• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flour Child logo

  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • Privacy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Classic Cocktails
  • Dinners
  • About Us
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Desserts » Chocolate Buttercream Frosting - the Perfect Cake Topping

    Published: Sep 9, 2020 · Modified: Feb 26, 2022 by Nancy · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Chocolate Buttercream Frosting - the Perfect Cake Topping

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Chocolate cake covered with chocolate buttercream frosting sitting on a round cake platter

    This chocolate buttercream frosting is a creamy, chocolatey, perfect topping for your favorite dessert cake.

    Why Buy It When It's So Easy To Make?

    I'm all for modern conveniences, but not when it comes to frostings. They are so easy to make with things you probably already have on hand, plus they taste incredibly fresh and delicious. And there's something to be said about having things homemade, without all those preservatives. So why reach for one on the store shelf when you can easily make it the old fashioned way?

    Can Something Really Be Too Chocolatey?

    Another bonus to making homemade frosting is that you can adjust the flavorings to your exact liking. Kevin and I both LOVE chocolate, so there is no such thing as too chocolatey for either one of us. But this buttercream frosting has a lot of cocoa in it, so if you're one of those aliens that doesn't like the chocolate flavor to be too strong, you may want to cut it back. Start by mixing it with only ½ cup of the cocoa, then taste it. If more chocolate is okay with you, then add the final ¼ cup at the end.

    Five Ingredients Is All You Need

    Here's everything you'll need to whip up this delicious chocolate buttercream frosting:

    • Butter
    • Powdered sugar
    • Cocoa powder
    • Vanilla extract
    • Milk

    I bet you don't even need to go shopping!

    One Tip For Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Perfection

    The one thing you need to do that will guarantee perfect frosting is to allow the butter to come to room temperature so that it whips up nice and fluffy with the other ingredients. That means it will need to sit out for close to an hour. If you take your butter out of the refrigerator when you remove your cake from the oven, it will reach room temperature at about the same time your cake is ready to be frosted.

    Do you need a cake to go with your frosting? Try our decadent chocolate cake!

    Close up photo of chocolate cake covered in chocolate buttercream frosting

    Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Nancy Blackstone
    A smooth, creamy and delicious chocolate buttercream frosting that goes well on cake or cupcakes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 hours hrs 16 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 159 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
    • ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 6 tablespoons butter room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup milk

    Instructions
     

    • Mix together powdered sugar and cocoa powder and set aside. You can start with ½ cup of cocoa and add more at the end if you want a lighter chocolate taste.
    • Put the butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until it is smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla. 
    • Add the sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter/vanilla and beat well. 
    • You can frost cake or cupcakes immediately.

    Notes

    Use whole milk for the creamiest texture
    You can use other milks and milk substitutes, but the frosting may turn out thinner 
    If you use unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the batter
    For a less chocolatey taste, reduce the cocoa powder to ½ cup

    Nutrition

    Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 55mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 186IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword best chocolate frosting, buttercream, cake frosting, chocolate dessert, Dessert topping, ultra chocolatey frosting
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Old Fashioned Dessert Recipes

    • Apple Brown Betty in a parfait glass, with a scoop of ice cream and a cinnamon stick on top.
      Apple Brown Betty: An Orchard to Oven Treat
    • Carmel apple with a wooden stick set on a piece of parchment paper, ready to serve.
      Easy Taffy Apples Recipe (Caramel Apples)
    • Cherry pie on a cooling rack surrounded by fresh cherries, and with a white bowl of cherries and a white kitchen towel next to it.
      Very Cherry Pie - A Classic American Dessert
    • A rectangular serving plate with 7 watermelon wedges stacked, with a large square serving plate behind it and one quarter of a whole watermelon on it.
      Sliced Watermelon Wedges

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Nancy and Bentley

    Hi, I'm Nancy! Welcome to Flourchild where I share classic mid-century recipes from the 1940's - 1970's. I feature many vintage handwritten recipes, and provide modern shortcuts and a variety of healthy and special diet-friendly versions whenever possible. Join me in exploring the delicious flavors and from-scratch cooking techniques of our past!

    More about me →

      Summer Favorites

      • A stack of grilled beef ribs on a wooden cutting board.
        Grilled Barbecued Beef Short Ribs
      • Six ears of grilled, browned corn stacked on a wooden serving tray.
        Grilled Corn on the Cob (In the Husk)
      • A pitcher of old fashioned lemonade ready to pour into the 4 surrounding glasses that are garnished with a lemon wedge.
        Old Fashioned Homemade Lemonade
      • A cast iron skillet full of barbecued beans, with a wooden spoon set on the edge of the pan.
        Fast and Easy Homemade Barbecued Beans
      • A serving of classic potato salad on a green salad plate. Paprika is sprinkled on top.
        Classic Potato Salad Recipe
      • A rectangular serving plate with 7 watermelon wedges stacked, with a large square serving plate behind it and one quarter of a whole watermelon on it.
        Sliced Watermelon Wedges

      Soups & Stews

      • Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
      • A bowl of lasagna soup with shredded cheese on top and basil garnish. A glass of wine and a hot roll are pictured next to the bowl.
        Easy Lasagna Soup (Stovetop and Crockpot Methods)
      • Bowl of simple lentil soup served with French bread on the side.
        Simple Lentil Soup Recipe
      • A close up image of vegetable barley soup in a white bowl
        Old Fashioned Vegetable Barley Soup
      • Super Bowl Chili Is The Perfect Football Food
      • Two bowls of beef burgundy stew with a loaf of French bread sitting on a table
        Beef Burgundy Stew - Warm Comfort on a Cold Night

      Popular Recipes

      • Two large cinnamon apple pancakes on a black plate with apple topping and maple syrup running down the sides.
        Cinnamon Apple Pancakes
      • Boneless apple cider pork chops on a serving platter, topped with cooked apples and surrounded with fresh sprigs of parsley.
        Boneless Apple Cider Pork Chops
      • Candy Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
      • An apple butter old fashioned cocktail in a tumbler with apples and fall-related items in the background
        Sip into Fall: How to Make the Perfect Apple Butter Old-Fashioned Cocktail

      • Email
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      Nancy and Bentley

      Hi, I'm Nancy! Welcome to Flourchild where I share classic mid-century recipes from the 1940's - 1970's. I feature many vintage handwritten recipes, and provide modern shortcuts and a variety of healthy and special diet-friendly versions whenever possible. Join me in exploring the delicious flavors and from-scratch cooking techniques of our past!

      More about me →

        Summer Favorites

        • A stack of grilled beef ribs on a wooden cutting board.
          Grilled Barbecued Beef Short Ribs
        • Six ears of grilled, browned corn stacked on a wooden serving tray.
          Grilled Corn on the Cob (In the Husk)
        • A pitcher of old fashioned lemonade ready to pour into the 4 surrounding glasses that are garnished with a lemon wedge.
          Old Fashioned Homemade Lemonade
        • A cast iron skillet full of barbecued beans, with a wooden spoon set on the edge of the pan.
          Fast and Easy Homemade Barbecued Beans
        • A serving of classic potato salad on a green salad plate. Paprika is sprinkled on top.
          Classic Potato Salad Recipe
        • A rectangular serving plate with 7 watermelon wedges stacked, with a large square serving plate behind it and one quarter of a whole watermelon on it.
          Sliced Watermelon Wedges

        Soups & Stews

        • A bowl of baked potato soup topped with bacon, green onions, shredded cheddar, and a dollop of sour cream
          The Best Baked Potato Soup
        • Split Pea and Ham Soup is an Old Fashioned Meal in a Bowl
        • Traditional Navy Bean Soup in a blue bowl with spoon.
          Navy Bean Soup is a Traditional Favorite

        Popular Recipes

        • Apple butter on top of a fluffy biscuit on a white plate.
          Homemade Slow Cooked Apple Butter
        • A garden salad on a white salad plate, with Thousand Island dressing being spooned over it.
          Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
        • Lipton California Dip inside a small dipping bowl with a potato chip on the top for garnish.
          Lipton California Dip (Lipton Onion Soup Dip)
        • Two brownies stacked on top of each other on a white plate.
          Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies

        Footer

        ↑ back to top

        About

        • Privacy Policy
        • Accessibility Policy

        Newsletter

        • Sign Up! for emails and updates

        Contact

        • Contact

        As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

        Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme