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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    By: Jessica · Posted: Oct 18, 2021 · Updated: Jan 27, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    This fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting is the best chocolate frosting for cakes, cupcakes, or your favorite icing topped desserts!

    Quick Overview: This recipe uses shortening, butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and it makes enough for 24 cupcakes or a 2-layer cake!

    Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
    Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipe

    The right frosting can make or break your favorite birthday cakes, homemade brownies or cupcakes! So it’s crucial to use the best chocolate buttercream frosting that you can!

    This chocolate buttercream frosting recipe pairs perfectly with a marble cake, a yellow cake, vanilla cake, chocolate cakes, sheet cake, chocolate cupcakes or one of your favorite cakes or favorite recipes. Dessert recipes are full of opportunites to add icing too, so this is definitely a staple you’ll want to keep on hand!

    You’ll also love this strawberry buttercream frosting with jam!

    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this chocolate frosting recipe
    • What is the difference between icing frosting and buttercream?
    • What are the three types of buttercream?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQ’s and Expert Tips
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Love chocolate?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you’ll love this chocolate frosting recipe

    It uses everyday ingredients and will result in a delicious, creamy, chocolatey buttercream flavor and is a great recipe that’s perfect for beginner bakers and experienced bakers!

    What is the difference between icing frosting and buttercream?

    Frosting is made using ingredients such as butter to make it a thicker consistency. Icing can be much more thin, that’s wonderful on cookies. However, the two terms interchange quite a bit so sometimes you’ll hear them referred to as the same thing.

    What are the three types of buttercream?

    There are three types of buttercream:

    1. American Buttercream – the recipe provided below is considered an American buttercream. It uses a few simple ingredients to make a delicious creamy chocolate buttercream
    2. Swiss Meringue Buttercream – has a cooked, egg-whites base with sugar and vanilla added.
    3. Italian Meringue Buttercream – is similar to swiss meringue but is sweeter!

    Ingredients

    It takes just a few simple ingredients to make this fluffy frosting!

    Make sure to scroll towards the bottom of this post to see the full list of ingredients/instructions all in one place!

    • 1 cup vegetable shortening (solid)
    • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) softened salted butter (you can use unsalted butter but you may want to add a pinch of salt.)
    • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for that chocolate flavor)
    • 4 cups powdered sugar (sometimes called confectioner’s sugar)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3-4 tablespoons milk (you can use heavy cream if you like but remember it’s thicker than milk so it may take a little more than regular milk to thin it out.)
    ingredients on white table for chocolate buttercream
    Ingredients for the butter chocolate cream frosting

    Instructions

    To make this homemade frosting, you’ll first cream the shortening and butter together. This is just the beginning of this butter chocolate cream goodness that will be the end result!

    shortening and butter in mixing bowl
    Mix together the butter and the shortening

    For best results, make sure to use room temperature butter as this could cause a different texture for your buttercream.

    Butter and shortening creamed in bowl
    After butter and shortening are mixed.

    Add the cocoa powder and vanilla to the butter and shortening.  Mix this together. 

    Add the cocoa in to the butter and shortening
    Add the cocoa to make the butter icing chocolate

    The cocoa is what makes the butter icing chocolate!

    Pour in the vanilla to the butter mixture
    Vanilla extract is added
    Cocoa powder in mixing bowl
    Cocoa and vanilla ready for mixing
    Cocoa powder mixed in with the butter and shortening
    Mixed cocoa & vanilla with butter & shortening

    Next, on low speed, mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar.

    powdered sugar pouring in to chocolate
    Add 2 cups powdered sugar
    Powdered sugar & chocolate
    Mixed 2 cups powdered sugar with chocolate

    Then, beat in 1-2 Tablespoons of milk to keep the frosting from getting too dry as you combine.

    Pour in milk to frosting to thin
    Add 1-2 tablespoons milk to chocolate frosting
    Milk mixed with chocolate frosting
    Mix Chocolate Buttercream

    Once that is incorporated add the rest of the powdered sugar. Stir in a bit more milk until light and fluffy.

    Add in milk and powdered sugar
    Add remaining powdered sugar and milk and mix until evenly combined

    Look at how beautifully that easy chocolate buttercream frosting turned out! Now it’s ready for your favorite cake!

    Chocolate buttercream icing
    Best chocolate buttercream!

    This frosting creates a beautiful texture for frosting a cake, almost giving it a whipped, look but a creamy, buttercream taste!

    Cake covered with chocolate buttercream frosting
    Perfect for frosting a chocolate cake

    FAQ’s and Expert Tips

    How do you make chocolate buttercream less grainy?

    This could be because of a few things. It could be the type of sugar used. This is why using powdered sugar is ideal, instead of granulated sugar.

    Why is my buttercream frosting not fluffy?

    It could need mixed more! Whipping it more can result in a fluffier frosting!

    Why does my chocolate buttercream look curdled?

    This is usually due to the reason that the butter was cold when making the frosting. It is best to use room temperature butter.

    Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
    That butter chocolate cream goodness on the outside of a cake

    Substitutions

    If you do not have milk on hand, you can use heavy cream but do note that heavy cream is thicker and could require more, to thin it out than whole milk or other types of milk.

    Variations

    If you prefer a vanilla buttercream, simply leave out the unsweetened cocoa. This could require you to use more powdered sugar to get the consistency right — nothing that more powdered sugar would make it sweeter! Or if you’re looking for some pizazz… you could also make this cookies and cream frosting recipe too!

    Storage

    If you find that you have more frosting than you need, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks!

    Did you know you can even freeze your frosting? You can! If it is frozen correctly (airtight, freeze-proof container) it can be frozen for up to 3 months! Let is thaw to room temperature and then whip before using.

    Love chocolate?

    I do too! So you’re going to LOVE this hot fudge cake and this chocolate cream cheese pie.

    📖 Recipe

    Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Jessica Burgess
    This fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting is the best chocolate frosting for cakes, cupcakes, or your favorite icing topped desserts! Makes enough for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 1174 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup vegetable shortening
    • 3/4 cup softened salted butter
    • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3-4 tablespoons milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • First, over medium speed, cream the shortening and butter together. (You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer.)
    • Next, add in the cocoa powder and vanilla.  Mix together until evenly combined.
    • On low speed, mix in 2 cups of the powdered sugar.
    • Then, beat in 1-2 tablespoons of milk to keep the frosting from getting too dry as you combine.
    • Once that is mixed together, add in the rest of the powdered sugar and stir in a bit more milk until the frosting is light and fluffy.  

    Notes

    Can you use heavy cream instead of milk?
    If you do not have milk on hand, you can use heavy cream but do note that heavy cream is thicker and could require more, to thin it out than whole milk or other types of milk.
    Have leftover frosting?
    If you find that you have more frosting than you need, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks!
    Can you freeze frosting?
    Did you know you can even freeze your frosting? You can! If it is frozen correctly (airtight, freeze-proof container) it can be frozen for up to 3 months! Let is thaw to room temperature and then whip before using.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3tablespoons | Calories: 1174kcal | Carbohydrates: 111g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 84g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 96g | Vitamin A: 721IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords buttercream icing, chocolate frosting recipe, fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Jennifer says

      October 18, 2021 at 3:27 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best chocolate frosting!! SOO creamy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 18, 2021 at 8:59 pm

        Woo hoo!! I’m so glad you liked this chocolate buttercream too!

        Reply
    2. Krystle says

      October 18, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious! It went perfectly on my cookie cake!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 18, 2021 at 8:59 pm

        Mmmm! I love a good cookie cake! Thank you so much for letting us know how much you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Kristyn says

      October 18, 2021 at 3:53 pm

      5 stars
      There is nothing more heavenly than this frosting!! We put it on everything!! It’s so light & airy & tastes amazing!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 18, 2021 at 8:59 pm

        Awww, I’m so glad you liked this frosting Kristyn!! Thank you for letting us know!

        Reply

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    Jessica Burgess of Fantabulosity

    Hi, I'm Jessica! Are you ready to add simplicity to your busy life? Here you'll find easy recipes, organization hacks, home & entertaining ideas...

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