Easy chocolate buttercream frosting recipe, requiring simple ingredients. Use this light and fluffy chocolate buttercream icing for piping cakes, cupcakes.
I am so excited to share my favorite chocolate buttercream frosting recipe with all of you.
This LIGHT and FLUFFY chocolate buttercream frosting is different than the classic American chocolate buttercream icing.
This chocolate icing takes a little longer to make and has 1 very unusual ingredient: FLOUR!
That's what makes it so soft and gives it a VELVETTY texture.
Some people also refer to this recipe as "Cooked buttercream frosting" or "Ermine frosting."
Regardless of what it's called, this simple frosting goes great with my chocolate cherry cupcakes or even my favorite vanilla cupcakes.
I have tried SO MANY chocolate frosting recipes...
I have made chocolate buttercream frosting with:
- Heavy cream
- Milk
- Half and half
- Cocoa powder
- Shortening
- Butter
- Cream cheese
After all those experiments, I came up with the BEST chocolate buttercream frosting recipe ever that I hope you enjoy as much as me!
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Use this chocolate buttercream frosting for:
- Cupcakes
- Layer cakes
- Cookies
- Crumb coating
- Piping
- Cake decorating
- Fondant cakes
How do you make chocolate buttercream frosting? How to make chocolate buttercream frosting?
Start off by adding flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan and cook on medium heat, while constantly whisking. When you have a smooth and thick mixture, allow the mixture to cool down completely in the fridge. Next, in a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and heat them at 15 second increments until they have completely melted. Let the chocolate cool down. In a separate bowl, cream together shortening and butter. Then, add the flour mixture, melted chocolate, powdered sugar and meringue powder (optional) and mix until fluffy. Chill frosting for about 45 minutes so that it's firm and easy to use on cakes and cupcakes.
When the chocolate and the flour mixture have cooled down, we can put everything together. In a deep bowl, add shortening and butter and mix until they are properly blended.
Can you make chocolate buttercream with melted chocolate?
Yes, you can do this.
Can you add cocoa powder to buttercream frosting?
Yes, you can do this. I make my chocolate buttercream with cocoa powder AND melted chocolate.
How to thicken chocolate buttercream frosting?
- Refrigerate for longer
- Add more powdered sugar and cocoa powder
How to color chocolate buttercream frosting?
Use gel food coloring because it is thick and concentrated and won't affect the consistency of the icing.
How to store chocolate buttercream frosting?
It should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen in sealed/ air-tight containers/bags for up to 1 month.
Can you add melted chocolate to buttercream frosting?
Yes, you can do this.
What does chocolate buttercream frosting taste like?
It has a smooth and creamy texture with a very strong chocolate fudge flavor.
Does chocolate buttercream frosting need to be refrigerated?
Yes, it needs to be refrigerated because milk is used and the frosting can go bad at room temperature.
Can you free chocolate buttercream frosting?
Yes, it can be frozen in sealed air-tight Ziploc bags. It's best to use freezer bags. It can be frozen up to 1 month.
Here are some flavor variations you can try with this homemade chocolate buttercream frosting:
- For chocolate Oreo buttercream frosting, add ½ cup Oreo crumbs.
- For chocolate orange buttercream frosting, add 2 tablespoon orange zest and 1 teaspoon orange extract.
- For mint chocolate mint frosting, add 1-2 teaspoon mint extract.
- Depending on the type of chocolate chips you use, you can make milk chocolate buttercream frosting or dark chocolate buttercream frosting.
Here are some TIPS for making chocolate buttercream frosting from scratch:
- Use UNSALTED butter and vegetable shortening.
- Both, shortening and butter are required. DON'T replace one with the other.
- Milk or heavy cream can be used but I believe chocolate buttercream frosting with heavy cream is much richer and better.
- Meringue powder is optional but it's generally added to enhance stability to your icing.
- REFRIGERATE this icing for 40-45 minutes prior to frosting your cakes and cupcakes. The frosting should still be soft and "pipe-able" and not be be firm/ hard.
- If you find the frosting to be too THIN after taking it out of the fridge you can always add some more powdered sugar to THICKEN it. I have only ever had to add additional powdered sugar on insanely hot days!
- If your frosting is too THICK after removing it from the fridge, let it sit on the countertop for 20 minutes and then whip it and it will become SOFT again.
- I usually add a little bit of brown gel coloring to darken the color. Keep in mind that the color of your frosting will darken the longer it sits.
- This frosting is enough to ice one 8x3 round cake or pipe 24 cupcakes.
If you liked this simple frosting, your may like some of these other frosting and icing recipes too:
Seedless Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Blackberry Buttercream Frosting
Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Cooked Flour buttercream (Ermine frosting)
Healthy Coconut Cream Chocolate Frosting
Recipe
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Sugar Granulated
- 8 tablespoon Cocoa powder Unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon Meringue powder optional
- 1 cup Chocolate chips Semi sweet
- ⅓ cup Flour All-purpose
- ¾ cup Milk Whole or heavy cream
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ cup Shortening
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Good quality or vanilla emulsion oil
- ½ cup Sugar Powdered
Instructions
- Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Heat this mixture on medium heat while constantly whisking or you can end up with lumps. When you have a smooth and thick mixture, remove this saucepan from the heat and let this mixture cool down completely in the fridge.
- Now, in a microwavable bowl, add chocolate chips and heat them at 15 second increments until they have completely melted. Don't let the chocolate burn. Let the chocolate cool down on your countertop. You want it to be soft and not very hot or else your frosting will melt.
- When the chocolate and the flour mixture have cooled down, we can put everything together. In a deep bowl, add shortening and butter and mix until they are properly blended.
- Add the flour mixture and melted chocolate and mix again.
- Finally, add powdered sugar and meringue powder. Mix again until everything is properly blended and fluffy.
- Refrigerate this frosting for about 45 minutes until the frosting firms up a little. It should still be soft and pipe-able and not rock solid. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftover icing can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Well, that's all for today.
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
Julie
I can't wait to try this chocolate buttercream recipe. I've never heard of the flour cooking method.
Abeer Rizvi
I think it's soooooo much better than the classic chocolate buttercream! You are gonna love it!
Leah
This frosting is delicious. However, my husband made it for my birthday cake and he can't get it to thicken! We've tried everything, extra powdered sugar, meringue powder, cornstarch, and no luck. It's beautiful and chocolatey and silky but there's no way it will stay on a cake. HELP????
Abeer Rizvi
Hey Leah, that was so sweet of your husband to make a cake with this frosting for your birthday!
I have updated the recipe with a few changes that should help stabilize this frosting.
Also, if you refrigerate this icing for about 45 minutes, it should still be soft and "pipe-able" and it will hold its shape better.
Make sure the melted chocolate is not too hot or else the icing consistency becomes very thin since the butter and shortening end up melting.
Also, when you are mixing butter and shortening together, make sure that the butter is warm and not totally liquified.
I hope this helps!
Michelle
I couldn't find a meringue powder in our area, I tried so many stores & baking shops already but to no avail?
Any substitute for meringue powder? I am afraid my icing will be runny without it..i do not want to waste my ingredients. Thank you so much.
Abeer Rizvi
Sorry to hear you are having a hard time finding meringue powder. Have you checked out online at Amazon or Wilton? They both sell it for cheap. Meringue powder really helps stabilize this frosting. If you omit it, I am not sure how your frosting will turn out since I have never tried that. You may have to add more powdered sugar to thicken it but that would sweeten the frosting and change the flavor slightly. If you do try out this omission, let me know how it goes...I am so sorry I couldn't be of more help
Brandie
I got a bit confused when in the ingredients it says to add granulated sugar, but it says to add extra powdered sugar if too thin. Is it suppose to be granulated or powdered sugar? I'm making this tomorrow for a birthday cake. Thank you in advance.
Abeer Rizvi
I worded it differently now so that it's easier to understand. Basically, if you take the frosting out of the fridge and you think it's too thin to frost on cupcakes (only happens to me on insanely hot days!), you can add powdered sugar and whip the frosting again to thicken it. Don't use granulated sugar. Hope this helps
Hilda C.
Hi! Can the shortening be substituted by coconut oil?
Abeer Rizvi
I haven't made this frosting with coconut oil. I am worried it might not be too stable. However, I have a healthier coconut cream chocolate frosting that you might like: https://cakewhiz.com/healthy-coconut-cream-chocolate-frosting/
Sharon
I am a chocoholic so I have tied almost every chocolate frosting recipe I come across and this one is fantastic! I have used it several times already.
Abeer Rizvi
That's awesome to hear. I have tried so many too and this one is the best, hands down!
Gwen
I don’t have shortening on hand. Is there anything I can use in its place?
Abeer Rizvi
You can replace it with butter. Shortening is typically used for stability.