Chocolate Frosting
This frosting is one of my all-time favorites—cream cheese cuts the sweetness, and chocolate ganache adds a rich, indulgent depth. It’s enough to fill and frost an 8” three-layer cake, and I’ve made it countless times for my family, friends, and even local gatherings.
It’s a total crowd-pleaser—chocolate frosting skeptics often change their minds after one bite. My favorite compliment came from a woman who told me, “My husband doesn’t like chocolate frosting, but he went crazy for yours!” Anytime you turn someone from skeptic to fan, that feels like a win in my book.
Now, if only I could get my kids to feel the same way about green beans…
Ingredients for This Chocolate Frosting
5 Cups Powdered Sugar / 570 g
1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter, 3 sticks, room temperature / 340 g
4 oz Regular Cream Cheese / 116 g
1 Pinch of Salt, heaping / 3–5 g
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream / 60 g
8 oz Chocolate Chips or Baking Chocolate / 226 g
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until paste-like, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and continue mixing until smooth. Increase the mixer to medium-high and beat for 4–6 minutes, until the color lightens from yellow to pale. While mixing, sift the powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
Make a chocolate ganache by heating the heavy cream in 30-second bursts until it begins to bubble, then add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar in 1–2 cup increments on low speed to prevent a sugar cloud. Mix in the ganache, salt, and vanilla extract on medium speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high and beat 5–10 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Before frosting your cake, remove any air bubbles by smoothing with a spatula or wooden spoon in a gentle zig-zag motion.
Baker’s Notes
The recipe as written is enough to fill and frost an 8” three-layer cake. If you want to pipe more elaborate decorations, you can multiply the recipe by 1.5 or even double it for extra frosting to play with.
I love making this frosting for birthdays, gatherings, or just a weekend treat. It holds beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, so you can make it ahead of time. When you’re ready to use it, just bring it back to room temperature and give it a quick re-whip before frosting your cake—steps 8 and 9 in the recipe work perfectly to restore its silky, spreadable texture.
Equipment
I love using these cake pans.
Chances are, you might already have everything you need to bake—but just in case, you can check out all my favorite baking essentials here in my ShopMy.
