Chocolate Icing Recipe For Cake Decorating

Skip the store-bought frosting in favor of this easy recipe for the best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting that takes just 5 minutes to make.

A top-down view of a chocolate cake with buttercream

I have a confession to make. Chocolate buttercream frosting has always been an item on my grocery list rather than a recipe in my baking repertoire.

Who has the time to make buttercream frosting when it takes all of 2 seconds to toss it into your shopping cart and call it a day? But after a reader emailed me asking for a fool-proof chocolate buttercream frosting recipe (to follow up on the vanilla variety), I knew it was time to wave goodbye to the store-bought stuff and finally go the DIY route.

Little did I know, 5 minutes into my recipe creation process I'd be licking a spatula slathered in the richest, creamiest, most chocolatey buttercream frosting to ever cross my lips. I repeat, 5 minutes.

cooca powder in a stand mixer with milk being poured in

No fancy preservatives. No seven-syllable ingredients. Simply butter, cocoa powder, sugar, milk, vanilla, and my secret ingredient, a pinch of salt. The salt helps balance out the sweetness and round out the flavors. Toss all of the ingredients into a stand mixer, and you too will be a confectionery convert.

A close-up shot of buttercream on a KitchenAid beater blade

A few tips for whipping up homemade chocolate buttercream frosting:

Use good quality cocoa powder. The better the quality, the better the taste of your frosting.
This recipe can be easily doubled for all my fellow chocoholics out there.
Use the beater blade with your stand mixer (rather than the whisk). It'll result in creamy frosting that lightens in color the longer it's mixed.
This stuff pipes like a breeze. So get your fancy pants on and check out my simple trick for piping two-tone swirled frosting.

A close-up shot of swirled buttercream frosting with sprinkles

One more trick of the food styling trade? Grab a small spoon and use the back of it to make luscious, deep swirls and create the perfect peaks and valleys for a shower of sprinkles in every color.

A top-down view of chocolate buttercream frosting on a sheet cake

Ready to see this buttercream in action? Tune in to the video below then get ready to buttercream all of your favorite baked goods!

A close-up shot of buttercream and a KitchenAid glass mixer bowl

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▢ 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
▢ 2 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
▢ 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ 1/3 cup whole milk
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it is smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl and beat until combined. With the stand mixer running on low speed, slowly stream in the milk and vanilla extract then add the salt and continue beating until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
Increase the speed to high and beat the frosting for an additional 2 minutes. Use the frosting immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge. (If you refrigerate the frosting, you may want to re-blend it for a few seconds in the stand mixer before using it.)
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.

Calories: 955 kcal , Carbohydrates: 160 g , Protein: 7 g , Fat: 39 g , Saturated Fat: 24 g , Cholesterol: 94 mg , Sodium: 322 mg , Potassium: 545 mg , Fiber: 10 g , Sugar: 140 g , Vitamin A: 1115 IU , Calcium: 97 mg , Iron: 4.5 mg