The Best Fluffy Chocolate Frosting Recipe -Cocoa Powder or Chocolate
There are many ways to describe this amazing chocolate frosting recipe: incredible, best, you’ll never make any other, ultimate, most delicious. Thankfully it’s also quick & easy to make whether you use cocoa powder or melted chocolate. Believe me, no matter what you call it, your friends and family will be asking for this again and again. Use it on any type of cake, cupcakes, brownies, or bars you like.
✩ What readers are saying…
“Amazing chocolate frosting! Silky, smooth and rich. I used cocoa and walnut oil. It comes together quickly without that sickeningly sweet taste like a traditional buttercream has. Best chocolate frosting I’ve ever made.” -Mavis
I’ve been making this chocolate frosting – the only one I’ve ever needed – for years and during that time everyone who’s tried it describes it with words like “amazing,” “rich,” “delicious” and “the best frosting I’ve had.” And then they usually ask for the recipe.
Over-the-top? Not to me – I totally agree with the many people who’ve swooned over this frosting. It’s far and above typical chocolate frosting recipes.
Why – what’s the secret to this amazing frosting?
I think the secret to this frosting’s amazing richness is two things: lots of butter and lots of air whipped in. That’s my biggest tip: don’t stop whipping the frosting until it’s lighter color and the volume increases along with visible tiny air holes.
What do I use this frosting for? These dark chocolate zucchini cupcakes are a favorite – in fact they are pictured here with the rosette tops. But any cake, cupcake, sheet cake, or bar cookie would only be enhanced by this silky, rich chocolate frosting.
Recipe Ingredients
Biggest Ingredient Note
The ingredients are standard – real butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. The only difference is in the chocolate options.
There are two options for the chocolate in this recipe:
- Use melted unsweetened baking chocolate.
- OR Use the cocoa powder equivalent that’s mixed with oil (this measurement is always included on the labels of cocoa powder containers).
Since I don’t usually have unsweetened chocolate on hand, I most often make the cocoa-oil version (which you see here). I also like it because:
- It’s a less expensive that purchasing unsweetened chocolate bars.
- I can use a good quality organic cocoa powder.
- There’s no soy lethicin that’s typically included in commercial chocolate, in case you’re avoiding that.
It’s your choice, though either way you will truly never want to make any other chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.
NOTE: Over the years people have mentioned they wouldn’t think of adding oil to frosting. Here’s the thing – it’s totally up to you! Buy and melt unsweetened chocolate. I’m just providing an option.
Personally I don’t think of it as adding oil to a frosting, I’m simply replicating a product that contains fat and cocoa and instead of cocoa butter (fat) I’m using a neutral oil (usually expeller pressed sunflower oil).
Make this Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Step 1: The Chocolate. Melt unsweetened chocolate OR do what I do and mix cocoa powder with oil right in the mixing bowl until it’s the consistency of melted chocolate.
Step 2: Mix in butter. Add the butter and vanilla and mix it well with a wire whip (stand mixer or hand held) until very few butter streaks remain.
Step 3: Powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar and milk all at once and whip at a low speed until it’s almost incorporated, scrape sides, and mix at a higher speed until fully combined.
Step 4: Keep whipping. At highest speed, whip 2-4 minutes, until the frosting is noticeably airier, fluffy, and has turned lighter in color (this incorporates air and is key to it’s texture).
Look at that – not only is the texture wonderful, but the flavor SO much better than most run-of-the-mill chocolate frostings out there.
Storage
- This is really best made the day you need it, but I often make it the day before, frost the cake or cupcakes, and then keep the whole thing refrigerated until needed which works great.
- A frosted cake, etc. is okay at room temperature for 2-6 hours, but if it’s hot weather it will suffer and I think you’d prefer to refrigerate it.
- If you’d like to keep the frosting only, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You’ll need to stir/whip it well to use it again and it will be a little deflated, but still taste amazing.
While this recipe is real food (unlike the ultraprocessed cans of frosting), it is full of butter, chocolate, and sugar – making it completely delicious, but also very rich. So I view it as a once-in-awhile, special occasion treat to share with family and friends (like the Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes pictured here that we took to a party) because when you’re eating healthy and watching your portions, you can indulge occasionally.
I’m betting this will become your favorite buttercream chocolate frosting recipe like it has for my whole family. I’m pretty sure this will be your go-to like it has mine!
Reader Raves
“My 8 year old son made your recipe last night and it was WONDERFUL and so easy. He was so pleased that it tasted so good. (my budding chef) Even my husband made a comment about how wonderful it was!!!” – Brenda S.
“OH MY!! I make pretty darn good chocolate frosting, and now thanks to this recipe, I make absolutely amazing chocolate frosting!! Thank you for sharing.” -Nancy
“Fabulous! Did this frosting over brownies! Sooo good!” -Bev
Be sure to leave your review, too, so I can know how you like it and use it!
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The Best Fluffy Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand held mixer with wire whip
Ingredients
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate or 2/3 cup cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons oil*
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in a 2-cup measure or small bowl until smooth (or simply whisk cocoa powder and oil until combined to the texture of melted chocolate right in the mixing bowl).
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large bowl if using a hand-held mixer), combine the butter and vanilla with the chocolate using the whisk attachment. Scrape sides as needed.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk and whisk for about a minute, stopping to scrape sides as needed to make sure all the ingredients are mixed together.
- Set the speed to the highest and whisk for 2-4 minutes or until the frosting is airy, fluffy, and turns lighter in color (this incorporates air and sets it apart from regular frostings).
- Use on your favorite layer cake, sheet cake, cupcakes, or bars.
Notes
- This is best made the day you need it, but you can make it the day before, frost your baked good, and then keep the whole thing refrigerated until needed.
- A frosted cake, etc. is okay at room temperature for 2-6 hours, but if it’s hot weather it will suffer and I think you’d prefer to refrigerate it.
- If you’d like to keep the frosting only, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You’ll need to stir/whip it well to use it again and it will be a little deflated, but still taste amazing.
Nutrition
More Amazing Desserts to Try
- Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Celebration Cake
- Triple Chocolate Cake Recipe with Ganache & Crispy Bark Topping
- Lemon Berry Cake Recipe with the BEST Lemon Frosting Ever
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2013.
Fabulous! Did this frosting over brownies! Sooo good!
I’m so glad you discovered this gem, Bev! Thank you for the review!!
This was an easy frosting to whip up the morning of my son’s birthday, and it was a huge hit! This will def be my Go To for chocolate!!
SO glad you gave this a try, Michelle!! Thank you for the review.
Amazing chocolate frosting! Silky, smooth and rich. I used cocoa and walnut oil. It comes together quickly without that sickenly sweet taste like a traditional buttercream has. Best chocolate frosting I’ve ever made.
Yay! I’m SO glad you tried this recipe, Mavis!! It’s hard to explain how good it is until you try it. 🙂
OH MY!! I make pretty darn good chocolate frosting, and now thanks to this recipe, I make absolutely amazing chocolate frosting!! Thank you for sharing.
Jami ~
My 8 year old son made your recipe last night and it was WONDERFUL and so easy. He was so pleased that it tasted so good. (my budding chef) Even my husband made a comment about how wonderful it was!!! He even asked for a 2nd piece of cake. lol
We enjoy your blog so much. Keep these yummy recipes coming.
Wonderful Brenda! Neither of my kids were ever that interested in cooking – that’s awesome!
I LOVE chocolate frosting. I can’t imagine putting oil into frosting, though. When I make chocolate frosting, I just throw the softened butter into the KitchenAid, add the powdered sugar, a little vanilla, a little milk, and then add the cocoa powder while it’s paddling. I’ve never had a problem with clumps of cocoa.
I used to do that too, and it makes a good frosting. This makes a great frosting, though, as the oil and cocoa mixture replicates melted chocolate – it’s just a richer end product. 🙂