This easy one-bowl milk chocolate buttercream frosting is silky smooth and made with cocoa powder. It’s the best light and fluffy chocolate buttercream icing, and it’s perfect for piping onto cakes and cupcakes, no melting chocolate required!
There’s nothing quite like a swirl of buttercream frosting to top off a piece of cake or a cupcake. Better yet, pair this milk chocolate buttercream frosting with marble cake, and you’ve got the best of both worlds.
This is one recipe where I might contend with my kids as to who gets to lick the beaters. I even use this chocolate buttercream icing recipe in my Minecraft grass block cake recipe. Another favorite buttercream recipe includes this butterbeer buttercream frosting.
Why Make My Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- This is a one-bowl recipe, and it’s so easy to make. It uses simple ingredients like milk chocolate cocoa powder and heavy cream for extra stability, with no melting chocolate required.
- It’s silky smooth, with a perfectly light and fluffy texture that’s easily pipeable onto cakes and cupcakes.
- My chocolate buttercream frosting recipe uses salted butter for superior richness and creaminess. Plus, I’ll show you my secret ingredient for the best flavor!
- If you struggle with buttercream frosting, I’ll walk you through the troubleshooting process with any problems, with a few pro tips. I’ve been making buttercream frosting for years; if I can make it, anyone can!
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
- Salted Butter – I use salted butter, mainly because I’m not a huge fan of shortening. I’ve never been a fan of shortening based buttercream because I always feel like there’s something missing in the taste of it. Using salted butter will create a very flavorful frosting; but if you’d rather not have all of that buttery flavor, you can cut the butter in half and substitute shortening instead.
- Vanilla Extract – I love the strong vanilla flavor in this Mexican vanilla.
- Almond Extract – While you can make chocolate frosting without almond extract, I wouldn’t recommend it. This extract gives an added pop of flavor and helps the chocolate flavor to really stand out. It’s my secret ingredient for the best chocolate buttercream flavor.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy whipping cream adds stability to the recipe. This is especially important in any frosting recipe using butter, because butter doesn’t naturally provide as much stability by itself, unlike shortening.
- Powdered Sugar – This is an American buttercream frosting, so it relies on the powdered sugar being whipped into the butter and cream for its fluffy texture. This makes a truly stable frosting, which is why is why this recipe is so great for piping onto cakes and cupcakes!
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I use regular milk chocolate cocoa powder, but you can make a dark chocolate buttercream with dark cocoa.
How to Make Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Before making any type of buttercream frosting, you’ll need to soften the butter. You can do this by letting it set out for a few hours before cooking. You can also pop it into the microwave for a few seconds (but try not to let it melt).
How to Mix Up the Chocolate Buttercream Icing
- Mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. You can mix it by hand, but I recommend using an electric hand mixer or electric stand mixer for a silky smooth chocolate buttercream with cocoa powder.
- Next, add in the heavy whipping cream, and whip everything together ’til well combined.
- Add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and let the mixer work its magic for 2 to 3 minutes.
- You’ll end up with a very smooth, creamy, chocolate buttercream frosting that’s perfect for decorating cakes, piping onto cupcakes, and more.
That’s it! Now your milk chocolate buttercream frosting is ready to pipe onto your favorite cakes and cupcakes. If you’re not going to use it right away, I’d recommend covering with plastic wrap and storing it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Just be sure to let it warm up to room temperature before whipping it again.
How to Use Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
There are a lot of recipes you can use this milk chocolate buttercream frosting for. Here are a few ideas.
- Homemade yellow cake or yellow cake cupcakes definitely taste delicious with chocolate icing.
- As do chocolate cake and fluffy chocolate cupcakes. Chocolate on chocolate is absolutely delicious.
- I think it would be delicious on this peanut butter chocolate cake.
- Buttercream frosting can make a delicious fruit dip. Chocolate buttercream frosting makes an especially delicious dip for fresh strawberries!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can make this recipe dairy-free and vegan. You’ll need to swap with the butter with vegan butter or even shortening. You can also replace the heavy cream with something like full-fat coconut cream, oat milk, soy milk or almond milk. Just be sure to check your ingredient labels over to ensure that everything is truly dairy-free.
An electric mixer is really helpful to whip the cocoa powder into the frosting sufficiently, so that it’s not grainy gritty. If your powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder are lumpy, you may also need to sift them before mixing up this recipe.
The chunks are probably butter. If it’s too cold, it won’t incorporate properly, making the frosting chunky. Too warm, and it’ll make your frosting too thin and soupy; if the frosting feels too soft, let it chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and re-whip. I like to let my butter soften to room temperature for the best results.
We usually let our cupcakes or cakes with buttercream icing sit out of the fridge for 2-3 days max. However, if you were to add cream cheese to your frosting, then it would need to be refrigerated right away. If you’re making this recipe ahead of time, be sure to let it warm up to room temperature before re-whipping.
Yes, you can! In fact, I always have leftover icing, so I usually throw it in the freezer to keep it for next time. Freezing won’t hurt the texture, consistency, or flavor of your frosting. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container, so it won’t get freezer burn.
Optional Add-Ins & Recipe Variations
Here are a few more ways you can change up this buttercream frosting recipe…
- Add a flavored extract for additional flavor… Think maple, caramel, peppermint, etc.
- If you don’t like the buttery flavor of the icing, you can substitute the same amount of shortening for half the butter.
- You can use milk instead of heavy whipping cream, but keep in mind, you may end up with a softer icing, especially at room temperature. A softer icing may not work as well for piping and decorating; and heavy cream adds stability.
More Delectable Frosting & Icing Recipes
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Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter* softened*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream*
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Then add in the heavy whipping cream and mix well.
- Add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and whisk everything together until the frosting is silky smooth, creamy, and easily spreadable with no grittiness.
- You’ll end up with a very smooth, creamy, chocolate buttercream frosting that’s perfect for cake decorating, piping onto cupcakes, and more. Not to mention, it tastes really delicious.
I’m interested in your Grandma’s recipe as well. I’ve used this recipe several times and I love the almond flavouring in it. Nice creamy frosting.
Thank you, Faye! Well maybe it’s time I post her recipe. I will work on getting that done.
thank you so much for this! i just made this last night and it was absolutely wonderful! my parents said it was the best frosting they have ever had. i only had 1/2 cup of butter so i had to do 1/2 cup cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter and it turned out wonderful as well. can’t wait to make it again! it was so much fun
Thank you so much, Kierra! I’m so glad y’all enjoyed the frosting. It’s one of my favorites too.
I only used 3 cups of icing sugar…waay too stiff
Marilyn, hmmmm, it’s never been too stiff in my experience, but thank you for the tip.
When you say 24 servings… Will one batch of this frosting do 24 cupcakes, piped like you show in your photos? Or will I need to make more?
Angie, you will likely need to make more… This recipe should pipe about a dozen cupcakes, possibly more depending how tall you pipe the cupcakes.
If I do the alternative version with shortening, does that mean I still use 1/2 C of butter and 1/2 C of shortening?
Ashton, yes. You’d cut the butter in half and substitute shortening for the half you cut out.
This frosting was FANTASTIC! I made it just as directed, with almond extract, she I can’t imagine it tasting any better. Thank you!
Lori, thank you so much! So glad you love it.
Love it! How long does it last in the fridge?
Thanks
Melissa, I’d likely try to use it within a week of refrigerating.
I made this frosting yesterday for my son’s birthday cake and it was AMAZING! I decided not to do the Almond Extract, but I will at some point as I’ll definitely be making this again. I’m so glad I found this recipe!
Thank you so much, Ashley! I’m glad you loved it!
Thanks for the great recipes! I made the frosting without the almond extract since I didn’t have any (added a little extra vanilla) and it was perfect!
Thank you, Briana! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
The almond extract was overpowering. I also only used 1 1/2 C of sugar and it was a good consistency. Had to go find another recipe and remake because of the almond flavoring.
Kristen, you can just leave out the almond flavoring.
Can I cover a layered cake in your chocolate frosting? It does look delicious, I have a cake coming up and they want it covering in chocolate buttercream, I’ve never made chocolate buttercream before, I’m scared lol xxx
Amelia, yes, you should be able to cover the entire cake. The great thing about this frosting is that it is so easy to make. There are not a lot of ways you can mess it up. You’ll do fine! Thank you!