This whipped chocolate buttercream frosting recipe makes an outstanding light and fluffy buttercream with a perfect balance of sweetness, richness, and chocolate flavor. It's simply delightful!
And it's so much more than just a basic buttercream. It is incredibly CREAMY, silky, smooth, and rich. Just the way I like it!
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Ingredients
- Butter forms the base of the buttercream. It adds richness, creaminess, and a smooth texture to the frosting. It also provides flavor and helps create a stable structure. (I use salted butter, but if you need to watch your salt intake, feel free to use unsalted.)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder adds chocolate flavor and richness. It also provides depth and intensity of color, giving the frosting its characteristic chocolate hue. (I like to use Hershey's dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder. However, you could also use unsweetened natural cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder for making chocolate buttercream.)
- Vanilla extract enhances and rounds out the chocolate flavor, creating a more balanced taste.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the buttercream and helps thicken it to achieve the desired consistency.
- A pinch of salt balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Heavy cream adds richness and creaminess, while also helping to thin the frosting to the desired consistency. It helps to create a smooth, spreadable frosting that easily adheres to cakes or cupcakes.
Softening Butter
To achieve the ideal texture for buttercream, make sure your butter is at the right temperature. Leave it at room temperature for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Properly softened butter should feel slightly cool to the touch and be easily indented with your fingertip. Avoid melting or oversoftening the butter, as this can ruin the consistency of your frosting.
(If you are in a hurry to make buttercream and don't have softened butter, you can microwave it for about 12 seconds to soften it. However, softening at room temperature is still the best method.)
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How to Make Easy Chocolate Buttercream
Buttercream is very easy to make. Simply whip the softened butter with your whisk attachment until it is smooth and light in color. Add the cocoa powder and mix until it is creamy.
Next, add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt. (Some people recommend sifting the powdered sugar. I haven't found that necessary.) Mix well.
As the mixer slowly mixes, add the heavy cream. Mix it until combined, then scrape the sides of the bowl. (Pampered chef scraper/spatulas are my favorites.)
Now the magic happens as you turn the mixer to high speed and let the whisk whip the frosting into a light and fluffy consistency. It will take several minutes of whipping to create a lovely fluffy buttercream. Scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times to make sure everything is getting mixed properly.
The Best Chocolate Frosting (Not-too-Sweet Chocolate Buttercream)
Let's be honest here, we all know that frosting can make or break a cake. A delicious cake that's topped with too-sweet or less-than-perfect frosting leaves something to be desired.
Not that we eat cake for the frosting 😉 , but cake and frosting should complement each other. A perfect slice of cake is moist and fluffy (like this Amish chocolate cake) with a light and fluffy frosting.
Fluffy Buttercream is (in my opinion) some of the most delicious frosting. But I am rather picky about my frosting/icing. I prefer frosting that is light in sweetness and fluffy in texture. I don't like it too sweet.
So in this recipe, the whipped butter, along with the heavy cream that's used, produces the perfect light and fluffy texture that I desire.
I also have a recipe for light, whipped vanilla buttercream.
How to Use Chocolate Buttercream
This Amish recipe makes the BEST whipped chocolate buttercream with cocoa powder. It yields enough frosting to cover a 9x13" cake, round layered cake, or 24 cupcakes.
Fluffy chocolate buttercream is perfect for topping your favorite cakes or cupcakes. You can also use this frosting as filling for chocolate chip whoopie pies or anything else that's great with chocolate on top such as chocolate eclair cake.
If you try this Amish recipe for amazing whipped chocolate buttercream frosting, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
It's PERFECT with my moist Amish chocolate cake recipe!
You may also want to try my Whipped Buttercream Recipe or my Caramel Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls.
Check out my YouTube channel at MyAmishHeritage
📖 Recipe Card
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ c. butter (3 sticks), softened
- ½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 ½ c. powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- ¾ c. heavy cream
Instructions
- Whip the butter until smooth and light. Add cocoa powder and mix until creamy.1 ½ c. butter (3 sticks), softened, ½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix.1 tsp. vanilla extract, 3 ½ c. powdered sugar, pinch of salt
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add heavy cream. Once everything is mixed, scrape the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer to high speed. Whip, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, for a couple of minutes.¾ c. heavy cream
Anna
This frosting is incredible!