This simple, rich chocolate buttercream comes together with just six ingredients in under ten minutes. Its deep chocolate flavor makes it the perfect frosting for cakes, cookies, or cupcakes.
This buttercream is a favorite because it’s intensely chocolatey and pipes beautifully. I paired it with vanilla bean cupcakes, and the balance of chocolate and vanilla was perfect. Try it on chocolate cake for the ultimate chocolate experience!
Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter: Softened, room-temperature butter is the essential base for any buttercream, creating a smooth and creamy texture.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, this ingredient is beaten into the butter to give the buttercream its soft yet stable consistency.
- Chocolate: Melted and cooled chocolate brings a rich chocolate flavor. Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate, depending on your preference.
- Whole Milk: Adds a bit of moisture, making the buttercream less thick and dense.
- Vanilla and Salt: These ingredients enhance the chocolate’s flavor, making it even richer and more complex.
Tools to Make Chocolate Buttercream
There are several ways to make a simple chocolate buttercream depending on your available tools. This recipe works with a hand mixer, stand mixer, or food processor. For the lightest and smoothest buttercream in mere minutes, the food processor is my preferred method. Using a hand or stand mixer will take a bit longer to blend the butter and sugar into a silky texture, but it’s well worth the extra time to smooth out any lumps for the perfect finish.
Chocolate Buttercream
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Hand Mixer
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted but cooled
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Food Processor
- Combine butter and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Run the processor until smooth and well combined.
- Add melted chocolate, salt, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Process until light and fluffy. If the consistency is too thick, add the second tablespoon of milk.
Stand or Hand Mixer
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter and confectioners’ sugar. Start on low speed until the sugar is absorbed, then increase to high speed until the mixture is smooth.
- Add melted chocolate, salt, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix on high until light and fluffy. Add the second tablespoon of milk, if needed, to reach your desired consistency.
Notes
Looking for something different
Check out some of my other frosting, sauce, or toppings
