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Chocolate Frosting
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With over 2 million views and counting since 2013, this easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe is my most popular frosting recipe on my website. Using simple ingredients, it’s easy to whip up and the best frosting for any kind of cake, especially birthdays! Don’t take my word for it though, just take a look at the 600+ reviews in the comment section at the bottom of this post and you’ll see that it’s a favorite for many others as well!
Ingredients Needed
This is essentially a chocolate buttercream because it’s made with:
- softened butter – salted or unsalted will be just fine
- powdered sugar – sifted
- cocoa powder – sifted
- vanilla extract
- milk – amount to be adjusted to your liking. f you’re going to pipe this recipe, you’ll want it more stiff so it holds its shape, if you’re wanting to frost a cake, you’ll want it slightly thinner and more easily spreadable.
Pro Tip: Before you get started, make sure you are using very soft butter, sifted powdered sugar, sifted cocoa powder and be prepared to adjust the thickness of the frosting with a little more milk or a little more powdered sugar.
How to Make Chocolate Frosting
I assure you this is one of the easiest recipes in the entire world you can make. I promise you can do it! For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below.
Step 1: Whip Butter + Cocoa Powder
combine butter + cocoa powder together in a large bowl
whip until smooth
Step 2: Add Vanilla Extract + Powdered Sugar
add powdered sugar + vanilla extract
stir to combine
Step 3: Add Milk
slowly stream in milk until frosting reaches desired consistency
scrape sides and whip again until fluffy + smooth
Need more chocolate in your life? Try these tasty treats: Actually Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Cake Extreme, Chocolate Cobbler, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- If your frosting is too thick, slowly add in milk little by little to get the consistency you want.
- If your frosting is too thin, add a little extra powdered sugar little by little to get the consistency you want.
- If you want to use this frosting to cover a whole cake, run a butter knife through the finished frosting. If it holds its shape but is still really easy to spread, it’s perfect. I’d highly recommend using an offset spatula for frosting a cake.
- For pipe-able frosting that holds its shape, you want to make sure the frosting will hold its shape and not fall, so slightly stiffer than for frosting a whole cake. These disposable piping bags are great! Also, this 1M Wilton frosting tip is the one I use to get those gorgeous mountains of frosting on top of cupcakes.
- Frosting is meant to be sweet, but you can sprinkle in a little salt to tone it down. Cutting the powdered sugar? Just reduce the milk too so it stays smooth.
How to use this Frosting
Besides licking this right from the spoon, I have lots of cakes and cupcakes recipes to make with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
- Classic Chocolate Cake – obviously. 😉
- Chocolate Cupcakes – The perfect excuse to pipe on a sky-high swirl of chocolatey goodness.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake – A dense, fudgy dream that loves a fluffy frosting crown.
- Chocolate Candy Cane Cake – Chocolate and peppermint were made for each other, and this frosting seals the deal.
- Vanilla Cake – This combo is so yum! A little unexpected, a lot delicious.
So, there you have the easiest, tastiest chocolate frosting recipe! Hope you absolutely love it! Be sure to pin, save, bookmark and share this recipe because it’s a good one! Have a great day, friends!
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
My EASY Chocolate Frosting is the BEST frosting for cakes, especially birthday cupcakes!! It's simple to whip up in just 6 minutes and oh so creamy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened, both salted or unsalted work fine
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Whip butter and cocoa together until smooth in large bowl.
- Stir in vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
- Slowly stream in milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
- Scrape sides and whip again until light, fluffy and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Frost your cake or cupcakes*!
Video
Notes
*Frosts one 9 or 8 inch round layered cake or about 24 cupcakes, depending on how much frosting you put on each one.
- If your frosting is too thick, slowly add in milk little by little to get the consistency you want.
- If your frosting is too thin, add a little extra powdered sugar little by little to get the consistency you want.
Nutrition
Calories: 342kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 1gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 125mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 49gVitamin A: 479IUCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
Rate This RecipePlease consider Leaving a 5-Star Review!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really have to sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder?
No, not at all. Cocoa powder is notoriously lumpy and it definitely helps to sift, but not totally necessary. You might not even have a sifter available to you, which is fine! Also, powdered sugar has cornstarch mixed into it to help prevent lumping. As you whip the ingredients for the frosting together, most of the lumps should come out. *Should* come out. They might not, which is all the more reason to sift. But again, don’t lose sleep over this if you can’t sift.
Can I use Salted Butter?
Yes! I actually prefer using salted butter for all my desserts and baked goods. I know, I know. Either unsalted or salted butter is absolutely fine to use interchangeably in this recipe.
More Frosting Recipes
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
OH
MY
GOSH!
Betty Crocker would be so jealous!
This recipe is so good and so easy.
I love how you emphasize the simplicity of the ingredients, it makes the recipe feel so accessible and personal. It’s like you’re sharing a family secret!
This frosting was perfect when I needed some in a pinch, was going to buy some but this is so much better. Similar taste to the chocolate canned frosting without all the additives and questionable ingredients. I was short on the powdered sugar I only had 3 cups but it still came out perfectly. I frosted 21 cupcakes and still had enough left over for 3-4 more. I highly recommend putting a towel or cloth over the mixing bowl when starting up for the powdered ingredients as they ended up all over the counter.
Just what I was looking for! I was intimidated by the amount of sugar and decided to stop at 2 cups after a taste test – still divine!
Very good! I halved the recipe and used heavy whipping cream instead of milk. It was very similar to a mousse. Would try again! Tasty and delicious.
Love this frosting!! It’s light and fluffy and not too sweet!
very delicious
can it bee frozen to use at a later time
quick easy adaptable tasty!
not sure if I am frosting my cake way less than other people but I was able to frost a two tear 9 in roukd cake with a tad bit left over.
The best frosting ever.
Awesome frosting!
The very best recipe of chocolate I have made
I love you with your nice fluffy recipe’s ❤️
Delicious! I quadrupled the vanilla- it makes it taste even better use this recipe
Great basic recipe… I added sea salt, used organic butter and cocoa, added espresso powder and my own vanilla paste. I also had some ganache in the fridge and added about 3 T. So good !!
AMAZING. This is my go-to frosting recipe from now on. I loved making it, and it was very easy!
Thank you so much for your 5-star review Sofie! So glad you loved it!