Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is a deliciously rich and creamy addition to any cake. A generous swirl on cupcakes, the filling for a layered gateau, the coat for an Easy Chocolate Cake. Whatever you are using this buttercream frosting for, it will lift the sweet treat to a whole new level.
Perfect Consistency
There are three key steps to making the perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
1) The butter should be at room temperature, not too hot and not too cold.
2) Always sift both the icing sugar and the cocoa powder.
3) Whip the mixture for the right amount of time.
The butter: If the butter is too soft or too hard it may curdle. Causing the fat to separate from the liquid, leaving you with a clumpy/runny texture. You want the butter to be soft, but not melting.
If it is too cold it may also leave little lumps of butter in the chocolate icing mix. These aren’t very pleasant to eat and make cakes harder to ice with a smooth finish.
Sifting: For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting to be smooth and creamy with no lumps and bumps, the sugar and cocoa must be sifted. These two ingredients can be quite lumpy coming out of their packaging. And depending how long they have been sitting on a shelf the lumps can become very hard. These lumps may not breakdown in the beating process.
How long to beat the mixture: Unfortunately, I can’t give a guaranteed time. This part is about the look and feel. I start my electric mixer on low and slow for about 30 seconds, or until all the ingredients have combined. Then I scrape down the sides and switch to a medium speed, whipping the frosting for about 4-5 minutes. Beating the mix on high does not provide enough time for the mixture to become light and fluffy before curdling. Whereas, beating on a medium speed allows the chocolate icing to come to the perfect consistency.
Leftover Chocolate Icing
The Chocolate Buttercream Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a couple of days. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature before whipping a little. This will bring the fluffiness back.
There you have it, the perfect recipe for indulgent Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Whether for a celebration cake, or some weekend cupcakes to satisfy a sweet tooth, this frosting makes for the perfect icing on the cake!
Now all you need to do is whip up a baked treat ready for icing.
Feedback: I would love to hear how the icing worked for you. Leave a comment below. Cheers, Elby!
Want a taste of something more? Check out my Cakes for more sweet treats and follow The Tasteful Pantry on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for all the latest tips and info.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
A rich and creamy chocolate frosting, perfect for cakes and cupcakes.
2
cups10
minutes10
minutesStop your screen from going to sleep
Ingredients
125 grams unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
380 grams icing sugar, sifted
40 grams cocoa powder, sifted
¼ cup milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Place all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low for 30 seconds.
- Increase speed to medium only and beat for approximately 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is a light and fluffy consistency (see Note 1).
Notes
- Note 1: Overwhipping the buttercream will cause it to curdle, so don’t whip it on high. While not whipping enough will not make the frosting as fluffy as it should/could be. Whip on medium and keep an eye on it!
- Note 2: This recipe will make enough frosting to ice the top and sides of a 22cm cake (depending on height). Or the filling and top of a 22cm cake.