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
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It was lovely! Although I need a bit of practice but the next time it’s gonna be even better! My family loved it, It tasted a bit like dark chocolate but it worked perfectly with my mom’s cake! Thank u so much for this incredible recipe… It made Diwali down here in India even more special! Thank you!
It was dark chocolate for me too. I didn’t really care much for it but it wasn’t BAD. just not what I wanted haha
I never usually post a comment after I make something but…. This recipe is delicious and my family loved it! The entire cake is gone and so is the leftover icing. On the other hand, I did burn the butter and cocoa mixture due to lack of experience. The second try was much better plus I added more milk. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Aubrey I so happy you gave it that second try and loved it! And thank you so much for taking the time to come back and comment. I really appreciate it!
This was the best frosting I’ve ever eaten!! To make vanilla would I just omit the cocoa? Thank you!
Kayla I’ve never taken the recipe and made it vanilla before. You could try it, I’d think that you’ll need to taste test as you go to get the right amount of vanilla in it. Maybe try the first batch has half the chocolate recipe omitting the chocolate and test it that way. Let me know how it goes!
I’m always looking for new frosting recipes, I’m working on a party that I’m catering this week and making some cupcakes as one of my desserts, I decided to try this one as I usually use a cream cheese frosting recipe that I like, but needed a chocolate version, this made a lot more than 2 cups which is fine because I’ll save it for another project . The taste is spot on but I think it was a little too loose to use on the cupcakes, I even added cream cheese and refrigerated. It will work and I did use it because it’s so yummy I couldn’t stop tasting it lol… but on a side note it would make a perfect cake frosting but a tiny bit too runny for cupcakes. Overall a great frosting recipe though 😉
Wow Jessica …catering. I don’t know if I could do what you do! I’m so happy you tried the frosting it really is so very good. Thank you for coming to visit!
Thank you so much, Bunny! So delicious! I’ve included this in my latest feature on thesportofbaking.com. You can see this post at – https://thesportofbaking.com/2017/11/29/november-28th-childhood-chocolate-cake/
There’s nothing I love more than having another lover of baking use a recipe and love it! Thank you so much for linking back, it’s appreciated. Keep on baking, learning and loving what you do! HUGS!
Mmmmm mmmmm good!
Rich and creamy and not too sweet.
Perfect on our cake and cupcakes.
This is a keeper-thank you for sharing!!
Fantastic Eileen! Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me!
Hi. Should I use salted butter or unsalted butter for the frosting?
Hi Sy I always use salted, but I don’t think it really matters.
Just finished making this! So easy and fast to make and taste very great! Thanks for a great recipe!
Wonderful Sarah! It’s a fantastic recipe, so happy you made it and loved it!
Not sure what I did wrong, but my butter/cocoa mixture didn’t mix together correctly (i.e. it wasn’t smooth, just a weird lump. My guess would be too much cocoa/not enough butter). It is 1/3 cup butter and 2/3 cup cocoa, right? I made it twice and ended up tossing it and using the Hersey’s recipe (it was thinner then I would have liked, but still good). Does it not come together until the end or am I doing something wrong? Super bummed I wasted all that cocoa lol
Hi Sarah, did you watch the video that goes with the recipe? It shouldn’t have been in a lump. Did use measure out a third cup of butter and melt it? I’m really at a loss to tell you what could have happened. I’ve had so many people make this and love it that I can only guess as to what happened.
I had the same problem but went ahead and made it, it turned out great. it was very smooth but it did take alot of mixing.
That turned out really good. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Wonderful Sela, when someone makes a recipe and loves it it’s like giving me a Christmas present. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and tell me you made it!
in the frosting can you subsitute hot chocolate powder for the cocoa
No Mel that wouldn’t work. You need the cocoa.
I needed chocolate frosting using ingredients I had on hand: no evap. milk, no whole milk, no cream cheese, not much butter. I found this recipe and I love it! It has really nice consistency and was so easily spreadable. It’s a bit heavy on the vanilla for my taste so next time will reduce the amount, and there will definitely be a next time. Thanks for sharing – it saved us from boring cake with just powdered sugar on top!
Fantastic Laura!! There’s nothing like homemade, and homemade with what you’ve got in your kitchen already is a winner! Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me you made it, made my day!
I love to cook and bake, and I’m fairly confident in the kitchen, but for some reason I’ve always been frosting challenged. It never comes out right – too sweet, too lumpy, etc. This is the first time I’ve made a frosting that afterward I wasn’t disappointed! It was so easy and so delicious! I used it to frost the cake for my son’s 2nd birthday tonight, and everyone loved it! Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! It is my go to from here on out!!
Your welcome Kara! And Happy 2nd Birthday to your little man! Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me you made it, Love that!
This looks really good. I am gonna make it ina day or two!!
Fantastic Anna, let me know what you think of the frosting!
Made this recipe over the weekend and used it on a yellow cake. It was delicious! So much better than store bought! Will definitely use again and again.
Wonderful Sandra, thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me!
I made this icing tonight when I realized I didn’t have any store bought in the pantry. I don’t think I will ever use store bought again! This was quick, easy, and deliciously smooth!
Wonderful Jamie!!
I made this recipe today and it was amazing! The best chocolate frosting I’ve had! I’ll definitely continue to use it from here on out. Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Your welcome Melanie! Thank you for taking the time to come back to tell me you made it, I appreciate it!
This was great! I mixed by hand since the babies were all (supposed to be) sleeping in our little house and my mixer is loud. It was a little lumpy until I sifted the powdered sugar. Problem solved! Tastes great, and my son is so excited to take them to preschool tomorrow. Hubby is excited to take the remainder to work.
Fantastic Megan! Wow you made 2 males in your family happy all at once, you deserve a medal! I’m so happy they were both excited about sharing the cupcakes. Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me, I always love to hear!
Just made this today with my daughter to have frosting for our brownies! We found that the consistency wasn’t quite thick enough for what we were wanting. Decided to add more powdered sugar (so we used a total of 2 & 2/3 cups of powdered sugar) and it turned out perfectly! We’re definitely keeping this recipe for our “go to” frosting! Thank you!
Wonderful Nicole! Homemade is so easy to adapt to what you want to use it for! I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to come back comment about the recipe!
Yum! Great frosting! I made a boxed cake – chocolate fudge – for a little event today and wanted a quick and easy homemade frosting. I still had the Kitchen Aid mixer out so why not? I don’t like buying the pre-made tubs of frosting because of all the chemicals in them. This frosting was super fudge-y and chocolatey (I used Ghirardelli cocoa powder). There was no cake left over :o) Thanks!
Wonderful Tee! I can’t remember the last time I bought canned frosting, this one’s so good and easy to make I just never bother with it. Thank you Tee for coming back to tell me you made it, love it!