Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
This Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe is easy, delicious and perfect for piping and decorating. I may or may not be a chocolate addict.. and this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is the best! Well, except for maybe cream cheese frosting. It’s the best too!! 😉
A couple of weekends ago, I made cupcakes for a customer for Father’s Day… a dozen vanilla cupcakes with {lime green} vanilla buttercream frosting and a dozen chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
Oh, and three dozen yeast rolls… but that’s a post for another day.
Anywho… I made them for her and after posting the pics, someone asked for my chocolate frosting recipe. That’s when I realized I have never posted it.
Or if I have, I can’t find it ;-). Anyway… here’s what I use most of the time for chocolate frosting.
And if you like coffee… read the recipe below for a substitution to make Mocha Flavored Frosting!
PS You could also try Whipped Chocolate Ganache as a chocolate frosting but I’m not sure it’s as “sturdy” for decorating!
PSS. I can double this recipe and make a HUGE batch in my Kitchenaid 5 qt. Stand Mixer.
Any questions about this recipe? Leave them in the comments!
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter flavoring (optional)
- 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
- 6–8 tablespoons warm water (or milk, but water allows the chocolate flavor to be stronger)**
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and butter until completely smooth and creamy (I used my Kitchenaid with the paddle attachment).
- Add cocoa and vanilla.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl often!
- When all sugar has been mixed in, the frosting might be dry and a little crumbly.
- Start by adding 1 tablespoon of water (or milk) at a time, and mixing.
- Continue to add and mix until you get the consistency you desire.
Notes
Keep it thicker for decorating, or add extra milk or corn syrup for a thinner spreading consistency!
You can use 4 sticks of butter and no shortening if you want, but it is a much softer frosting and not great for decorating! It also melts easier and starts to “sag” pretty quick unless refrigerated. The shortening helps to stabilize the frosting!
*I have substituted strong coffee for some of the water or milk to get Mocha Frosting!
So, how to you store it?
what specific brand of solid vegetable shortening you used? thanks
Crisco
Hi Rose
I really love your site and thank you for all the tips, not a lot of bakers show their techniques nor tips. I appreciate your kindness is letting all other passionate bakers know some of your secrets.
My question is can I use all butter instead of shortening? will this make a difference in the stiffness? as I usually make fondant cakes.
Thank you for your time 🙂
Yes, you can use all butter BUT shortening is more stable and less sensitive to temperature changes than butter. ‘All butter’ frostings certainly tastes better, but decorating with an all-butter frosting would be very challenging. If it doesn’t get too soft as you are piping it, there is no guarantee that it won’t get soft and lose shape after it is on the cake. If you can keep the cake refrigerated, it might be okay, but any warmth – from your hands around the piping bag or even from the air in the room will cause it to go soft. I hope that helps!
Can you make this a couple of days in advance?
You sure can! Just keep it refrigerated in an air tight container. When you’re ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and stir it really well.
Thank you for the tip. I use Crisco as well but was told to get a smooth consistency that I would have to use high ratio shortening, which is extremely expensive and has to be ordered.
Yeah, the high ratio is nice but I have never used it and all of my buttercream has come out just fine!
Hi Rose! Thank you for generously sharing your recipes and the tips! I’ve learned to bake just recently and I’m not always satisfied with the frostings I made. I prefer to make the frostings less sweeter as possible. The only thing I know is to reduce the powdered sugar. But when I do that, I don’t get the right consistency specially when I use it for decorating. I haven’t tried your recipe because I’m afraid to use that much of sugar (2pounds). Do you have any suggestion on how to make it less sugary taste? Thanks!
Swiss Meringue buttercream is not as sweet, it’s very light. You can google a lot of recipe
Hi Rose, I have been looking at your website and I love to try new recipes I love choc and I wondered is this a crusting choc buttercream like your cream cheese and vanilla frostings?
Yes it is! 🙂
Hi rose
What brand of cocoa powder do you use?
I like Nestle or Hersheys.
Hi Rose, do you use sweetened or unsweetened cocoa?
For some reason none of your recipes are showing just re articles with them. No recipes attached. 🙁
I’m so sorry. I’m working to get this fixed asap!
The recipes are working now!
Hi there- love your work! Which vegetable shortening would you recommend if I can’t find Crisco since I’m in Botswana.
Crisco is the only brand I use – I’m sorry I don’t have another recommendation.
Rose, I have loved all of your cakes! I have been making them for a couple of years now and they have always been a huge hit! I made this chocolate buttercream last year and it was so bitter. Do you really use 1 1/2 cups of cocoa? That seems like an awful lot. That’s how much I used when I made it and I ended up not being able to salvage it. Thank you so much for all of the recipes and ideas you have on here! I’m really looking for a great chocolate buttercream recipe and I’m hoping this is it!
Yeah – that’s exactly how I make it and while it’s very chocolately – it’s never been bitter! What kind of cocoa did you use? I usually use Nestle or Hersheys!
I use Hersheys. It was like I could only taste the cocoa and none of the sugar. I must have messed up somewhere…totally my fault. I am attempting it again but might start with less cocoa at first then add as needed. Thank you for responding!!
Hmmm… that’s so strange. Well definitely start with less and then you can add until you get a level of chocolate you like 🙂
Curious, can I substitute Butter Crisco in it’s entirety, in place of Original Crisco, and yield the same sturdy results, using no butter at all? Or mix the two, no butter?
I have never used all Crisco (butter or otherwise) but it would probably work just fine. The flavor might not be as good though.
Thank so much for sharing your recipe. I don’t know if you have received my comment. I don’t see it showing up on my screen. Curious, can I use Butter Crisco in the place of Original Crisco, using no butter at all? Or mix the two, using no butter?
This sounds great! Is it a crusting buttercream?
Yes! 🙂
Does this frosting hold up well at room temperature after decorating a cake with it?
Yes!
How long can you store the frosting?
I’ve kept it 2-3 weeks in the frig with no trouble!
Hey Rose, I had a wedding cake testing today and used this icing (and your chocolate fudge cake) along with another chocolate cake covered in chocolate ganache and MMF. I didn’t have enough MMF to cover the cake with your icing, so I just went with icing. The couple chose your cake and icing!! My only problem is that the icing didn’t crust, and seemed really soft (I made a 1/2 batch). I will need to use this under fondant (they want a rustic birch bark cake). Is this icing ok to use under fondant.? It’s an outdoor wedding in July in Georgia, yikes!!
Yes, I’ve used it under fondant many times. I’m not sure why it didn’t crust – it always does for me!
Hello again Rose. I was wondering if it is okay to double this recipe or should I make two separate batches…I have 60 cupcakes to frost. Thank you for sharing your gift and recipes!
I double it often 🙂
I’m unable to use butter in my frostings, so I was wondering if this recipe works for an all-shortening frosting?
Thanks!
Yes, it should but it will be a little less flavorful.
I made the chocolate buttercream and Googled the coversion of 1 1/2 cups cocoa to grams and found 177g. It almost used the entire container when I weighed that out. I thought it was a lot and it came out bitter. Do you sift to get your 1 1/2 cups cocoa?
I do not sift. I spoon it into measuring cups and level off the top.
I read once that using Dutch Cocoa is better in a frosting, I have some on hand. Can I use that in this recipe?
Will this frost a 2 layer 8 in cake?? Or should I double recipe?
Hi Rose bakes, enjoy the the inspiration and support I receive from your sites and recipes.
I cannot find the recipe for your dark chocolate icing recipe you made for Chris in 2015. When I click on the sites around it P,F, I get a pic of the cake.
Could you repost?
Thank you so much for posting this! I have a friend who loves mocha flavor and I said I would try to make a cake for her. I had no idea how to make the frosting. Great tip about the shortening helping to stabilize the buttercream!
Can you tell me how much your cups weigh I live in Australia and I know ours are different
For liquids, it’s 8oz, but when it’s a volume measurement, there’s no standard weight (1 cup of flour will not weigh the same as a cup of sugar or butter).