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

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

Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter until it's light and fluffy.
Add the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
Add the evaporated milk and vanilla while the mixer is running.
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.

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.

Full Recipe Instructions

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.

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Comments

Temple

September 10, 2022 at 4:23 am

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!

- Krissy
  
  September 13, 2022 at 12:36 pm
  
  I absolutely think you can mix it in!
  
Katie

October 31, 2020 at 10:05 am

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

Dannii

October 31, 2020 at 9:57 am

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

Anita

October 31, 2020 at 9:52 am

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

Maria

October 31, 2020 at 8:44 am

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

Amanda Marie Boyle

October 31, 2020 at 8:03 am

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