Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipe

Indulge your senses with this rich and creamy chocolate buttercream icing, the perfect finishing touch for your chocolate cake or cupcakes! This recipe creates a luscious, intensely chocolatey frosting that's easy to make and guaranteed to impress.

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Calories 3220.7 kcal

Protein 81g

Rating Be the first

Recipe Actions

Share this recipe:

Recipe Author

The Forktionary Kitchen Team

Adapted from Food.com, then tested & standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Semisweet Chocolate
Unsalted Butter
Egg
Egg Yolks
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)

Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion

Missing an ingredient for this Chocolate Buttercream Icing? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Melt 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a double boiler or microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Set the melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat 1 large whole egg and 2 large egg yolks at high speed for 1 minute until light and frothy.
Set the egg mixture aside.
In a 1-quart non-aluminum saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and ¼ cup water. Stir well to combine.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture simmers. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Uncover the sugar syrup and continue to simmer over low heat, without stirring, until it reaches the soft-ball stage (234-240°F on a candy thermometer).
With the mixer running on high speed, slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the reserved egg mixture in a thin, steady stream.
Continue beating until the mixture is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch (about 5-7 minutes).
Gradually beat in the reserved melted chocolate mixture and 1 tablespoon of brandy (optional) until thoroughly blended.
In a separate small mixing bowl, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at medium speed until light and fluffy.
With the mixer running on high speed, gradually add the beaten butter to the chocolate mixture, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated.
Beat the icing for an additional 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate the buttercream, stirring every 10 minutes, until firm enough to spread (usually 30-40 minutes).

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

7 g

Sugar

409g

Fat

898g

Carbs

51g

Recipe Tags (Choose a tag and find related recipes!)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to make Chocolate Buttercream Icing?

Chocolate Buttercream Icing takes about 20 minutes from start to finish — roughly 20 minutes to prepare and 0 minutes to cook.

How many calories are in Chocolate Buttercream Icing?

Chocolate Buttercream Icing has approximately 3220.7 calories per serving, with about 81 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates and 455 g fat.

What ingredients do I need for Chocolate Buttercream Icing?

The key ingredients for Chocolate Buttercream Icing are Semisweet Chocolate, Unsalted Butter, Egg, Egg Yolks, Sugar, Water. See the full list with measurements above.