The Best Chocolate Frosting
This easy chocolate frosting recipe is the BEST! Made with melted chocolate, it’s silky smooth, buttery, and not at all too sugary. It’s perfect for cakes, cupcakes, brownies… anything!
Where do you fall in the frosting camp? Chocolate or vanilla?
I am squarely chocolate, all day, every day. No question.
At least 10 years ago, I saw vanilla frosting made on a local morning TV segment and I’ve been adapting it ever since. Not long after seeing it, I tried my hand at this homemade chocolate frosting version using melted chocolate; I fell head over heels in love with the insanely creamy frosting with a deep chocolate flavor. Prior to that, I had only made chocolate frosting with cocoa powder and this version blew it out of the water. It’s incredibly easy to make and you’ll never look for another frosting recipe again!
How Do You Make Homemade Chocolate Frosting with Melted Chocolate?
It’s so easy!
I took my favorite vanilla frosting recipe and adapted it to make the most amazing chocolate frosting recipe you’ll ever taste. These are the simple steps:
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- Melt your chocolate and let it cool to room temperature. I like using semisweet chocolate since it’s sort of “all-purpose”, but you can totally use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate, if you’d like.
- Get your butter to room temperature, then whip it with a whisk attachment for a full 5 minutes. This is crucial! It makes the frosting satiny smooth and you don’t get any of that gritty/stiff sugary texture.
- Then mix in your vanilla and powdered sugar until completely incorporated.
- Finally, pour in that melted chocolate and whip on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, scraping as necessary, until totally combined. Try to resist eating it all with a spoon ;-)
Other Chocolate Frosting Alternatives
This is, without a doubt, my favorite chocolate frosting recipe, but there are some other variations you may want to try:
- Chocolate frosting with cocoa powder – It’s a stiffer frosting than one with melted chocolate, but my favorite version is Hershey’s perfectly chocolate frosting, which can be found alongside the Hershey’s perfectly chocolate cake recipe.
- Chocolate frosting with instant coffee – You’re in luck! My mocha cupcakes are topped with an espresso buttercream frosting, which you can easily adapt to make with this base chocolate frosting recipe if you’re looking for a mocha frosting, as well.
- Chocolate frosting with cream cheese – My chocolate dump-it cake is topped with an absolutely sublime chocolate cream cheese frosting, which I highly recommend if you like a little tang to cut the sweetness of chocolate frosting!
Whether you need a chocolate frosting for cake, cupcakes, brownies, cake pops, literally ANYTHING, this is the recipe you want to use, it will never disappoint. It frosts a cake perfectly and pipes beautifully, as well. It’s absolutely the best.
If you’re looking for a fabulous brownie recipe to put underneath this frosting, these better-than-box-mix brownies are my go-to and all-time favorite!
And that cake that’s peaking out? That’s my all-time favorite epic chocolate cake recipe, and I’ll be sharing it later this week, so stay tuned!
If You Like This Chocolate Frosting, Try These:
- 7 Minute Frosting
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Four years ago: Overnight Chilled Plum-Oatmeal Pudding
Six years ago: Peach Coffee Cake
Ten years ago: Panzanella
Eleven years ago: Samoas Brownie
The Best Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments on 50% power, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, using the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
- Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed to incorporate all of the chocolate.
- Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 4 hours before using. The frosting can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using. The frosting can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before using.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on October 22, 2010.
This icing turned out so great, easy and delicious!
I have made this recipe many times and it is always a crowd pleaser. I noticed a comment about the sweetness of this frosting and thought that I would let you know how I have amended the recipe to my taste. First of all though; it’s frosting so it is going to be sweet! I use 1 3/4c of unsalted butter and combine it with 1/4c of salted butter. I then add only 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (you can always add more later, if you want.) and melt an entire 10oz bag of dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60%). The frosting still looks like the photo on this page and has a nice smooth consistency.
Hi how big of a cake will this cover? Thank you
I see that this is an old post, but for anyone who is currently browsing the comment section, the frosting will cover a two layer 9″ round cake. I have easily frosted 16 jumbo cupcakes, as well.
This was delicious! And so easy! Keeping this as my go to chocolate frosting recipe!
Two cups of butter – a whole pound, right? Just making sure!
Yes, that’s right!
Made the frosting! So simple and delicious! I refrigerated it and now I’m letting it get back to room temperature . You said to rewhip once at room temp, do you just throw it back into the bowl with the whisk attachment? Do you need to add anything or for how long? Thanks for the great recipe!
am i taking crazy pills? this was cloyingly sweet… and ruined my cake entirely. i made the recipe exactly as written by weight and even as i was measuring out the sugar i was like, hmmm this seems like way too much so i cut it back by 1 oz and it was still cloyingly sweet. i tried to dilute it a bit by softening more butter and chocolate and adding to it but it was still extremely sweet. i was going to bring this to my gf to impress her but yeah, thanks for ruining my plans.
There is an overwhelming number of recipes for chocolate frosting. I feel like I’ve tried them all. Some are very good and those that are excellent I like to review.
This is definitely excellent! Not too sweet and stands up well at room temp for several days.
Very yummy.
I’m so thrilled to hear how much you liked the frosting, Alison! Thanks for sharing your review!
If I frost the cake the day before, can the cake stay out at room temperature or will it need to be refrigerated overnight? If it can stay out at room temperature how long can it stay, the cake will be in a sealed cake carrier.
Hi Katie, It can stay out at room temperature (covered) for up to 4 days or so. No need to refrigerate!
Yum! Love your recipes, going to give this one a go!
Please post epic chocolate cake soon! It’s my husband’s birthday this weekend would love to make it with that awesome frosting!
It’s coming tomorrow! :)
Hi Michelle,
What kind of chocolate do you use? Is it chocolate chips, melting wafers, Baker’s baking chocolate that comes in the squares, Ghirardelli bars that come in the various percentages of cocoa? I’ve never made chocolate frosting with anything other than cocoa powder, and melted chocolate sounds like a dream in frosting. I am liking that you said it’s good for piping as well as frosting.
Hi Michelle, I typically use the Ghiradelli semisweet bars, but have also used chocolate chips in a pinch. I hope that helps!
Hello! Sounds delicious. Is this chocolate frosting pipeable? If not, do you have a favorite pipeable chocolate frosting? Thank you!
Yes, totally! As I mentioned above, it’s perfect for piping on cupcakes or piped decorations on cakes.
So easy and so delicious. I use this recipe again and again. My family and co workers love it. It’s chocolately, luscious, but not too sweet…especially when you use dark chocolate.
Hi Brandy, I’m so thrilled that you’ve been loving this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment and leave a review, it’s much appreciated! xo
I am about to bake your classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting for my grandson’s 9th birthday. Which frosting should I make? – the one that appears with the recipe (which includes corn syrup which I have but have never used in frosting) or the “best chocolate buttercream for cupcakes? I want it to be perfect!
Hi Gayle, They’re both delicious! The corn syrup makes it shinier and smoother, but I absolutely adore the “best chocolate buttercream for cupcakes” – I use it for everything!
The yield for this frosting is somehow all wacky on the site. This is what it has when I try to read it….”5½ CUPS”. I’m not sure what its trying to be. Some computer when goofy somewhere. What IS the yield amount on this frosting? Thanks!
Hi Pamela, So sorry about that! It should be 5.5 cups.
the amount of adds on this site are insane
This looks delicious! Does melted chocolate tend to make better frosting than cocoa powder?
Hi Peter, I’ve made chocolate frostings with both, and they’ve all turned out great, but I like the depth of flavor you get from melted chocolate vs just cocoa powder.
My go-to chocolate frosting recipe – everyone always loves it!