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Description
This chocolate buttercream recipe is beginner-friendly and creates a smooth, creamy, and delicious chocolate buttercream—stable enough for tiered cakes, pipes beautifully, and comes together in under 15 minutes!
Ingredients
Units
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- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 7 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Instructions
- Whip the Butter: Start by adding the room temperature butter to a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the butter on medium-high for 30 seconds-1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl at least once during this time.
- Vanilla & Salt: Add the vanilla extract and salt.
- Start Heavy Cream: Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and continue mixing until incorporated. Scrape the bowl.
- Powdered Sugar: Lower mixer speed to the lowest setting, and start adding the powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments. Add a tablespoon of heavy cream or milk between each.
- Mix It Up! Slightly increase the mixer speed to help blend these ingredients, but do not turn on too high or you will whip too much air into the buttercream.
- Reminder: Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure all of ingredients are incorporated and to avoid any clumps of butter or powdered sugar.
- Cocoa Powder: After all ingredients are combined, finish by adding the unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Last Step: Mix on low-medium until all ingredients are incorporated, this could take a few minutes. At this point you should have perfectly smooth, chocolate buttercream!
Notes
For a stiffer buttercream, add less than recommended amount of heavy cream.
For ultra-creamy buttercream, add a max of 10 tablespoons of heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixer
- Cuisine: American