Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Recipe video above. The key to ensuring your buttercream comes out fluffy and smooth (rather than dense and gritty) is to beat, beat, beat and to use the right ratio of butter to icing sugar. Quantity - This makes enough to swirl frosting on 12 cupcakes (see photos in post), to smear on 18 cupcakes, or a single layer 20-22cm / 8-9" cake (like this Chocolate Fudge Cake).For a 2 layer cake, like as depicted in this Chocolate Cake recipe (2 layer 22cm/9" cake), increase the recipe by 50%. Use the recipe scaler (hover /click on servings and slide) and increase until icing sugar becomes 3.75 cups (ie 3 3/4 cups) / 450g.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 200g / 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar (, sifted (Note 1))
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (, unsweetened, preferably Dutch Processed, sifted(Note 3))
- 1/4 cup milk ((any))
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ( (optional))
Instructions
- 1
Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attached. Beat for 3 minutes on speed 7 until it becomes pale.
- 2
Add half the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat for 3 minutes - start slow, increase to speed 7.
- 3
Add remaining icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat again for 3 minutes.
- 4
Add milk and vanilla if using. Beat again for 1 minute on speed 7.
- 5
Spread onto cakes / cupcakes, or spoon into frosting bag and pipe.