Creamy, Not-Too-Sweet, Absolutely Perfect Fluffy Chocolate Frosting is truly the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever tasted.
Given the chance, I could have done some serious damage to the bowl without even slathering it on the cake. This is everything I wanted in chocolate buttercream frosting.
We are smack in the middle of “birthday season” in our house these days. (We have birthdays in September, October, November, and December.) As you might guess, this adds up to plenty of cake, which means buttercream frosting.
My middle boy turned 9 this weekend and requested his favorite Gluten Free White Cake with lots of “fluffy” chocolate icing.
The Whipped Chocolate Frosting Secret
I played with a couple of different ideas for the frosting before I realized that the flavor I wanted was only going to happen with melted chocolate.
So I ditched the cocoa powder and reached for the good stuff. (I should have remembered that from the chocolate ice cream recipes this summer. Real chocolate makes everything better!)
Not that frostings made with cocoa powder aren’t delicious, but they simply weren’t resulting in the ultimate creamy and fluffy frosting that I imagined.
The melted chocolate chips in this homemade frosting recipe add both flavor and texture. The richness of the chocolate coupled with the creaminess of the butter all pulled together by just a hint of vanilla? Pure heaven.
How To Make Chocolate Frosting
I love when I discover something that’s as easy as it is tasty. This simple homemade buttercream fits the bill on all counts. It’s an excellent staple for all kinds of cupcakes, cakes, cookies or anywhere you’d use buttercream.
If you really want simple, spread a thick layer on top of the super easy Crazy Cake. You’ll have a rich, chocolatey, satisfying, and crowd-pleasing dessert with zero fuss or hard-to-find ingredients.
No one who’s ever tasted this in all its dreamy perfection would judge you for grabbing a spoon and eating it straight from the bowl. Believe me.
This is such an easy frosting, you might wind up grinning every bit as big as I did when you taste it for the first time.
This is going to be my go-to chocolate frosting for years to come.
Homemade Frosting
A sturdy mixing bowl is your best friend for baking and preparing frosting is no different. You’ll want a bowl with sides tall enough to keep your frosting ingredients contained as your mixer whips them to creamy chocolatey perfection.
Use a sturdy, well-powered hand mixer to beat the butter and incorporate the powdered sugar. This helps ensure no powdered sugar lumps ruin the smooth, fluffy texture of your chocolate buttercream. If you’re using a stand mixer, either the flat beater or the wire whip attachment will work just fine.
I recommend a strong, flexible spatula for your scraping needs. You’ll want to get every last drop of that delicious icing out of the bowl and onto your cake. A good flat spatula is also excellent for evenly spreading the finished frosting across your cake.
If you’re feeling fancy, you can also scoop this chocolate buttercream into your pastry bag and go to town decorating your cake or batch of cupcakes. This is especially fun for decorating birthday cakes and other special occasion desserts.
Storing Buttercream Frosting
I’ll be honest. I rarely have any leftovers of this magnificent fluffy chocolate frosting because it’s just that tasty. But if you end up making a little too much than your cake needs–or you want to make an extra-large batch to have on hand for the next time your sweet tooth strikes–it’s incredibly easy to store.
Place your frosting in an airtight sealed container and keep in the fridge for up to a week. Place the container on the counter for an hour or so to bring it back to room temperature before using it to top a cake. You may also want to re-whip the frosting to maintain that lovely airy quality I love.
If you’re looking for a light and fruity version of fluffy buttercream, check out my Fresh Blueberry Frosting recipe and my Fresh Strawberry Frosting recipe.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave them for 90 seconds, at 50% power, stir and microwave again for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir until smooth. (The chocolate can also be melted in a glass bowl over a simmering pan of water on the stove. Use whichever method works for you, just melt it slowly, until the chocolate is smooth.)
- Let cool to almost room temperature, do not skip the cooling step.
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat again. Scrape the sides with a spatula and add the remaining powdered sugar. Continue beating for about a minute, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and the cooled chocolate and beat on high for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides as necessary, until the frosting is creamy, smooth, and very fluffy. Spread across the cake of your choice, or just grab a spoon.
Fluffy, Creamy, Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave them for 90 seconds, at 50% power, stir and microwave again for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir until smooth. Let cool to almost room temperature, do not skip the cooling step. (The chocolate can also be melted in a glass bowl over a simmering pan of water on the stove. Use whichever method works for you, just melt it slowly, until the chocolate is smooth.)
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat again. Scrape the sides and add the remaining powdered sugar. Continue beating for about a minute, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and the cooled chocolate and beat on high for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides as necessary, until the frosting is creamy, smooth, and very fluffy. Spread across the cake of your choice, or just grab a spoon. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 10/20/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/2/22}
Judy says
Can I leave the icing on the cake overnight at room temperature or does it have to be refrigerated?
Mary Younkin says
The cake is safe at room temperature. However, depending on how warm the house is, the frosting might get soft enough to melt a bit.
Bri says
WOW!! Thank you for the fantastic recipe! I made a butter cake and like making homemade icings. My kids worked on it with me and boy did they struggle not to eat it all before we put it on the cake. That’s the best chocolate icing I think I’ve ever had! I did use milk chocolate over semisweet because my cake wasn’t very sweet. Thank you again!! My new go to recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that you love the frosting, Bri!
Tina says
Was not a good frosting, family did not enjoy the flavor or texture. It cracks when you cut it, & does not refrigerate well. All you taste is butter-it definitely needs more chocolate. Mine had a whipped cream filling so it had to be refrigerated, & it sat at room temperature before slicing. Still searching for a delicious chocolate frosting…..
Mary Younkin says
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the frosting, Tina. Best of luck finding a favorite.
Sharon Lawson says
Very good and easysh
Mary Younkin says
I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying the frosting, Sharon!
Sara says
This icing was really easy to make and turned out SO yummy. I made it for my husbands birthday and we both loved it 🙂 It’s incredibly fluffy! Perfect for a chocolate cake.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the frosting, Sara!
Kristen says
This was amazing! I will be using this as my go to recipe forever!
Mary Younkin says
I love hearing that, Kristen!!
Tulip Naksompop says
Great texture and easy to make. But even though I cut sugar by half, still too sweet for my taste. I added another 4 TBS of cocoa powder, hoping to help with the sweetness. But it didn’t help. 😂 anyway, I would make it again but when less sugar.
Mary Younkin says
You can certainly reduce the sugar, Tulip. Most frosting recipes are pretty sweet, as sugar is usually the primary ingredient.
Michelle Hart says
I made a checkerboard cake for Thanksgiving yesterday and used this frosting recipe. Everyone raved about the frosting!!!
Can I add a larger quantity of the melted chocolate if I want more of a chocolate flavor?
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you love the frosting, Michelle! Adding more chocolate will change the consistency of the frosting, but it should still work.
Bailey says
I made this frosting with your gluten free cake recipe. Everything tasted amazing, Thank you for these delicious, easy recipes!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad that you’re enjoying the cake and frosting both, Bailey!
Paul says
Love this Sweet Chocolaty quick and easy frosting. So good and easy to make I use it even when I’m not out of cocoa! So easy it has become my go-to frosting for an easy dessert!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you love it, Paul!
Kevin Kady says
Made it tonight for my wife’s birthday. Very easy to make and was a super hit it was!! Thanks for my new favorite frosting receipt!
Kevin
Mary Younkin says
I am so happy that you love the frosting, Kevin!
Jan says
Best tasting chocolate frosting I’ve ever ate!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying it, Jan!
Hannah R Agresti says
Could I make a white chocolate version of this, by subbing white chocolate chips for the chocolate?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that myself, but as long as the chocolate melts smoothly it should work, Hannah.
Nancy Wessels says
LOVE it! I’ve made it twice this month for bday cakes. New family fav!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that, Nancy!
Zeina says
Hello,
I have a chocolate cake recipe with cream cheese chocolate frosting, but I wanted something lighter so, I found your recipe and gave it a try. AMAZING!! Smooth, buttery, chocolaty, and YUMMY.
Thanks ❤️
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like the frosting, Zeina!
Sandra says
I made a dark chocolate cake and wanted a lighter chocolate frosting … THIS WAS PERFECT !! Creamy and not too sweet . My family LOVED IT 💖
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad that you like it, Sandra!
Anne Murphy says
THANKs MARY! Found you by divine intervention when needing to make chocolate frosting for a birthday cake. It’s the BEST!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad the frosting worked for you, Anne! Enjoy!
Megan says
This was an amazing recipe! I highly recommend it! I was worried as I didn’t leave my butter at room temperature and nuked it in the microwave for 30secs before beating it. It turned out absolutely awesome!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like it, Megan!
Tosha says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Mary Younkin says
I use salted butter in all of my recipes, Tosha.
Kellie says
Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. This time I used milk chocolate chips but I’ll experiment with different chips in the future.
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you love the frosting, Kellie!