Homemade chocolate frosting makes a delicious frosting recipe for birthday cakes, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, and so many more sweet treats! It’s rich and creamy, and is super easy to whip up. It pipes beautifully, and is the perfect way to finish off all of your birthday cupcakes. This simple recipe will become a favorite!
Why make your own chocolate frosting?
- First of all, there’s just something about rich and buttery chocolate frosting that is perfect when paired with a vanilla or dark chocolate cake.
- It’s smooth, creamy and not-too-dark.
- You won’t waste your ingredients by knowing exactly how much frosting this recipe produces. It will frost an 1-8 or 9 inch layered cake, or 24 cupcakes. In order to frost a double layered 9 inch cake, with plenty of frosting in between the layers, simply double the recipe!
- No more unhealthy store bought frosting! I gave up on canned frosting a while ago because of many questionable ingredients and oils used there instead of real butter. I felt so guilty feeding my child those questionable ingredients. Making this chocolate frosting puts you in control of what you are feeding your family! Butter is healthy, nutritious and is such a better alternative to all those unhealthy oils in the supermarket frostings!
But when I don’t feel like making cupcakes, I simply like to spread a thin layer on a cookie or a graham cracker. And what a mighty delicious sweet treat it is! This is my go-to frosting recipe, and in my opinion, is the BEST Chocolate Frosting ever! I’ve been making it for years so I’m surprised I haven’t shared it before!
How to achieve smooth chocolate frosting
- Make sure to melt your butter on the stove and let it harden as it cools. Alternatively, you can also soften your butter at room temperature by taking it out of the fridge the night before.
Should I use salted butter?
- Either salted or unsalted butter will do. I used unsalted butter, but had to add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- If you use salted butter in your frosting recipe, do not add any salt.
What kind of cocoa powder should I use?
- I used unsweetened cocoa powder in this chocolate frosting recipe.
How much sugar is too much?
There are many recipes that add 5 cups and even 8 cups of powdered sugar to the homemade chocolate frosting recipe. In my opinion it’s going way overboard on your sugar cravings. I want to spare my pancreas and liver. So I can assure you that I successfully made this recipe with 3 cups of powdered sugar and it was perfect! I also used 2 cups once and did not see any difference in texture and appearance. Less sugar here is more!
How to store creamy chocolate frosting
- Store in the airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Or, store your homemade chocolate frosting in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- You can also freeze the frosting for up to a month.
Our family and friends now use it as their ‘favorite frosting!’ I just wanted to share it with my chocolate friends everywhere! Let’s do it!
First we will soften our butter and whip it slightly.
Next, let’s add milk, vanilla, salt (if using unsalted butter) and cocoa powder. Make sure to use a sifter when adding cocoa to avoid clumps. 
Lastly, add powdered sugar by sifting it into the bowl.
You are minutes away from the best chocolate frosting recipe!
Enjoy!
Best Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Soften butter by either melting it and cooling it until slightly hardened or taking it out of the fridge the night before.
- Add butter to a large bowl and mix with milk, vanilla and salt. Next add cocoa powder by sifting it and whip with a whisk or electric mixer together until smooth. Next stir in powdered sugar by sifting it into the mixture. Scrape sides and whip again until light, fluffy and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- This recipe frosts one 9 or 8 inch cake or 24 cupcakes. In order to frost a double layered 9 inch cake, simply make two batches of this recipe, or double the recipe!
this is a really good recipe and i doubled it and it is really good my name is not wdwd i just put that cause i didnt wasnt to put my proper name
I’m with you, wdwd! Thank you for making the frosting.
The flavor was delicious but thinner than store-bought frosting. I also think it was too much volume for a 9×13” cake.
You will definitely have leftovers.
I followed everything and it tasted nasty
It depends on how warm it is
Tried this recipe and its very tasty. One suggestion is to add the milk at the end, if needed to reach desired textute. I found my frosting runy and had to add more sugar.
Thank you Jessica – very good tip!
Fell asleep when my instacart shopper was shopping. So they got me unsweetened vanilla almond milk instead of what I asked for. So would I be wasting my time using vanilla almond milk?
Haha! No, you will be fine. Try reducing sugar though, just in case.
I used oat milk instead of the whole milk and only used 1 cup of powdered sugar—it was still great–this is a good basic EASY FOOL PROOF recipe . I will NEVER buy store bought frosting again!!!!
So happy it worked with oat milk! I’ll have to try it.
Smooth and creamy, best chocolate frosting ever! I really enjoyed
👍❤️
I put the extra in the fridge. What’s the best way to soften it to be spreadable again?
I always microwave it on a very low power and check every 15 seconds. Just make sure to do it in 15 second intervals to avoid melting the butter.
How is the texture of this frosting. Do I have to spread it or can I pipe it