Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This chocolate buttercream recipe makes enough to frost one 9x13” sheet cake or one 8” or 9” round 2-layer cake or to generously ice 12 cupcakes (as seen in photos above) or modestly ice 24 cupcakes. This recipe may be doubled or even tripled if you have a mixing bowl that is large enough.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 297kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Mixing bowls

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
3 ½ cups (435 g) powdered sugar
⅔ cup (65 g) cocoa powder¹
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛-¼ teaspoon salt
3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk plus more as needed
A pinch of espresso powder would also be great in this recipe!

Instructions

Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and an electric mixer) and beat on low-speed until creamy and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
Add 2 cups (250g) of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream and turn mixer to low speed. Stir until well-combined.
3 ½ cups (435 g) powdered sugar, ⅔ cup (65 g) cocoa powder¹, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛-¼ teaspoon salt, 3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk, A pinch of espresso powder would also be great in this recipe!
Gradually (with mixer on low-speed) add remaining powdered sugar. The icing may appear pretty dry, this is OK.
Add remaining heavy cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time. Start with mixer on low-speed and gradually increase speed to medium-high, beating on this speed for several seconds to whip each Tablespoon of cream into the batter. Add additional tablespoons of cream until a smooth, pipe-able consistency is reached.
I recommend piping icing over your cupcakes or frosting your cake immediately. See notes in the post on how to store buttercream and use at a later date.

Video

Notes

¹You may use natural unsweetened or Dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe.

Please see the post for information on making in advance and storing. This recipe can be used under fondant.

Nutrition