This Chocolate Buttercream with Melted Chocolate is a smooth and light buttercream with a deliciously rich chocolate flavor. It’s the perfect chocolate frosting recipe for decorating a moist chocolate cake, yellow cake, or cupcakes!

A brown bowl full of light brown colored Chocolate Buttercream with Melted Chocolate.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Chocolate frosting made with real chocolate. This recipe really delivers on the deliciously rich chocolate flavor because we use real chocolate! This recipe calls for a semisweet or bittersweet chocolate bar melted in the frosting to create a richer chocolate buttercream. Many chocolate buttercream recipes call for cocoa powder, but I love the texture and flavor of using melted chocolate way more! 
  • Silky smooth buttercream recipe. Using melted chocolate helps us get a smoother texture than if we used cocoa powder. Even using baking chocolate over chocolate chips will give you a smoother consistency to the buttercream since baking chocolate melts easier than chocolate chips. This is how we get an extra silky smooth buttercream!
  • Easy chocolate buttercream. This chocolate buttercream is considered an American buttercream, which is the easiest and simplest type of buttercream to make; it requires minimal steps and ingredients. 

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make chocolate buttercream frosting.
  • Unsalted Butter: Use slightly chilled room temperature butter, meaning the butter isn’t soft like it would be at room temperature. The butter should still feel a *tad* cold. Not too soft and not too cold. You want the butter to be cold, but not too firm. I like to pull the butter out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before using it. If the butter is too soft then it will continue getting softer as it’s whipped, making your buttercream too lax and possibly melty. 
  • Powdered Sugar: Adds the sweetness! If you like a really sweet frosting, add more powdered sugar, just remember that the more powdered sugar you add the more heavy cream you’ll need in order to make it a smooth and spreadable. Sift the powdered sugar before using it for an even smoother texture. 
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate: I used a Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate bar. Chocolate buttercream with melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder provides a smoother texture and a richer chocolate flavor. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Chop the chocolate. Then microwave it until melted. Let sit for 5-10 minutes while you continue with the recipe.
Chopped chocolate on a gray cutting board.
  1. Cream the butter. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until the color is light and the texture is fluffy.
  2. Add the powdered sugar. Once the butter is creamed, add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Then add the vanilla. 
Butter being creamed in a stand mixer bowl.
Powdered sugar being poured into a stand mixer bowl that has creamed butter in it, for making Chocolate Buttercream Frosting with melted chocolate.
  1. Add the melted chocolate. Pour the room temperature melted chocolate over the creamed butter and powdered sugar.
White frosting being mixed in a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment.
Creamed butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl with melted chocolate poured overtop.
  1. Combine until smooth. Mix on until the chocolate is fully combined and the frosting is smooth, light and fluffy. If needed, add a tablespoon of heavy cream, and mix for another minute until light and fluffy.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting with Melted Chocolate in a glass bowl of a stand mixer.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting with Melted Chocolate being stirred in a glass kitchen aid bowl.
  1. Add the heavy cream. Add a tablespoon of heavy cream and mix for another minute until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar or cream to reach your desired consistency.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting made with Melted Chocolate in a glass bowl on a white background.
Heavy cream poured over top a light brown Chocolate Buttercream Frosting in a glass bowl.

Recipe Tips

Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar before use to remove any clumps. This will give you a much smoother buttercream consistency. As always, you can add more powdered sugar to the buttercream if it’s not thick enough, or vice versa; you can add additional heavy cream to make it a more spreadable consistency.

Melted Chocolate: Make sure the melted chocolate is room temperature and not hot or warm. If the temperature of the melted chocolate is too warm, it will melt the butter. When microwaving the chocolate, remove it from the microwave every 30 seconds and stir before putting it in for another 30 seconds. This will help ensure that any melted chocolate doesn’t get burned before all the chocolate is melted. 

Butter: When making homemade chocolate buttercream frosting, use slightly cold but not firm butter. You want the butter to be cold so that it maintains a solid form while being beaten. Overly soft room temperature butter will be too lax when whipped. Make sure the butter is well creamed before adding the other ingredients. The color will be much lighter and the texture will be light and fluffy. 

If you are storing the frosting, I suggest rewhipping the frosting so that it’s light and fluffy prior to decorating cakes or cupcakes. 

This recipe will frost about 18-24 cupcakes or a 3-tiered 8-inch cake.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Store the chocolate buttercream frosting with melted chocolate in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Before frosting cakes or cupcakes, remove the frosting from the fridge and bring to room temperature. Give it another whip in your stand mixer to return the light and fluffy texture to the buttercream. 

To freeze, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Remove and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge and let come to room temperature. Beat with beaters or in a stand mixer to get the buttercream to be light and fluffy again. 

A spatula stirring a thick and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting made with melted chocolate, in a glass bowl.

FAQs

What is buttercream frosting? 

Buttercream is essentially butter, or another form of fat, (sometimes people use shortening or a combination of both shortening and butter), sugar, and heavy cream whipped together until light and fluffy. You can add flavors into the buttercream such as chocolate, fresh fruit, fruit purees, and extracts. You can get very creative when it comes to making buttercream. The flavor possibilities are endless! This recipe is a simple and very approachable CHOCOLATE buttercream frosting recipe. This is a recipe you can use on cookies, brownies, chocolate cupcakes … or, as a finger dip. 🙂

Can you freeze chocolate buttercream frosting? 

Yes, keep it in an airtight container then store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Remove the chocolate buttercream from the freezer a day prior to using it. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then remove it from the fridge to bring to room temperature. Give it a nice whip in a stand mixer or with electric beaters to get the texture to be nice and fluffy again. 

Can I used salted butter in this chocolate buttercream recipe?

Just like in any recipe, if you substitute one type of ingredient for a different type, you’ll get a different taste, a different texture, or both! In some cases you can get away with using salted butter or unsalted butter interchangeably because you can reduce or add the amount of salt in the recipe. However, this recipe doesn’t call for any salt. So if you use salted butter, you’ll be adding an ingredient that isn’t called for. Keep that in mind if you decide to use salted butter versus unsalted butter. 

Can I use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of a chocolate bar? 

Technically you can 🙂 Chocolate chips contain preservatives and stabilizers that make it harder for them to melt when heated. This is why chocolate chips hold up their shape in brownies or Chocolate Chip Cookies instead of melting and combining into the batters or doughs. Baking chocolate is different because it doesn’t contain those stabilizers so it melts more smoothly. 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe in a brown bowl on a cream textured background.

More Frosting Recipes

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Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe made with melted chocolate in a brown bowl.
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5 from 10 votes

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (with melted chocolate)

A smooth, rich, and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting made with melted chocolate. Using melted chocolate rather than cocoa powder brings in a richer chocolate flavor and creates a light and fluffy frosting, perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Mixing Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter - not fully at room temp, butter should be chilled but slightly soft.
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 oz semi sweet chocolate - or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream - if needed

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at half power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (You don't want to add hot melted chocolate to the butter because it'll melt it and/or make it VERY soft).
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once the powdered sugar is mixed in, add the vanilla. Beat for 30 seconds. 
  • Pour in the melted chocolate and beat on medium high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so that everything is evenly incorporated. Add the heavy cream (if needed) and beat for another minute.

Notes

This is the same recipe I use to frost my Moist Chocolate Cake recipe. Will have enough to frost a 3 tier, 8 inch cake. Or about 18-24 cupcakes, depending on how high you pile on the frosting. 
To store frosting in the fridge: keep in an airtight container. Will last for 1 week in the fridge. Before frosting cake or cupcakes, remove the frosting from the fridge and bring to room temperature.
To store in the freezer: Keep in an airtight container for 2 months. Remove from the freezer a day prior to using it. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then remove it from the fridge to bring to room temperature. Before frosting your cake or cupcakes, I suggest rewhipping the frosting so that it’s light and fluffy. You might need to add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to the defrosted frosting.
Sift the powdered sugar before using for a lighter texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 3752kcal (188%)Carbohydrates: 514g (171%)Protein: 14g (28%)Fat: 203g (312%)Saturated Fat: 128g (640%)Cholesterol: 529mg (176%)Sodium: 59mg (2%)Potassium: 928mg (27%)Fiber: 19g (76%)Sugar: 472g (524%)Vitamin A: 6115IU (122%)Calcium: 147mg (15%)Iron: 8.2mg (46%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Tik Tok, Instagram, and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!

After making chocolate frosting a million times over the years, I’ve grown partial to chocolate frosting made with melted chocolate. This recipe was updated Nov. 29, 2021, with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and an adapted recipe to feature using melted chocolate rather than cocoa powder.

This recipe was originally published on June 11, 2019. It was republished on Jan. 17, 2022, to include additional information and photos.