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    Home » Recipes » Cakes, Cupcakes & Frosting

    Chocolate Frosting

    Published: September 15, 2020 · Updated: December 4, 2020 · By: Krissy · 7 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    chocolate frosting

    Chocolate Frosting should be rich, sweet, and easy to make. My homemade chocolate icing recipe is easy to make, tastes like fudge, and is perfect for cakes and cupcakes!

    swirl of homemade chocolate frosting on white plate

    Why this recipe works:

    I may have grown up eating store bought frosting from a can, but once you discover how wonderfully delicious homemade frosting recipes can be, you'll always make them from scratch!

    • This recipe is easy to make and only takes a few minutes.
    • It's basically fool proof. No cooking experience needed to get perfect results every time.
    • This chocolate frosting tastes like fudge. It's perfectly sweet with a very rich chocolate flavor. 
    • This frosting turns out thick enough to decoratively pipe onto cakes and cupcakes, yet it is smooth enough to spread with a spatula.
    • Using shelf-stable canned evaporated milk instead of refrigerated milk gives the frosting a smooth creamy texture.

    Ingredients needed to make chocolate frosting:

    • Butter 
    • Unsweetened cocoa powder
    • Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar) 
    • Evaporated milk
    • Vanilla extract
    easy to make chocolate frosting on cake

    How to make this fudge-like chocolate buttercream frosting recipe:

    1. Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter until it's light and fluffy.
    2. Add the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
    3. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla while the mixer is running.
    4. Increase the mixer speed and mix the frosting until the chocolate frosting is fully mixed and smooth. Add small amounts of additional evaporated milk to thin, if needed.

    Recipe tips:

    • Although I use unsalted butter for this recipe, you can use salted butter if you wish. 
    • Be sure the butter is softened before you mix it. You can set it out on the counter or soften it in the microwave on low power.
    • The cocoa powder and powdered sugar do not need to be sifted prior to mixing.
    swirls of chocolate icing on cake

    Related recipes:

    If you love the taste of this chocolate buttercream frosting, you'll definitely want to make my popular microwave chocolate fudge! Here are some of my other favorite frosting recipes.

    • Perfect Italian Buttercream Frosting
    • Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Frosting
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Mascarpone Frosting
    • Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Eggnog Frosting
    • Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Peanut Butter Frosting

    Chocolate Frosting

    Chocolate Frosting should be rich, sweet, and easy to make. My homemade chocolate icing recipe tastes like fudge and is perfect for cake and cupcakes!
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Scale: 16 servings
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
    • 1 ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
    • ½ cup evaporated milk (more if needed)
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Add butter to bowl of stand mixer. Using paddle or whisk attachment, beat until light and fluffy.
    • Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed to combine. With the mixer running, add the evaporated milk and the vanilla.
    • Once combined, increase speed to high and blend until fully mixed and smooth. Frosting will be thick. Add additional evaporated milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin if needed.

    Notes

    Recipe makes enough to frost one double layer 9-inch round cake or 24 cupcakes
    • Although I use unsalted butter for this recipe, you can use salted butter if you wish. 
    • Be sure the butter is softened before you mix it. You can set it out on the counter or soften it in the microwave on low power.
    • The cocoa powder and powdered sugar do not need to be sifted prior to mixing.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Temple

      September 10, 2022 at 4:23 am

      5 stars
      First off let me say, I am not a baker, however, with that said I love chocolate frosting and buttercream even better.

      I wonder, however, if you can use a hot cocoa mix. I think one, in particular, would be fabulous in a chocolate frosting!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 13, 2022 at 12:36 pm

        I absolutely think you can mix it in!

        Reply
    2. Katie

      October 31, 2020 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      This looks so good. I can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    3. Dannii

      October 31, 2020 at 9:57 am

      5 stars
      I just want to pipe this in to my mouth. It looks amazing.

      Reply
    4. Anita

      October 31, 2020 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      Such an easy frosting to make and the chocolate flavor shines through.

      Reply
    5. Maria

      October 31, 2020 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      Yay! Will definitely try this!!! Thanks <3

      Reply
    6. Amanda Marie Boyle

      October 31, 2020 at 8:03 am

      5 stars
      So easy and so, so, so much better than the canned stuff.

      Reply

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