Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

Made with cocoa powder and melted chocolate, this chocolate buttercream frosting is light and fluffy with a rich chocolate flavor. You’ll never go back to store-bought frosting again!

One of the most popular recipes on this site is my homemade buttercream frosting. It’s easy to make and the frosting is super fluffy and delicious. It’s got hundreds and hundreds of 5-star reviews for a reason!

And one of the most common questions I get asked is how to turn that gorgeous vanilla buttercream into a chocolate buttercream frosting.

I’ve played around with a few different methods over the years, from adding a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to mixing in some melted chocolate. But I finally nailed the perfect chocolate buttercream.

This recipe uses two forms of chocolate – cocoa powder and melted chocolate – for double the chocolatey goodness. The flavor is super rich but the texture is just as light and fluffy as the original.

It’s the perfect frosting for any chocolate lover!

The perfect chocolate buttercream

This recipe makes a rich chocolate frosting with the light, fluffy texture that everyone loves in a good buttercream frosting. Even though it’s rich and decadent, it’s got a good balance of sweetness, making it perfect for any of your favorite cakes or cupcakes.

The way we get so much flavor into this frosting is by using a combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate.

Cocoa powder is kind of like super-powered chocolate. If we only used melted chocolate, we wouldn’t be able to get the fluffy texture we want in this recipe. Adding cocoa powder into the mix boosts the chocolate flavor without making the frosting too heavy.

I prefer to use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe. If you aren’t familiar with the types of cocoa powder or why it’s used in recipes, I walk you through all of that in my cocoa powder 101 post.

The second type of chocolate we’ll use is melted dark chocolate. Even if you aren’t usually a fan of dark chocolate, I beg you to give it a try in this recipe.

The dark chocolate adds a ton of rich flavor without making the frosting too sweet. Trust me, there is plenty of powdered sugar in this recipe to balance out any bitterness from the dark chocolate.

All you’ll taste is incredibly chocolatey goodness!

How to make my chocolate buttercream

If you’ve never made one of my frosting recipes before, you might be surprised to learn that making homemade frosting is not just easy, it’s kind of fun!

Trust me, you’ll never go back to the tub of store-bought frostings again after trying this recipe.

Ingredients you’ll need

To make my chocolate buttercream, you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups room-temperature unsalted butter
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 (3.5-ounce) melted and cooled Ghirardelli dark chocolate bar (60% or 72% cacao) 
• 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk

Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you start making the frosting. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, I have some tips for how to soften butter quickly to help speed up the process.

When measuring the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, use the same fluff, scoop, and sweep method that we use when measuring flour.

I like to use unsweetened cocoa powder in this frosting. It is sometimes called natural cocoa powder – they’re the same thing! If you want to use dutch-process cocoa, just keep in mind that the flavor and color of the final frosting may be a bit different.

Ghirardelli is my favorite brand of chocolate bar to use in this frosting. Their products are top-notch (I adore their brownie mixes, too), and I really do notice a difference in the flavor of this chocolate buttercream when I use a good chocolate bar.

Making this frosting

Just like when you’re making my whipped cream frosting or brown butter frosting, you will need a stand mixer or electric mixer to create the perfect texture in this chocolate buttercream.

If you are using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.

To start, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 6-7 minutes. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

And yes, I really do mean 6-7 minutes! Don’t try to rush this process or the texture of the frosting won’t be right.

In a separate bowl, sift the powdered sugar with the cocoa powder. With the mixer on low, slowly add this mixture to the butter. Keep beating until it is totally incorporated – scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add in a pinch of salt and the vanilla; mix to combine.

Now spoon in the melted and cooled dark chocolate. Mix on low until no streaks remain, then add in 3 tablespoons of the milk or cream. Mix to combine, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Turn the mixer back to medium-high and beat the buttercream for another 6-7 minutes. This is where the magic really happens to make the frosting super light and fluffy.

If your chocolate buttercream is too thick, feel free to add a bit more milk or cream – 1 teaspoon at a time – until you reach your desired consistency.

At this point you can pipe or spread the frosting onto your cake or cupcakes or store it for later use.

Storage and freezing tips

This chocolate buttercream can be made a few days ahead of time, so it’s easy to prepare before a party or holiday.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate the frosting for up to three days. When you’re ready to use it, bring the frosting to room temperature. Beat it for about 5 minutes with a mixer or until smooth.

You may need to add a splash of cream or milk to revive the consistency before piping or spreading onto your cake or cupcakes.

Freezing chocolate buttercream

Extra chocolate buttercream can also be frozen for longer-term storage.

Place the frosting in a freezer-safe airtight container. Sometimes I will also place a layer of plastic wrap on the top of the frosting for extra protection. Freeze for up to a month.

Let the frosting thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Before using, let it come to room temperature and beat it with your mixer for about 5 minutes or until nice and smooth. Add a splash of milk or cream if needed.

Uses

Chocolate buttercream frosting is amazing on all kinds of cakes and cupcakes. This recipe makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes or a 9-inch layer cake, so you have a ton of options for ways to use it!

For an ultra-decadent chocolate experience, add it to black magic cake or the best chocolate cake. It would also be perfect on top of chocolate cupcakes made with my doctored cake mix recipe.

If you want to contrast the chocolatey frosting with a different flavor cake, try it on homemade yellow cake, vanilla cupcakes, funfetti cupcakes, or strawberry layer cake.

You can even use it as a filling for cookie sandwiches made with easy sugar cookies.

From birthdays and anniversary celebrations to a random weeknight, this chocolate buttercream is a recipe that you’ll come back to time and again for all your chocolate dessert cravings.