This is my all-time favorite chocolate frosting recipe, and I think that once you try it it’ll be yours, too! Just 6 ingredients needed and it will easily frost a 2 layer 8″ or 9″ cake or generously ice a dozen cupcakes!
The Best Chocolate Frosting
Maybe you’ve seen this chocolate frosting recipe around here before. It’s made quite a few appearances, on my chocolate cake,ย vanilla cupcakes (pictured above), and myย vanilla cake (just to name a few), and finally it’s getting its own place on the blog.
Use it to top off your favorite cake or cupcake recipe, or just enjoy by the spoonful (you’ll get no judgement from me!).
What makes this the best chocolate frosting:
Well, you’re going to love it because it:
- Is richly chocolatey, without being too rich. The chocolate flavor complements whatever you put it on without being overwhelming!
- Is soft, smooth, and creamy.
- Uses less sugar than classic buttercream frosting or chocolate buttercream, perfect if you think most frosting recipes are too sugary or sweet!
- Absolutely melts in your mouth.
- Pipes beautifully, or frosts a cake smoothly.
What You Need
Here’s what you need:
- Chocolate. Real melted chocolate gives my chocolate frosting its incredible flavor and firm but fudgy consistency once it’s cooled. Chocolate bars (my preference) or chocolate chips will work fine.
- Powdered Sugar. This thickens and sweetens the frosting. One thing I love about this frosting is that it uses less sugar than your average frosting recipe.
- Butter. I use unsalted then add a pinch of salt for best flavor. Your butter should be at room temperature.ย If itโs too cold, small bits of the chocolate may harden as your ingredients are being combined and you will have chocolate bits in the mix rather than a smooth chocolate frosting.
- Vanilla Extract. Added for flavor! Any good chocolate is enhanced with a splash of vanilla to add depth of flavor.
- Heavy Cream. The small amount of heavy cream is the other part of what gives this chocolate frosting its smooth texture and rich flavor.
SAM’S TIP: You can use dark chocolate, semisweet, or milk chocolate for this frosting. If you want to use white chocolate, see my white chocolate buttercream recipe instead
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe and all details, please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chocolate Frosting
- Chop chocolate into small pieces (only if you’re using a bar, no need to chop if you’re using chips) and melt in 15-30 second increments, stirring in-between, until completely melted. semi-sweet chocolate into same-sized pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Let the chocolate cool until it’s no longer warm to the touch (but not re-solidifying) before continuing.
- Beat butter until creamy, then drizzle in melted (cooled) chocolate. Make sure the chocolate’s cooled, or the butter will melt and you’ll have a greasy chocolate frosting!
- Add the sugar in small amounts, stirring after each addition. Thoroughly stir in salt and vanilla.
- Drizzle in heavy cream and gradually turn up your mixer speed to high. Beat for 30 seconds for a light, silky smooth frosting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure that your chocolate hasn’t begun to re-solidify before you add it to the butter. If this happens, small pieces may harden and you’ll have flecks of chocolate throughout the frosting. This will make piping the icing especially difficult.
If you heat the chocolate too quickly in the microwave, it could seize, giving it a grainy, rather than smooth, appearance. If this happens, toss out the chocolate and start over or your frosting will be pebbly.
While heat can make a frosting soft, melt-y, and even runny, with this recipe the culprit is usually that your chocolate was too hot. Stir it occasionally as it cools and make sure if you touch the melted chocolate or the bottom of the bowl it doesn’t feel warm to the touch.
Unfortunately I don’t recommend using cocoa powder for this recipe. If you’d like to use cocoa powder, see my chocolate buttercream instead.
More Recipes You Might Like
Enjoy!
Letโs bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolateยฒ chopped into small pieces of roughly the same size
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon saltยณ
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Place your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Return chocolate to microwave and heat for another 15 seconds and stir again. Continue heating chocolate for 15 seconds, stirring after each, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolateยฒ
- Allow chocolate to cool for at least 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want chocolate to cool so that it is not hot to the touch, otherwise it will melt your butter and sugar and the frosting will not turn out.
- While the chocolate is cooling, place butter in a separate bowl and use a stand mixer or electric mixer to beat until creamy.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Add melted, cooled chocolate and stir well.
- Gradually add sugar, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl occasionally so that ingredients are well combined.2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- Sprinkle in salt and vanilla extract, stir well.ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract, ยผ teaspoon saltยณ
- With mixer on low, gradually add heavy cream to frosting. Gradually increase speed to high and beat for 30 seconds.2 Tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream
- Pipe or spread frosting onto prepared, cooled baked good.
Notes
ยนHow many cupcakes/how much cake will this frost?
This recipe will modestly cover 24 cupcakes or generously (as seen in the photos above) cover 12 cupcakes. You can also cover an 8″ or 9″ cake or a 9×13″ sheet cake. If you want to use the frosting for decorative borders around the cake, increase the recipe by 50%.ยฒChocolate
If you don’t have semisweet chocolate bars you can use 1 cup (170g) of semisweet chocolate chips instead.ยณButter
I recommend using unsalted butter, but if you only have salted on hand you can use that, just leave out the salt in this recipe.Making in Advance
This frosting may be made in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator with a piece of plastic wrap pressed firmly against the surface. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature then remove the plastic wrap and stir again to regain that smooth consistency before using.Piping Tip
I used an Ateco 848 piping tip to pipe the cupcakes seen in the photos above.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.
This recipe was originally published January 8th, 2018. While the recipe remains unchanged, I’ve updated the text of the post photos and added a how-to video.
Cindy
I made the cake and frosting exactly as you wrote, and I will comment on frosting. It was very creamy and made more than I thought it would. My aughter and I were not exactly crazy for the texure or the flavor. Seemed a bit too thin and too creamy. Just odd for us.
Kathryn Livingston
do you think I could sub water for the cream? I am making a cake right before going out of town in a couple weeks and don’t want to leave the rest of the cream in the fridge.
Sam
Hi Kathryn! I would leave it out rather than use water. Your frosting may just be a little thicker. You could use milk if you have that available. ๐
Emily
Everyone loved it! I did find that mixing in the salt at the end left grains that I could taste in the finished product even though I mixed it well after. Next time, I will stir the salt into the melted chocolate when itโs warmest to help it dissolve. I also might try less sugar (maybe staring with 1 1/2 C.) and no cream next time, since I liked how it tasted better before I finished adding all the sugar.
Sam
I’m glad everyone enjoyed it, Emily! ๐
Rekha Vinodh
Hi sam,
Shall we substitute fresh cream instead of heavy cream?
Sam
Hi Rekha! You can use fresh cream, but you may need a little bit less since it is a little thinner than heavy cream. ๐
Rekha vinodh
Thank you Sam…shall we use 1 tbsp of fresh cream.
Sam
Start with that and then add more (a teaspoon at a time) as/if needed
Tricia
This is an amazing recipe. What can i use instead of butter? I don’t eat butter.
Sam
Hi Tricia! You could use shortening but you will lose A LOT of flavor.
Cavet Smith
Wonderful recipe! I used almond bark and wasnโt sure if it would taste ok but everyone loved it ! Thank you maโam again for an awesome recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Cavet! ๐
Karen Hammond
This frosting was a hit, but frankly tasted salty even with unsalted butter. Iโll leave the salt out entirely next time. Still light, fluffy, and easy to spread.
Sam
Hi Karen! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m sorry it was a little too salty for you but that’s an easy fix for next time. ๐
Gillian
Can I freeze this?
Sam
Hi Gillian! I haven’t tried it but I am not sure I would recommend it. The chocolate in this recipe may make freezing difficult.
Ces
Hiii!! I’m from the Philippines and we don’t have heavy cream here ๐ Can I ask what substitute can i use from heavy cream? We only have here whipping cream and ordinary all purpose cream ๐ Thank you!
Sam
Whipping cream will work here. ๐
Ces
It means 2 tbsp of whipping cream will also be needed? Thank youu! ๐
Sam
Yes you will still need 2 TBSP. ๐
Eden
Can i use just half of the sugar?
Sam
The frosting will be very very soft if you do.
Raquel M.
When I made this chocolate frosting for this first time the cake was gone in 3 days. We are not big cake fans but my husband had asked for a homemade cake with chocolate frosting and I figured if I was going to do a homemade cake Iโll do homemade frosting as well. So far Iโve made this chocolate frosting 3 times in this past month and every time I made it itโs gone within a few days. I usually have to throw out the cake or cupcakes cause no one wants to eat it but because this frosting isnโt super sweet and so delicious and easy to make throwing the cake out is a thing of the past lol. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us, Iโll be using it for now on!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Raquel! Welcome to the wonderful world of chocolate frosting!! ๐
JeannieG
This is the BEST chocolate frosting I’ve ever had. It was so simple to make also. I made this frosting to go with your chocolate cake for my dad’s birthday. Both are so delish!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jeannie! ๐
Carole
I absolutely love this cake & the frosting too! Came out so fluffy & moist!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you so much for commenting, Carole!
Uma
How long can this frosting can be stored? Shelf life? Thank you
Sam
It will last about a week in the refrigerator. ๐
Anna D'Angelo
The choc cake recipe was wonderful!!! Looked messy because I tried a vintage snow peak effect with the frosting but the 37 degree temperatures) made it very melty but somehow that added to the fudgy taste. I put a layer of whipped cream between layers instead of frosting and added chopped walnuts to give it crunch. Put the half leftover in the fridge just between 2 soup dishes. overnight and the consistency was perfect the next day. Maybe I should of done that on the day?
Thank you so much for a lovely and easy recipe Sam ๐๐
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Anna! I always try to decorate the day I need it but it sounds like it still went well for you. ๐