Picture this: you're eating a cake frosted with a delectable, chocolatey, melt-in-your-mouth buttercream frosting. Amazing, right? That's this frosting! It's so simple to make and always turns out delicious!
Chocolate buttercream is the perfect topping for cookies and cakes for birthdays and special occasions.
This recipe is made for my classic chocolate raspberry cake, and pairs well with my microwave raspberry sauce.
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Ingredients
- powdered sugar
- cocoa powder
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- warm water
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Cream the butter in a large bowl using a handheld mixer.
Slowly alternate pouring in the powdered sugar and the small amount of vanilla extract and water until the mixture turns creamy.
Stir in the cocoa powder.
Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Hint: Use a splatter guard on top of your bowl to prevent powdered sugar from going everywhere. HERE is a great option.
Substitutions
- Vegan butter - instead of regular butter, you may substitute with a vegan butter substitute.
- Almond extract - use almond extract instead of vanilla extract. Substitute using the same amount of vanilla extract in the recipe.
Variations
Vanilla frosting - simply omit the cocoa powder to make classic vanilla frosting.
See this chocolate cake recipe on my website!
FAQ
Buttercream frosting can be made two days in advance. Keep the frosting covered in the fridge and let the frosting reach room temperature before using. If you're going to make the frosting ahead of time, fluff up the frosting with a mixer right before using.
The frosting makes enough frosting to frost one 8 inch round cake or 24 cupcakes.
Typically, yes; however, sometimes there are additives in storebought frostings that are not gluten-free. I always suggest making your own buttercream because it tastes better and it's easy to make.
I recommend using this frosting with my raspberry sauce and chocolate cake recipe. You can also use this recipe on vanilla cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. Basically, you can use this recipe to frost anything!
Buttercream uses butter whereas frostings, particularly icings, use a sugar-base.
You need to refrigerate buttercream frosting up until frosting a cake or a different baked good. Then, you do not need to refrigerate. Buttercream contains a lot of butter so if you do refrigerate it, the fat in the butter will soak up the other odors in your fridge. So, be careful!
You can overbeat buttercream and end up with air bubbles in your frosting.
Equipment
Handheld mixer - this is essential to making a classic buttercream recipe. It would be really difficult to make without an electric mixer. Find my favorite one HERE.
Mixing bowls - Click HERE to find my absolute favorite set of glass mixing bowls.
A rubber spatula - is essential for mixing the sauce. Find my favorite one HERE.
Storage
Buttercream frosting can be made two days in advance. Keep the frosting covered in the fridge and let the frosting reach room temperature before using.
Top tip
If you're going to make the frosting ahead of time, fluff up the frosting with a mixer right before using.
Gluten Free Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon warm water
Instructions
- Cream the butter in a large bowl using a handheld mixer.
- Slowly alternate pouring in the powdered sugar and the small amount of vanilla extract and water until the mixture turns creamy.
- Stir in the cocoa powder.
- Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Video
Notes
Food safety
- Don't forget to refrigerate the buttercream if it's sitting out for more than two hours.
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