Ever wanted to know how to make your own chocolate frosting?
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Ever wanted to try your very own chocolate icing recipe?
You’re not alone. Learning how to make chocolate frosting is something so many of us want to do. I used to be the one going to Pinterest to try to figure it out, but then when the time comes….well, life gets busy! Let’s face it: how often do you go to look things up on Pinterest just to run to the store and grab the fastest thing off the shelf?
I want to make sure we stop that today! Learning how to make your own chocolate frosting is so much easier than you think!
Why should you keep a chocolate icing recipe handy instead of simply buying a jar from the store?
I think that chocolate frosting is just as important to making a delicious cake as the cake recipe itself.
Actually, I may even say that a chocolate frosting recipe is more important than the cake recipe.
That’s right!
We often try to find the perfect cake recipe, just to put store-made icing on the cake. But if you want to really wow people at a birthday or another party, it’s the frosting or icing that will grab their attention!
(Trust me. As amazing as this small chocolate cake recipe is, people always want to know about the frosting!)
Is learning how to make your own chocolate frosting actually easy?
You bet it is! I’m definitely not for false advertising. How many times do we go to Pinterest to try to look up “easy ________ recipes”, just for there to be complicated ingredients that we have to go on some crazy scavenger hunt at the store to find?! (Or we used to before Amazon. Now I just use Amazon Prime to go on my crazy scavenger hunts, LOL!)
But when I say that this is one of the easiest chocolate frosting recipes to make, I mean it. It usually only takes me about 10 minutes to whip this incredible chocolate icing together.
On top of that, the chocolate frosting flavor is beyond excellent. The texture is smooth and soft. It melts in your mouth in the most incredible way.
Just be warned: everyone and their neighbor is going to ask you for this recipe.
Rich chocolate frosting (Homemade!)
Just how much frosting does this chocolate frosting recipe make?
This recipe we have here is designed to make two cups of frosting. I love the recipe this way because it is just enough to frost a 13×9 inch cake.
Of course, you can always cut this recipe in half if you are making a 9-inch cake. Win-win situation!
One thing to note though:
If you decide to make a layer cake, I would recommend to either make one and a half batches or to double the recipe. You want enough chocolate frosting to frost the inside layer, the sides, and the top.
The secret ingredient to this chocolate icing recipe…
There is one secret ingredient to the recipe.
Okay, it is not secret at all, but the secretive part is it is what makes the flavor richer than any other chocolate frosting you have had in the past!
This is the ingredient that will make people wonder: What is different about this recipe compared to other chocolate frosting recipes?
To add the special touch to this recipe, you want to make sure to find really good unsweetened cocoa when making the chocolate frosting. (Click that cocoa link if you want to avoid that in-the-store scavenger hunt we were just talking about! Again, I want to make this as easy as possible for you!)
You want the chocolate flavor to be rich and amazing. Homemade Chocolate Frosting has the richest chocolate flavor!
Anything else I need to know about this recipe before I begin?
Nope! It’s literally that easy. Unless you need to know the obvious: the chocolate frosting literally glides across the surface of the cake. You’re going to be obsessed with this recipe- you’ll never want to go back!
You are going to love how simple this chocolate frosting is to make. Why buy prepackaged when you can make homemade? You will be the hit of any party and will be able to surprise people when you are able to tell them that the chocolate frosting was made from scratch. Make sure you pin below for later so you can share it with anyone who asks how your chocolate frosting was so delicious. Enjoy!
How can you say no to such delicious looking chocolate frosting?!
PIN IT FOR LATER
If you looking for more delicious homemade chocolate recipes from Bunny’s Warm Oven try one of these !
Chocolate Bottom Banana Cake...Oatmeal Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Bars…Homemade Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting…Orange Milk Chocolate Cupcakes...Almond Joy Chocolate Torte
Homemade Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 2 - 2/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Add the cocoa, stir until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and place the cocoa mixture into a medium size bowl. Let it cool slightly.
- Add the milk and vanilla alternately with the powdered sugar to the bowl and beat with an electric mixer or whisk until you have the spreading consistency you desire.
Video
Looking for more frosting recipes? Try these from other bloggers.Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe…. White Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream
Check out all of my favorite kitchen items here!
The consistency of this looks perfect! I think I’m going to try it for a cake later this month =)
You are such a sweetheart Melissa. I want to see your beautiful little Julia’s face with chocolate frosting on it!!
This frosting is amazing! Thank you for sharing!💜
Your welcome Melanie, thank you for taking the time to come back and comment!
HI I’m going to try your recipe but I’m not sure how much this makes. Can this generously frost a two layered 9 inch cake and piping around the edges?
Hi Sophia, this frosted a 13×9 inch cake for me without any problem at all. I can only guess because I didn’t use it to frost 2 layers that it would be enough. But just to be on the safe side because of the piping and frosting for the middle of the cake I would make a full batch and then 1/2 batch as well.
yes, it will. In fact, I’m doing my second2 layered cake today with it for a birthday.thank you so much for the recipe bunny have a blessed some
Wonderful Courtney!
yes, it will. In fact, I’m doing my second2 layered cake today with it for a birthday.thank you so much for the recipe bunny have a blessed summer
Thank you Courtney, you have a blessed summer too!
Did you get to make the frosting Sophia? How did it turn out? Was it as delicious?
OMG this is the most amazing frosting I’ve ever made. I just put it on a chocolate cake for my twins’ 14th birthday, and we all looked at each other, like, “Wow, this is REALLY good frosting!”. I normally am the person who scrapes all but a little frosting from my cake – not this time!!! I’ve tried many recipes that claimed to be the BEST frosting, but this is the first one that really is!!! 😊 Thanks so much for posting. I don’t need to try any other recipes ever again!
Thank you Liz and glad to hear you liked it!
I tried it and it was amazing!
Only problem is I halvEd the recipe and ended up eating most of it so i didn’t have quite enough to frost all my 12 muffins :p oops!
thanks for the recipe 🙂
LOL!! I can never keep from “taste testing” it either Nicole! So happy you enjoyed it!
What cocoa powder do I use
HI Bloom, I have always used Hersheys cocoa but that’s just my personal preference, you can use any baking cocoa you want to.
This made me giggle because I read it as I stood here doing the same thing 😂🤤
This turned out perfect! thank you so much for the easy and yummy recipe!
Your welcome Mona!
Bunny do use 2 sticks of butter just want to be sure
TY
No Star not 2 sticks. Just 1/3 cup of butter. So it would be 5 Tablespoons plus 1 Teaspoon butter for the frosting if you don’t have a 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Just made a double batch of this for a layer cake and added a tsp of espresso powder. This is the best tasting frosting I have ever made!!! It is not too sweet and a great consistency.
The chocolate/butter mixture did not blend smoothly with the rest of the ingredients. My frosting has a bunch of tiny little balls of chocolate/butter all throughout it. Any ideas to fix it?
Sift your powdered sugar maybe?
Hey so you have to melt the butter completely than mix in the cocoa powder let it cool than sift the sugar in a third at a tome adding the milk inbetween but not all at once and it should be perfect
Jenie don’t forget the vanilla. And if it’s thicker than you want, keep adding milk A LITTLE AT A TIME until it reaches the consistency you want. Let me know what happens!
I made this frosting and it came out wonderful!! Jenie when I found that the frosting was a little thick, I added some more milk a little bit at a time and it did the trick. 🙂
Thank you Jessica.
Spoke too soon! I blended it a lot more, and added more of pretty much everything except butter–even added a very small amount of almond flavoring. Ended up with a ton of frosting, but it tastes good. And it’s nice and smooth now.
Thanks!
if I refrigerated it would it get too hard?
I’ve never refrigerated it Maggie. It is made with butter so it stands to reason that it may firm up some when the butter gets cold.
Ok😉☺
Quote: “You can half the recipe if your making a 9 inch cake. Comment: You have used the possesive “your”, not the contraction “you’re”. Don’t forget, the contraction is a combination of you and are, and requires an apostrophe to connect the two. The possesive form means belonging to such as your dress, your school book, your grandmother.
Thank you Linda, sometimes I forget. I’m putting myself on time out! ( I fixed it)
Thank you, Bunny. Hope you are having a great day.
Holy moly, that was an obnoxious comment. Send a private message, not a public lecture. Probably made you feel temporarily good about yourself, though.
I agree!!! That’s why we have Facebook. Thank you, Bunny, for sharing your wonderful recipes with us.
You know I erased a few versions to reply about the English lesson. I think it was in poor taste of you to do. I don’t appreciate people standing on a soap box, publicly correcting someone. Thank you Bunny for putting yourself out there and giving us such great recipies! Please do not correct me if I made some setting fopa!
THANK YOU Asa!!
Really? Can you not just read over and know what she is trying to say? Get the recipe and move on.
Wow🤔🤫
It’s a fantastic recipe Crys! You’ll love it!
You must be so proud of yourself. Get a life.
Bunny, I just made this recipe and it’s the best chocolate frosting recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing and please ignore the obnoxious grammar teacher disguised as a baker.
Thank you Cindy!! I’m so happy you made the frosting and loved it, it always makes me sooooo happy when someone loves a recipe as much as I do. Thank you Cindy for coming back to tell me you made it.
And Linda, you forgot to close the quotation. Geeez..
Grammar police? Sheesh
I made this for my son’s birthday cake and it was delicious! A little on the sweet side but good. I had to add a little more milk than suggested because I thought it was a little dry. Would heavy cream or half and half be a good substitute? This recipe is definitely a keeper!
You could try half and half Maureen, I’ve never used it so if you do let me know how it turns out! So happy you made it and loved it, thank you for coming back to tell me.
Is it 2 2/3 powdered sugar or 2-3?
Thanks
Hi Stefannie , it’s 2 cups plus 2/3 cups. Let me know how the recipe goes for you, I’d love to hear about it.
Hi I am going to try this over top of my sons bday cake. Is it best left out of fridge until eaten (24hrs)? or because it has milk do I need to keep in fridge please? thanks in advance
Hi Melissa, you can leave it out and it’ll be just fine. Let me know what you think and HAPPY
BIRTHDAY to your son!
Hi Bunny,
I’ve never written a review on a food blog before, but this frosting was sooooo good I felt compelled to say THANK YOU! It was a big hit at my daughter’s 4th birthday party – and my first time ever successfully making good frosting. And it was so easy! I’ve bookmarked the page, so I can always come back to the blog.
All the best,
Cynthia
I’m so happy it turned out well for such a great occasion Cynthia. Happy birthday to your daughter. Thank you for coming back to tell me!
Hi,
Even after mixing it, I still get a granular taste. I can feel the sugar in my mouth. I mixed it for a long time. Any ideas why this is happening, and how to fix it?
I don’t know where the granular feel would come from, it’s not made with granular sugar. It’s made with powdered sugar.
Powdered sugar is also know as “icing sugar” in many places (like Canada, where I live) Make sure you are using icing sugar and not table sugar.
Sorry, I meant to say “also known as” I can’t figure out how to edit my previous comment.
Glad we have an English teacher in the house!!! Condescending doesn’t come close!!! This frosting is lovely. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome Lucy, thank you coming to visit!
Bunny, I am going to use this chocolate icing on a grooms cake this weekend, do you have a vanilla icing I can use for a wedding cake? Also , to the comment about the lady that felt that the icing was a little sweet, my sister will put a little cream cheese in her icings to take out some of the sweetness. I’ve tried it and it does work. Hope this is helpful to everyone.
Jan I had another commenter use this recipe and had good results when she used it on the cake she made….http://www.bostongirlbakes.com/2017/09/07/the-best-buttercream-frosting/
I just tried this recipe for icing for Mississippi Mud Brownies. I love the creamy texture, but it’s just way too chocolately for me…. almost like a dark chocolate and I’m more of a milk chocolate lover!
If I try this again, I’m going to cut way down on the cocoa…..
(Not complaining! Just wanted to let you know I tried your recipe!)
Thank you!
I used this frosting on a box cake mix and my family loved it. Great consistency and flavor. Thanks for the yummy recipe.
Your welcome Michelle, thank you for coming back to tell me you made it!
Cookies are not my strong point but I will give it a try.
It is a keeper! My family does not care for buttercream frosting so I have struggled for years to find a frosting that would appeal to all. This is the one! It is creamy, glossy, but doesn’t slide off the cake. The consistency and flavor are perfect. Thank you for this recipe.
Wonderful cperr! So happy you tried it and loved it, thank you for coming back to tell me, you made my day!
How many cupcakes will this specific recipe frost? I like to do a nice tall swirl when frosting cupcakes and want make sure I’ll have enough.
NinaMarie it frosts a 13×9 inch cake, which would probably be 24 cupcakes. But if you want to get elaborate I’d at least make a batch and a half.
THANKS A LOT..This recipe is perfect for chocolate frosting..
Your welcome Dhrushi!
I added a little melted brown sugar and some more icing sugar on top of that. The cocoa powder sold here in Norway seems to be much more intense than in other countries. I haven’t frosted the cake yet, but my four year old daughter and I cannot wait to dig in! Thank you for this great recipe 🙂
Your welcome Amy and thank you for coming back to tell me you made it. I hope you and your daughter love it!
Was the cocoa powder you used sweetened or non-sweetened?
Unsweetened Serena.
COULD MAKE A ROSES ON THE CAKE WITH THIS FROSTING?
No CECI, it’s a very smooth and soft frosting it wouldn’t make a rose.
I made this icing for my nephew’s birthday cake. I made too much. Can you freeze it? If not, how long will it hold in the refrigerator?
I tasted tested, as did my son, and I can’t wait for my family to try a piece of cake.
I’ve never had any leftover! It would keep in the fridge for a day or two, but then I’d stir it around really good before you used it again.
I made a double recipe for a larger cake, kept the leftovers in a ziplock (no air) in the fridge and I may have eaten the leftovers for the next 2 weeks with a spoon…it was just as tasty, but more fudge-like directly from the fridge.