Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Chocolate frosting being piped onto vanilla cupcakes.

A simple chocolate frosting recipe that will easily frost a 2 layer 8" or 9" cake or generously ice a dozen cupcakes! Be sure to check out the how-to video!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings (see note 1)

Calories 305kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Mixing bowls

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

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.

Video

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 9x13" 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