Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy + Decadent!)

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting being piped onto yellow cupcake.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy + Decadent!)

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is easy to make in a matter of minutes with just a few ingredients and it turns out smooth, creamy, and decadent…the perfect chocolate frosting for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and so much more!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings (about 3 cups frosting total)

Calories 140kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter softened
8 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup cocoa powder
3 to 3 ½ cups powdered sugar depending on your desired consistency & sweetness of frosting
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon espresso powder optional

Instructions

Using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly and gradually blend in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Then beat on high until well-combined, smooth, and creamy.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting should be stored in the refrigerator. You can either apply the frosting as soon as you make it and then refrigerate your cake/cupcakes/etc., or transfer the frosting to a sealed container, refrigerate, and then bring to room temperature and stir until smooth before using.

Video

Notes

The saltiness of salted butter balances the sweetness of the Cream Cheese Frosting and helps the flavors pop. If you only have unsalted butter, you can add a tiny pinch of salt for the same effect.
Be sure to use regular, full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block or brick. Using cream cheese from a tub or reduced-fat cream cheese won't yield the same results.
Make sure your butter and cream cheese are completely soft and at room temperature or your frosting will have small lumps.
If your powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder are lumpy, you will want to sift them first.
The espresso powder is optional. It doesn’t make the frosting taste like coffee, but it does deepen the chocolate flavor.
The longer you whip this frosting, the lighter and fluffier it will become. However, as soon as it starts to stiffen, stop beating! Otherwise, it can start to break down and turn runny.
This frosting recipe holds up best when chilled. It is pretty soft at room temperature, meaning it's not the best choice for frosting an elaborate cake that needs strength and structure.
Use good-quality, pure vanilla extract, as the vanilla flavor really shines through in this recipe.
A batch of this frosting is enough to frost a 9x13" cake or 24 cupcakes (spread with a knife). For a layer cake -- or to generously pipe frosting onto 24 cupcakes -- you'll want to X1.5 or double the recipe.
I usually frost my cake or cupcakes ahead of time, refrigerate, and then let them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

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