Easy Chocolate Frosting
This Easy Chocolate Frosting creamy, silky, smooth, rich and it holds its shape beautifully! You only need 5 ingredients. Perfect on cakes and cupcakes.
Servings 12 cupcake (2.5 cups)
Calories 331kcal
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)
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.
Notes
Chocolate: In this recipe, melted chocolate can be substituted with ½ cup (45 g) of unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder.
Milk: You might not need to add the 3-4 tablespoons. It will depend on how soft the butter was, the temperature of your kitchen, and how much fat content the chocolate has. Having said that, I recommend adding 1 tablespoon at a time. Check consistency and add more if necessary. The frosting should be soft and spreadable but not runny.
Store: This chocolate frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Make-ahead: Cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. To use, allow it to come back up to room temperature and beat again for a few minutes so it’s creamy again.
Freeze: 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.
Yield: This recipe is enough to frost 12 cupcakes or one 9×13 sheet cake.
Extra Tips:
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sugar: 39g