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1 icing-topped brownie on plate among delicate flowers.
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5 from 3 votes

Best Chocolate Buttercream Icing (Foolproof! 3 Min)

Get ready to groan with pleasure when you taste this creamy, rich, luscious chocolate buttercream icing. It's the perfect finishing touch for your cakes and cupcakes.
Total Time3 minutes
Course: Dessert topping
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 34 tablespoons (for ~18-24 cupcakes or 1 layer cake)
Author: Cheryl Avrich
US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, Note 2 (2 sticks)
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar, confectioner's sugar) use 4 cups to stretch icing further
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream, any kind (you might need a little more or less)
US Measures - Metric

Instructions

  • MAKE ICING: Add softened butter, icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream to a large bowl.
    Using a hand or stand mixer, start with a slower speed until partially incorporated, then increase speed to high and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down sides if needed. Add a touch more milk at a time if needed to get the consistency you want.
    If using a food processor, process for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Notes

  1. Equipment: Use electric handheld electric mixer or stand mixer or food processor. In a pinch, you can use an immersion blender. If you have no equipment, whip by hand with a fork or whisk (this will take some effort!)
  2. Butter: If using salted butter, don't add salt. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt. I used salted butter. For a vegan version, use vegan butter (and nondairy milk).
  3. How to soften butter quickly: The best way to soften butter is to let it sit out at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. If you don't have time, try one of these 3 different ways to achieve soft, not melted, butter:
    • microwave the butter on "soften" if you have this setting.
    • warm water: place butter in a sealed bag (leave it in its foil packaging if you like) and run it under warm water for 5 minutes.
    • grate it with a box grater or microplane.
  4. Troubleshooting: Too thick? Add a little milk at a time (don't overdo it). Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. Bubbles? Use a wooden spoon to stir by hand and burst bubbles. 
  5. Flavor variations:
    • Add a couple of drops of extract such as mint, orange, coconut, almond, blueberry, etc
    • Add some espresso powder for a mocha icing
    • Vary the amount of cocoa powder for a darker or lighter chocolate color and flavor by using more or less.
    • Omit the cocoa powder and add:
      • nothing - to create a classic vanilla buttercream icing.
      • lemon juice and lemon zest for a bright, zesty icing which is great on pound cake or fruity cakes
      • raspberry purée for a pink sweet-tart icing
      • any food coloring you like.
      • warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamon
  6. How much this icing recipe will make: The yield is about 2 1/2 cups/820 gram. It will make enough for ~18 cupcakes (or 24 with a slightly thinner layer of icing), a 9 x 13-inch sheet cake or an 8-inch/20 cm 2-layer cake. You can halve or double the icing recipe. If you want a thicker layer of icing or lots of piped swirls, make 1 1/2 times the recipe (i.e. 5.2 cups/620 grams powdered sugar, 1.5 cups/340 grams butter (3 sticks), 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 3 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons milk
  7. How to pipe icing swirls: If you have a plastic or metal icing tip/nozzle, cut a small hole in the Ziploc bag on one side and push the tip into the hole before adding the icing. Then squeeze the bag to pipe the icing in swirls. With no icing tip, just pipe the icing through the tiny hole. Here's a video on how to use a piping bag and tip/nozzle and how to pipe with a ziploc and no tip/nozzle. I skip the scotch tape part.
  8. Need a dessert in 10 minutes?: Pipe chocolate buttercream icing on those two-bite brownies you buy at the store or at Costco. As pictured above. Decadent!
  9. Make ahead: Make the icing and store it in the fridge in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to a week. It can also be frozen for 3 months. When you're ready to use the icing, bring it to room temperature. If piping it from the bag it was stored in, there's no need to whip it up again. If spreading it on a cake, give it a good stir to fluff it up.
 
Nutrition values are estimated for approximately 1 tablespoon of icing/frosting. Generally, you need about 2 tablespoons per cupcake. 
Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.2mg