Easy Chocolate Buttercream for Cakes and Cupcakes

Buttercream is one of the best and most versatile types of frosting, perfect for covering layer cakes or piping on cupcakes. I love all kinds of buttercream, whether it’s a classic vanilla buttercream or a wonderfully light Italian meringue buttercream. But chocolate buttercream is something truly special and this easy cocoa chocolate buttercream is for every chocolate lover who wants rich, chocolatey frosting without any extra work.

This chocolate buttercream with cocoa is incredibly quick to make. It’s creamy, fluffy, and ready in minutes. Perfect when you need a fast, budget-friendly frosting for a chocolate cake, to cover a layer cake, or to pipe beautiful swirls on cupcakes.

Types of Chocolate Buttercream

There are many different types of chocolate buttercream, each with its own strengths. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Dark Chocolate Buttercream: A classic rich buttercream with the deep flavor of real dark chocolate.
• Intense Dark Chocolate Buttercream: A bold, deeply flavored chocolate frosting.
• Glossy Dark Chocolate Buttercream: A shiny, elegant chocolate frosting with a smooth, satiny finish.

Ingredients for the Chocolate Buttercream

A good chocolate buttercream only needs a few ingredients, but quality makes all the difference in taste and texture.

• Butter: Always use real butter (about 80% fat) for the best creamy and stable consistency.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and gives it that light, fluffy texture.
• Cocoa powder: Use a high-quality unsweetened baking cocoa. It gives a deep chocolate flavor whereas cheaper cocoa tends to taste overly sweet.
• Milk or cream: Used to adjust the consistency of the buttercream.

Tips for Perfect Chocolate Buttercream

Here are my best tips for making smooth, fluffy chocolate buttercream every time:

• Beat the butter until it’s very light and fluffy before adding the powdered sugar.
• Sift both the cocoa powder and powdered sugar to avoid lumps in your frosting.
• Adjust the consistency with milk or cream: a little extra liquid makes it softer for frosting cakes, while less makes it firm enough for piping.

Storage and Shelf Life

Chocolate buttercream with cocoa can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring it to room temperature and re-whip briefly before using to make it fluffy again.

You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use hot cocoa mix instead of baking cocoa?
I don’t recommend it. Hot cocoa mix contains sugar and milk powder, which will make the frosting overly sweet and less flavorful.

Can the buttercream be colored?
Not really. Because the frosting is dark brown, only very dark gel colors will show up, whereas lighter colors will blend into a dull shade.

How much does one batch of buttercream make?
One batch makes enough to frost about 24 cupcakes or to cover and fill a 20 cm (8-inch ) layer cake that’s about 10 cm (4 inches) tall.

Recipe

Easy Cocoa Chocolate Buttercream

No ratings yet

Light, creamy, and full of rich chocolate flavor — this cocoa buttercream is ready in minutes! Perfect for frosting layer cakes or piping beautiful swirls on cupcakes.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Time: 5 minutes mins

Difficulty: Beginner

Yield: 1 batch*

Udskriv Pin GemGemt!

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 175 g softened butter
• 450 g powdered sugar
• 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp vanilla
• 2-4 tbsp milk

Jeg er i køkkenet,hold skærmen tændt.

Instructions

• Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, then mix on low speed until mostly combined.
  175 g softened butter, 450 g powdered sugar, 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• Add the vanilla and milk a little at a time while mixing on low speed, just until the frosting starts to come together. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until the buttercream is light, fluffy, and smooth.
  1½ tsp vanilla, 2-4 tbsp milk
• The amount of milk determines how firm or soft your frosting will be — see notes below for how to adjust the texture.

Notes

Yield: 1 batch makes enough to pipe tall swirls on about 24 cupcakes or to frost and fill one layer cake, approximately 20 cm (8 inches) wide and 10 cm (4 inches) tall.

Consistency: Use milk to adjust the texture of your buttercream. It should be firm enough to hold its shape, yet soft enough to spread smoothly or pipe through a piping tip. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more gradually until you reach the perfect consistency. For frosting a layer cake, use a slightly softer buttercream; for piping cupcake swirls, keep it a bit firmer.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

RATE THE RECIPE

Tag @bageglad på Instagram så jeg kan se og dele det du har lavet!

• Total31.6K
•  2.4K
•  23.4K
•  5.7K