Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

Just like my vanilla frosting, this recipe for chocolate frosting is easy and made with just five ingredients you probably already have on hand.

• Unsalted Butter: You can’t make a buttercream without starting with butter. I like to use unsalted butter because it allows us to control the amount of salt in the recipe. Additionally, it is absolutely key that the butter is room temperature.
• Vanilla: Even though this is chocolate frosting, the vanilla adds a smooth, rich flavor to help keep the chocolate from tasting too bitter or chalky.
• Cocoa Powder: This is what gives the homemade buttercream frosting a rich chocolaty taste.
• Powdered Sugar: Regular confectioner’s sugar works great in this recipe; the finer the better. Many recipes call for you to sift the sugar first so it doesn’t clump. This isn’t a step that I find necessary, and as you can see the frosting is smooth and creamy.
• Heavy Cream: Here’s where your frosting will achieve its fluffy, airy texture. Heavy whipping cream blends with the other ingredients beautifully, making this frosting lighter than air!
• Salt: Adding salt to recipes helps enhance the flavor of all the other ingredients. This applies to savory and sweet recipes. We are adding just a pinch here and it is the perfect final touch.

How to Make Chocolate Frosting

Here is a brief overview of how this easy chocolate frosting recipe comes together. For the full recipe and all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Whip the butter. It is important that your butter is at room temperature. Beat it with a hand mixer or in your stand mixer. Add in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
• Add the powdered sugar. Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Then add in the heavy cream and mix until combined. The frosting might seem really thick at this point, but when you add in the heavy cream it will turn into the delightful smooth frosting you see here.
• Use right away or refrigerate until ready to use.

The Key to The Best Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Make sure your butter is room temperature. Room temperature butter is key to making sure that this recipe works well. If it is too cold it won’t blend well with the other ingredients. If it is too soft, it won’t pipe well or hold its shape. Room temperature butter is the perfect balance and results in the best frosting.

A few things to keep in mind with room temperature butter:

• Room temperature butter is cold to the touch.
• You should be able to easily dent it with a finger without your finger going all the way through.
• Do not microwave the butter to achieve room temperature. The outside of the butter will melt while the inside of the stick of butter is still too cold.
• To achieve room temperature butter quickly, cut the stick of butter into one inch pieces and leave it on the counter for 30 minutes.