy to make and my kids, 6 and 4, loved it! I followed directions completely, no changes were needed. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sam
So happy to hear this! Thanks for commenting, Ashley! 🙂
Mihaela Luchian Cretu
Hi there
I’m wonder if this recipe is good to fill a cake?
Sam
Yup! 🙂
Paula
I just made this frosting and had to add a tablespoon of milk …it came out great!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting, Paula! 🙂
Edna Ayers
Do you have any high altitude recipes for chocolate, & yellow cakes and frosting? I live at 10,000 feet in central Colorado. I’ve bought 2 recipe books for high altitudes, but still don’t seem able to make a decent cake.
Sam
Hi Edna, I’m sorry but unfortunately I’m not familiar with high altitude baking, otherwise I’d be more than happy to help 🙁
Katherine A Dietz
I live in Colorado too check out dough-eyed.com she is from Denver also Mountain mama mile high baking from Vail.
Katherine
Paula
Hi could you possibley give me the carb count for this recipe? Thanks! I cant wait to try it!!
Sam
Hi Paula! I don’t have the carb count for this particular recipe but if you enter it into My Fitness Pal or a nutrition website like that it should be able to calculate it for you. I hope that helps! 🙂
Paula
Thanks for responding so quickly!!
Mary
I am making cupcakes for my granddaughters senior graduation party this Sunday afternoon.
I live an hour away and will have to make frosting at my house. I have a lot to do, can I make the frosting this early and keep in frig and still use a decorating tip to decorate?
Sam
Hi Mary! You can make the frosting ahead of time and refrigerate it. You may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to warm up, and give it another stir before it is pipe-able again. 🙂