Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Name: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Western
Ingredients: 200 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened; 2½ cups soft icing sugar, sifted; ½ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened, preferably Dutch-processed, sifted; ¼ cup milk, any kind; 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

A round cake covered with chocolate buttercream, with one slice removed. — Chocolate buttercream spread over a cake.

Fluffy chocolate buttercream for piping, spreading over cakes and cupcakes, or sandwiching cake layers.

By Cookin' KitchenOctober 23, 2026

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Prep: 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Prep: 15 minutes
Servings: 12

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Recipe

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Fluffy chocolate buttercream for piping, spreading over cakes and cupcakes, or sandwiching cake layers.

Cookin' · https://cookin.club/recipes/chocolate-buttercream-frosting

Prep: 15 minutes
Servings: 12

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Ingredients

12 servings

For 12 servings

200 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups soft icing sugar, sifted
½ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened, preferably Dutch-processed, sifted
¼ cup milk, any kind
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

Equipment

Stand mixer
Paddle attachment
Frosting bag

Instructions

Step 1: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes on speed 7, until pale.
Step 2: Add half the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat for 3 minutes, starting slowly and increasing to speed 7.
Step 3: Add the remaining icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat for another 3 minutes.
Step 4: Add the milk and vanilla, if using. Beat for 1 minute on speed 7.
Step 5: Spread the frosting onto cakes or cupcakes, or spoon it into a frosting bag and pipe.

Notes

Notes and variations

In Australia, choose soft icing sugar, not pure icing sugar, which is intended for royal icing and sets hard.

Dutch-processed cocoa has a more intense flavour than regular cocoa and gives the frosting a stronger chocolate flavour.

To make the frosting with dark chocolate instead of cocoa powder, use 75 g / 3 oz chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa. Melt it, let it cool, then whisk it in at the end.

For a two-layer cake, increase the recipe by 50%.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 229 kcal
Fat: 14 g
Saturated fat: 9 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Sugar: 25 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 1 g
Sodium: 123 mg
Cholesterol: 36 mg

Estimated values; they will vary with the exact ingredients and brands you use.

About this recipe

This chocolate buttercream is made for piping, spreading over cakes and cupcakes, or sandwiching between cake layers. Beat the mixture until pale and fluffy, then use it to finish your bake.

A chocolate cupcake topped with a tall swirl of chocolate buttercream. — Chocolate buttercream piped onto a cupcake.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting