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, vanilla cupcakes (pictured above), and my 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. If it’s 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!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate² 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
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt³
- 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 chocolate²
- 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.½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt³
- 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
¹How 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%.²Chocolate
If you don’t have semisweet chocolate bars you can use 1 cup (170g) of semisweet chocolate chips instead.³Butter
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.
Grace
This was my first attempt at making my own frosting and it was amazing! Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate frosting, Grace! 🙂
Sue
Quick question….after I frost the cake, how long can the cake be kept at room temperature? 2-3 days?
Sam
Hi Sue! 2-3 days will be fine, but make sure to keep it in an air tight container. 🙂
Lynn Boutwell
Yummy and Wow!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate frosting, Lynn! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Lynn Boutwell
The cake AND frosting are to die for!!! I almost did not make the frosting, but so glad I did. I like it so much I’m keeping this recipe!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks again, Lynn! I am so glad you enjoyed the cake and frosting. 🙂
Rebecca
Hi Sam,
Loving your cakes and icings- did your vanilla cake for my daughters’ bday last week. Amazing. Tomorrow I’m doing your BEST chocolate cake recipe…. when you mention powdered sugar in the frosting (I’m writing from Australia), I’m guessing you mean icing sugar. I prefer using icing sugar mixture (so that the sugar doesn’t harden in the pantry between uses). Can you confirm? And if I used icing sugar mixture (which contains tapioca) how would I adapt do you think?
Many many thanks
Rebecca
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Rebecca! I hope that your daughter had a nice birthday celebration and enjoyed her cake. Thank you for trying my recipe, I am so glad that you enjoyed it. For the Chocolate Frosting… icing sugar, confectioners sugar, and powdered sugar are all the same. You should be able to use icing sugar just fine. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Lili
Sooo tasty! This recipe is definitely a keeper for me!
But if I wanted to make it with white chocolate, would I have to change anything?
Sam
You should be able to do an equal substitute with white chocolate and it would work just fine 🙂
Robin
I didn’t have 6 oz of semisweet on hand. I used 4 oz unsweetened, and 2 oz white chocolate. Very yummy! I will do it per recipe next time, but I already know it will be my fave. Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chocolate frosting, Robin! Thank you for sharing your substitutions, too 🙂
Cheryl
Wow, just what I imagined chocolate butter would taste like! Very rich and creamy. Mine was a little soft so skipped the milk and added a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar to stiffen it a bit. Lots of chocolate flavor without being too sweet.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Cheryl! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Chocolate Frosting. 🙂
Chantal Rioux
Can the frosting be frozen?
Cheryl
I can’t wait to try this frosting using semi-sweet chocolate chips. I’ve always used cocoa in my frosting. Probably because I always have it on hand. Other recipes call for Bakers chocolate or Guittard chocolate. I always have Nestles chocolate chips on hand😊
Sugar Spun Run
I hope that you enjoy the Chocolate Frosting, Cheryl! 🙂
Sam
Can I substitute milk chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Sam! Yes, that is fine. I hope that you enjoy the chocolate frosting. 🙂
Ladonna
Hello!
Love this frosting! I didn’t have any milk, so I added 2 Tbl of sour cream. It turned out very yummy!
Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you, Ladonna! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chocolate frosting. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Ross
Best recipe for buttermilk frosting ever and the chocolate taste was perfect! Great job! So good everyone kept asking me where I bought it haha!
I’m going to look for any cream cheese frosting recipes you have! Thank you for sharing!
David Martz
Yer recipe says 2tbl heavy cream . I don’t keep heavy cream on hand . What else could I use in place of heavy cream. Recipe says 6oz chocolate. Is that chocolate chips or bar
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, David! You can use milk instead. I recommend starting with 1 tbs and adding more as needed until you get the right consistency. As far as the chocolate, you can use either a bar or morsels. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Melissa
This is my new go-to chocolate frosting. I reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup because I don’t like things overly sweet. It’s chocolatey and delicious with a hint of salt. So good!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Melissa! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chocolate frosting. 🙂
Jessica
Can you make this ahead of time? And if so, do you have to let it get to room temperature to whip it up again?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jessica! Yes, you can make it in advance but you will have to let it get back to room temperature and then stir it again in order to be able to pipe or spread it. I hope that you enjoy the chocolate frosting! 🙂
Jessica
Thank you so much ma’am for replying back. I used it on your vanilla cake recipe and everyone in my family loved it!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that everyone enjoyed it! Thank you, Jessica!
Rebecca
This was an amazing recipe but mine came out tasting salty😬 don’t know if I did something wrong or it was the type of salt I used but all I could taste was salt. And I used unsalted butter. Next time only going to use a pinch
Tina
Rebecca & Jessica,
My frosting was slightly salty tasting as well and I also used unsalted butter. Will it alter outcome to use 1/4 tsp? Otherwise it was a beautiful consistency on your AMAZING chocolate cake yesterday for hubby’s birthday! Thank you!
Tina
Oops I meant Rebecca and Sam🤪
Sam
You’ll be fine to reduce the salt! I’m glad to hear you otherwise enjoyed the frosting, Tina! 🙂