Chocolate Whipped Buttercream Frosting that tastes like light chocolate whipped cream frosting. This whipped chocolate frosting is the best!
I’m not much of a frosting person. So many times frostings are heavy and overly sweet. Not this Chocolate Whipped Buttercream Frosting, though.
It’s super light and fluffy – like an ultralight chocolate mousse in frosting form. And since this frosting falls in the semisweet to bittersweet chocolate range, it isn’t too sweet either.
Tips to make chocolate whipped buttercream frosting
A couple notes about this frosting – first, the cooked milk/flour mixture needs to be completely cool before continuing on. If it’s still warm, it will melt the butter, and the frosting will be too loose.
Second, don’t cut the whipping steps short. The frosting needs to be whipped on high for several minutes in order to have its ultralight texture.
Also, a reader (thanks again!) left a comment saying that chilling the frosting helped it come together for her. So, please check out the comments below the recipe.
*Note – I had several comments saying that the frosting was separating. I worked on the recipe and changed it to make it whip up easier.
More chocolate frosting recipes!
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Malted Milk Frosting
More whipped buttercream frosting recipes!
- Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- Whipped Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting
- Vanilla Bean Whipped Buttercream Frosting
If you’ve tried this chocolate whipped buttercream frosting recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
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Chocolate Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups salted butter at cool room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use Dutch-processed
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk flour and milk together until well-combined.
- Heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
- Remove from heat, and let it cool to room temperature.*
- Stir in vanilla.
- While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together until light and fluffy on medium high, about 5 minutes.
- Add the completely cooled milk mixture.
- Beat it for about 5 minutes on high until it looks like whipped cream. It may look separated at first, so keep beating it until it comes together and looks like a whipped cream.
- If it looks separated after about 7 minutes of whipping, cover, and chill for about 30 minutes. Then, continue whipping for about 5 minutes, or until it looks like whipped cream.
Notes
**Nutrition facts are estimates.
Nutrition
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Published 8/23/13. Updated with new photos and tips 6/18/18.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Tanya says
Wow!! This is amazing 🤩 I was out of icing sugar and had to make a cake on the fly. I looked at several recipes but chose yours. The only thing I changed was to add the sugar to the warm milk mixture to help dissolve the sugar. It turned out beautifully silky, smooth and delicious! Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it!
Beth says
This recipe actually works! No graininess, fluffy texture.. sweetness is pleasantly toned down. Loved it.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Amy V says
This is a TRUST THE PROCESS kind of recipe… I wanted cake, but didn’t have powdered sugar. And THIS worked perfectly! Thank you so much for the recipe. The frosting came out light, creamy, not too sweet, delicious!!! I’d definitely make this again!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the frosting turned out well for you!
Brandi Cain says
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk?
Kate says
I haven’t tried using heavy cream, but I’ve heard from several people who have on my vanilla version of this frosting. They’ve said that it worked well for them.
Amy V says
Yes you can, I used Heavy Cream instead of regular milk. It came out perfectly for this chocolate frosting recipe!
Pam says
Can I freeze the leftover frosting?
Kate says
I haven’t frozen this frosting, but I’ve frozen the vanilla version. It froze and defrosted well.
Pam says
Best frosting ever! I had fun making it.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad it was fun!
Sarah says
I made this to go on a birthday cake. It was delicious and I’m not a frosting fan! Everyone in the family liked it. I used about 1 1/3 c sugar instead of 1 3/4. I’ll try it with even less, but you were right, it was not too sweet so I was not sick of it before I finished my piece of cake, and it did not overpower the flavors in the cake. I appreciate your good instruction and tips.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the instructions and tips were helpful!
Jackie says
Delicious, delicious. Light and great chocolate flavor. Just follow directions.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Kathleen Herman says
This recipe looks amazing! I am always looking for a whipped frosting – but can you tell me that since this has to be refrigerated, will the frosting get hard? I want a “whipped” frosting that stays light and fluffy without getting hard. Thanks.
Kate says
Hi! Thank you! It does stiffen up once it has been chilled. If you set it out, it softens back up once it comes up in temperature. I hope that helps!
NOVA says
Hi Kate,
Does the frosting melts, if sit out in room temperature?
Kate says
Yes, I recommend chilling it due to the high dairy content in the frosting.
Karla says
First time I ever made a frosting like this! I didn’t have heavy cream, so to the internet I went! This will definitely be a saved recipe! Thank you!
I also used GF flour and it worked fine.
I had a smaller cake — can I freeze the remaining icing?
Kate says
I’m glad it worked well! I’ve frozen frosted cupcakes, but I haven’t frozen the frosting by itself.
walky says
This recipe is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
Kris K says
This recipe came together pretty easy and is positively delicious!! I used gluten free flour and it still tastes awesome!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Melissa Lorman says
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Our family has a close version of this recipe in vanilla form, I was ecstatic to find out the directions for chocolate! We don’t ever have an issue with it being runny or soupy, our version also uses shortening which really seems to help stabilize it! It always turns out perfect and fluffy! Have you ever tried using chocolate milk in place of the regular milk? Just curious if that would work
REPLY
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried using chocolate milk. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it works out!