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This is, hands down, the BEST Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, ever! It’s smooth, fluffy, creamy, and oh so chocolatey. My special “secret ingredient” really takes it to the next level. Once you’ve tried this recipe, you’ll never turn back!
The best chocolate buttercream frosting, bold claim huh?
I don’t make that claim lightly, I genuinely believe there is no better chocolate buttercream frosting on this good earth. Of course, I’m always willing to taste test others… you know, to be sure, for science.
What makes this chocolate buttercream frosting the best ever? Well it’s sooo fluffy, you can see it in the photos, it’s almost looks mousse like. To get it so light and fluffy, we whip the butter within an inch of its life. It’s my favourite way to make buttercream, you start with whipped butter and you can’t go wrong! It’s also so thick and creamy, the texture is like delicious chocolate silk. We get this amazing thick and creamy texture by adding double cream (that’s heavy whipping cream to you yanks!), plus my secret ingredient!
What’s the secret ingredient I hear you ask? Well it won’t be secret much longer! And the answer is not coffee, like most secret ingredients are in chocolate based recipes (but it does have coffee in it!). The secret ingredient is, drum roll please… chocolate ganache! It’s so simple but amazingly effective! It started with a whim. I was making chocolate cupcakes that I filled with ganache. I was filling the cupcakes as the frosting was whipping up and I had a fair bit of ganache left over. It wasn’t worth freezing, so I was like “eh, let’s pour it into the frosting and see what happens”. Heaven is what happened! I swear, angels sang when I tasted it.
Looking for some cupcakes to put this chocolate buttercream on?
Of course, I hadn’t measured the ganache so I had to make the best chocolate buttercream frosting again, such a shame! The amount of this chocolate buttercream frosting I have eaten just off a spoon is unholy, but it’s so hard to resist. And chocolate is good for you, right? The ganache makes the buttercream so creamy and thick, and adds an extra layer of chocolate deliciousness.
There are a couple other components that make this the best chocolate buttercream frosting. There’s melted chocolate and cocoa powder for more chocolate yumminess, the melted chocolate is great for the texture too. I also add coffee, because as we all know coffee intensifies the flavour of chocolate. I know coffee haters out there are reluctant to put coffee in chocolate (I used to be one of them!), but you honestly cannot taste any coffee. I really urge you to add the coffee, but if you’re dead set against it you can omit it.
Do you believe me yet that this is the best chocolate buttercream frosting ever?! If there was a chocolate buttercream competition, I’d be very confident that this would win best in show! But, don’t take my word for it, give it a go. I won’t brag when you tell me I’m right 😉 As if being the most delicious chocolate goodness that will ever grace your cupcakes wasn’t good enough, it’s also really easy to make (like most American buttercreams). I’ve even included a handy recipe video, it’s at the top of the post in case you missed it!
And now for the full best chocolate buttercream recipe…
The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting... Ever!
Prep
Total
Yield 4-5 Cups
This Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is smooth, fluffy, creamy, and oh so chocolatey. My special "secret ingredient" really takes it to the next level. Once you've tried this recipe, you'll never turn back!
Ingredients
For the chocolate ganache:
- 4 oz (115g) chocolate, finely chopped (I use 2/3 dark and 1/3 milk, but you can use all dark if you prefer)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping/double cream
For the buttercream:
- 4 oz (115g) chocolate (again, I use 2/3 dark and 1/3 milk)
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (530g) confectioners/icing sugar
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy whipping/double cream
- One batch ganache (recipe included)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp brewed coffee
Instructions
To make the ganache:
- Put the finely chopped chocolate, vanilla extract and salt in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream on the stove until bubbles just start to form around the edges. Pour over the chocolate. Cover with kitchen towel and leave to sit for 5 mins. Whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside.
To make the buttercream:
- Melt the 4oz/115g chocolate and set aside.
- Put the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn on high speed and whip for 8-10 minutes, until butter has turned almost white (see video for reference).
- Add the confectioners/icing sugar, cocoa powder and cream, and turn on low speed for 30 seconds. Turn up to medium and whip until combined.
- Add the ganache, melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and coffee. Whip on high speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Use to pipe on cupcakes, cover cakes, or smother on brownies.
Notes
Best used same day.
Can be frozen in a sealed container for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge and then bring to room temperature. Whip for 2 minutes before using.
If omitting coffee, you may need to add a little more cream to get the desired consistency
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 264 | ||
% Daily Value |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Wow, talk about creamy deliciousness, hand me a spoon and to heck with the cupcake! I was mesmerized by your video and love the color of your mixer!
Thank you Julie!
Looks delucious
Thank you!
May or may not make a batch of this tonight just to eat with the spoon. Seriously, this stuff looks HEAVENLY!
Thank you, Karly! I did eat it with a spoon, it’s too good not to!
That buttercream looks to die for!! So fluffy and creamy and just YUM!
Thank you, Lindsay!!
I am a coffee hater but I often add a little bit to my chocolate-y treats because I agree that it really brings out the flavor. That said. . .hmmmm. . . I’m not sure that I’ve done this with my chocolate frosting. Definitely going to need to re-evaluate this. As for your buttercream frosting, you really and truly can see just how fluffy it is by looking at these glorious photos (especially the photo of the frosting being piped onto the cuppy). And adding the chocolate ganache in was a stroke of pure genius.
Coffee in chocolate is just a must in my books!!!
Thank you Lynn, every now and then genius does strike me!! 😀
Michelle, you are very hard on my self-imposed discipline. I just rarely “do” sweets, but your lovely recipes have me wavering. I know that bit of coffee adds tons of flavor and complexity to this super creamy, dreamy buttercream!
Could this frosting be made and refrigerated for ~3 days before using? If it was re-whipped after coming to room temp?
Hi Madeline – yes it can! Just make sure its covered tightly, then bring back to room temperature and whip up again when ready to use!
Thanks!
Michelle
Would this buttercream work well with a star tip for decorating a cake?
Hi Sarah,
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, the days just got away from me!
Yes, this buttercream will work with a star tip – I used a star tip for the piping on cupcakes, and it holds up well.
Hi, I just found this and want to try it this week. Just a question, does it call for unsweetened chocolate or bittersweet? thanks
Hi Denise,
It would be bittersweet chocolate. Here in the UK we just call it “dark” chocolate, but having asked my American friends it’s called bittersweet – 70% cocoa solids is what I use.
This looks amazing!
I am making a cake for this weekend – I’m planning for it to be quite high, and was wondering how this would go filling a 4+ layer cake? Also how long would it be ok on a cake without being refrigerated do you think?
Hi Tash
If you’re making a 4 layer cake, which an 8″cake I’d estimate you’d need about 8 cups of buttercream – so you’d need to double this recipe. Usually, I try and make more than I think I’ll need just because it’s better to have too much than not enough, so you may even want to do 2.5x this recipe. You can freeze any left over frosting for up to a month.
The frosted cake should be okay for a day out of the fridge, but make sure to keep it in a cool area – if it’s too warm, it will melt and you could end up with a mess! If keeping it in the fridge at all, make sure there’s nothing strong smelling in your fridge (like strong cheeses or fresh herbs) as buttercream picks up smells very easily!
Happy baking!
Thanks Michelle!
hi Michelle i wanted to ask isn’t 10 minutes too long for whipping butter because ive heard An over whipped buttercream causes air pockets in the buttercream piping bag that will burst when piping flowers and the roses will look popped and bubbly like some of yours do
and can i half this recipe and how many grams is four cups of buttercream
Thanks!
Hi Kat,
Lots of air is exactly what you want in this buttercream recipe, we whip the butter for 10 minutes to give it a light and airy, almost mousse like texture which you can see in the photos. If you’re looking to pipe flowers then this buttercream recipe probably isn’t the most suitable, even without whipping the butter, as you need a stiff buttercream for that or the petals won’t hold their shape well.
You can definitely half this recipe as needed. I’m afraid I don’t know the weight of a cup of buttercream as I have never weighed it, but 1 cup should be somewhere around the 200g mark.
The frosting was a hit for ny son in law’s birthday cake. Everyone at the party loved it—not sweet, but rich. Passed the recipe to three people. Thank you for your help. Tina
Hi Christine,
Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out, I’m glad it was a hit! It’s a favourite here, too!
Can this be used under fondent icing? And would it then be ok out of fridge for the day?
I’ve never used it under fondant, but I don’t see why not!
It will be okay out of the fridge for a few hours as long as it’s not too warm out
This looks gorgeous. Can it be used to fill a victoria sponge style cake?
Yep absolutely!