Who doesn’t love chocolate… frosting? Growing up, chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream was my favorite and something my mom would make for me every birthday growing up. Then my mom would use a box of cake mix and a can of chocolate frosting.
Today, I’ll show you how to make this elevated version of chocolate buttercream to honor this childhood favorite. It’s super simple to make this rich and creamy chocolate buttercream.
This Chocolate Buttercream is made with butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and your choice of milk or dark chocolate cocoa powder.
This chocolate buttercream frosting is featured in Campfire S’mores Cake, Christmas Reindeer Cake, and the base for this Black Cat Cake.
Tips for Success:
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this buttercream.
- A single batch of this buttercream recipe makes enough to decorate a three, 6-inch round layer cake or two 8-inch round layer cakes. Double the buttercream recipe to make enough frosting for a three, 8-inch round cake.
- You can make the buttercream a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature. Make sure the buttercream is at room temperature before re-whipping; add 1 TBSP of heavy cream if needed.
What Tools You’ll Need to Make This Frosting:
- 5-quart, Stand Mixer with mixing bowl & paddle attachment
- Whisk or sifter
- Rubber Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
Here’s how to make this creamy chocolate buttercream frosting!
Let’s Get Started!
Chocolate Buttercream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and add vanilla and salt.
- Then gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, followed by the cream. Mix on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Before decorating, turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles, or use a rubber spatula to push out the air bubbles. (You may need to repeat this step when frosting the outside of the cake).
You May Also Enjoy:
- Build Cakes Like a Pro (free guide)
- 10 Scratch Made Frostings for Beginner Bakers (post)
- Cake Decorating for Beginners (masterclass)
I’m so excited to see your Chocolate Buttercream creations. Please feel free to email me here at xokatierosario@gmail.com with any questions you may have; I’ll be happy to help!
Happy Decorating!
Hey, if you liked this tutorial, you really should check out Cake Decorating for Beginners, my signature masterclass. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials on a deeper level so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it to get the results you want most impressive cakes that your friends and family will love. Like any new skill, it’s essential to learn from the ground up to build a foundation so that you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. Check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/cake-masterclass. I will see you there!
Watch The How-to Video Below:
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Buttercream
- 2 cups (or 4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted (milk or dark cocoa)
- 4 Tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Buttercream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and add vanilla and salt.
- Then gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, followed by the cream. Mix on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Before decorating, turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles, or use a rubber spatula to push out the air bubbles. (You may need to repeat this step when frosting the outside of the cake).
Notes
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this buttercream.
- A single batch of this buttercream recipe makes enough to decorate a three, 6-inch round layer cake or two 8-inch round layer cakes. Double the buttercream recipe to make enough frosting for a three, 8-inch round cake.
- You can make the buttercream a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature. Make sure the buttercream is at room temperature before re-whipping; add 1 TBSP of heavy cream if needed.
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