This Easy Chocolate Frosting is creamy, silky, smooth, and rich, and it holds its shape beautifully! You only need 5 ingredients. Perfect on cakes and cupcakes. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
My Go-To Chocolate Frosting Recipe
By popular demand, here is my Chocolate Frosting recipe! This is my go-to recipe, so you may have spied it on my favorite eggless baked goods.
It’s creamy, silky, smooth, and rich and holds its shape beautifully. It melts in your mouth and is unbelievably delicious on cakes and cupcakes.
My #1 Tip for Creamy and Smooth Chocolate Buttercream
My secret to making a super smooth and creamy chocolate frosting is using melted chocolate rather than cocoa powder.
It’s SO good that you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
- Chocolate: I recommend using high-quality chocolate. I like to use Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Chips 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate or Callebaut Belgian Dark Couverture Chocolate Semisweet Callets, 54.5%. I like to use melted chocolate because it makes a smoother frosting, in my experience, but you can substitute melted chocolate with ½ cup (45 gr) unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder if that is what you have handy.
- Butter: European-style butter, which has high quality and higher fat content, and lower water content, will produce the best buttercream. You can use salted or unsalted butter, it’s up to you, just skip adding more salt if you are using salted butter.
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Powdered sugar: Make sure to sift the powdered sugar before mixing it in. This helps get rid of any lumps.
- Milk: For baking, I like to use whole milk. However, you can use any milk you have handy. For a creamer buttercream, you can use heavy cream.
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
- Melt the chocolate
Place your chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Return the chocolate to the microwave and heat for another 15 seconds, and stir again. Continue heating the chocolate for 15 seconds, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Beat butter
In a medium bowl, beat with an electric mixer and butter until soft.
- Add melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt
Add melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Add powdered sugar
Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until blended before adding the next one. Add 3 -4 tablespoons of milk, one tablespoon at a time, to make frosting smooth and spreadable; when incorporated, beat at medium-high speed for 4 – 5 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
- Push out the air pockets
Before spreading or piping onto your baked goods, spend a couple of minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon or a spatula to push out the air pockets.
Tips To Make The Best Chocolate Buttercream
Make sure the butter is softened (slightly chilled) but not too warm and greasy.
Whip up the butter until it is light, fluffy, pale in color, and free of lumps. This might take up to 5 minutes.
Always sift the confectioners’ sugar.
Add just 1 cup of sugar at first and mix until smooth before adding the rest of the sugar.
Use heavy cream instead of milk for an ultra-creamy consistency.
Give your buttercream a last mix by hand with a rubber spatula. Mixing it by hand for a couple of minutes is an arm workout, but it makes a big difference. Be sure to push the frosting against the side of the bowl to push out all that trapped air.
If the buttercream is too grainy, it may be because you need to add a bit more milk or heavy cream. I recommend adding 1 additional tablespoon at a time to ensure you don’t lose the consistency of your frosting.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
This chocolate frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 days and in the freezer for 3 months. When ready to use it, allow it to come back to room temperature and beat again for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
European-style butter, which has high quality and higher fat content, and lower water content, will produce the best buttercream. You can use salted or unsalted butter; it’s up to you; just skip adding more salt if you are using salted butter.
Yes! The buttercream keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. When ready to use it, allow it to come back up to room temperature and beat again for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
Yes! Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator, then beat the frosting for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
The buttercream keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Uses for Chocolate Buttercream
This frosting is so freaking good that you can eat it by the spoon – I have done that (no judging, please). I also use it to decorate:
- Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes
- The Best Eggless Chocolate Cake Ever
- Eggless German Chocolate Cake
- How to Make a Cake Mix Box without Eggs
More Egg-Free Frosting/Icing Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cinnamon Rolls Icing
- Eggless Royal Icing
- Frosting for cookies
Recipe Card 📖
Easy Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 oz (150 g) chocolate (I use dark chocolate) (see notes)
- 1 cup (228 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla pure extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 3 – 4 tablespoons (45 – 60 ml) milk or heavy cream (see notes)
Important
You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!
Instructions
- Melt chocolate: Place your chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Return the chocolate to the microwave and heat for another 15 seconds, and stir again. Continue heating the chocolate for 15 seconds, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed, beat in a large bowl the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy, about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and keep mixing until incorporated. Once incorporated, add the remaining confectioners’ sugar; beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4 – 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
- Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, and keep mixing to incorporate for 4 – 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable, scraping down the bowl once or twice (read recipe notes). NOTE: The frosting should be soft and spreadable, but not runny. If the buttercream is too thick, beat in more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If it is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until the desired consistency is reached
- Before using, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon or large spatula to push out the air pockets to create a silky-smooth frosting.
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before beating it.
- Whip up the butter until is light, fluffy, pale in color, and free of lumps. This might take up to 5 minutes.
- Always sift the confectioners’ sugar.
- Add just 1 cup of sugar at first and mix until smooth before adding the rest of the sugar.
- Use heavy cream instead of milk for an ultra-creamy consistency.
- Try not to overbeat the buttercream after all the ingredients have been added or you might add bubbles, which will ruin the texture of the buttercream.
- Give your buttercream a last mix by hand with a rubber spatula. It’s an arm workout to mix it by hand for a couple of minutes, but it makes a big difference. Be sure to really push the frosting against the side of the bowl to push out all of that trapped air.
- If the buttercream is too grainy, it may be because you need to add a bit more milk or heavy cream. I recommend adding 1 additional tablespoon at a time to make sure you don’t throw off the consistency of your frosting.
I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in March 2020, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in June 2022.
This is wonderful frosting – light, smooth and not overly sweet. Easy to make kand absolutely delicious.
Hello Judith! Yay! I’m so happy you loved the frosting! 😊 Light, smooth, and not too sweet is exactly what I was going for—so glad it hit the mark. Thank you for the sweet feedback! 💛