This Fluffy Chocolate Frosting recipe is a great choice for filling or frosting your cakes and cupcakes! It has a light and fluffy consistency, a delicious chocolate flavor, and pipes beautifully! This is the chocolate version of our Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream which we often refer to our on site.
A More Heat Resistant Frosting?
Because of the shortening in the recipe, this fluffy chocolate frosting is a bit more heat resistant than butter-based frostings. This is always going to be the case with frostings that contain shortening. This is especially helpful for summertime gatherings!
Some frostings contain no butter at all, and rely entirely on shortening. People have mixed feelings about this. Those who live in very hot or humid climates find it to be a necessity, although losing the butter means that you have to rely more on extracts for making up for the flavor lost from omitting the butter.
For me, I usually use an all-butter frosting or a recipe like this one that contains at least some butter.
There is no such thing as Buttercream that will not melt
Please don’t mistake heat resistant for heat-proof! ;0) Sadly, there is no such thing as a frosting that will not melt.
If you leave a frosted cake out in the heat or directly in the sun for an extended time, bad things are going to happen. If you have an outdoor event on a hot day, keep the cake cool until close to the time of serving.
However, it’s nice to have an option that can withstand warmer temperatures a bit better. Plus, it is SO simple to make.
Enjoy the recipe!
Fluffy Chocolate Frosting
A delicious, fluffy chocolate frosting, perfect for piping. The shortening in the recipe makes it a bit more heat resistant than an all-butter recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups ( 285 grams) vegetable shortening
- 7 cups (793 g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 c. (86 grams) cocoa powder, loosely fill your measuring cup
- 1/2 c. (114g) water or milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Cream butter and shortening until creamy.
- Blend in the vanilla. Add powdered sugar, cocoa and most of the water. Mix throughly on medium speed for approximately 6 - 8 minutes until creamy and smooth.
- Add your remaining milk (or water) as necessary. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally during the mixing process.
- Recipe can be doubled
- This is a crusting buttercream, it pipes great, and works well with the viva paper towel method of smoothing (if you're going for that super smooth finish).
Our “all butter (no shortening)” version of Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
As long as we’re on the subject chocolate frostings, I have to give a shout to our fantastic Classic Chocolate Buttercream recipe! (This recipe does not contain shortening, tastes wonderful, and also pipes perfectly)
I’ve made this recipe countless times over the years, and it’s the chocolate frosting that I use most often, assuming I don’t need our fluffy heat-resistant option.
It’s good to have options, make sure to save them both! ;0)
Thank you! So glad to hear that! ;0)
I love this recipe. Tried it a couple months ago. I also added black dye, let it sit a few days and it turned into an awesome black bc.
Good morning Lizbet, How much black dye did you use and how many days did you let it sit I the refrigerator?
Can you replace water with cream or half/half or coffee creamer ?
Yes, you can use any of those
Can you use high ratio shortening in this recipe?
Hi Terry, if you are going to use high ratio I would decrease the shortening amount to 1 1/4 cup (236g.) and increase the milk to 1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk or enough to make it the consistency you like.
I made this frosting yesterday and it was really very good. Definitely a keeper. I used high ratio shortening and used a bit less of it based on BeBe’s comment above. I also used coffee instead of water/milk and added as needed, using less than the 1/2 cup called for. Will definitely make this again.
Hi Joan, thanks for your post!
thanx joan was just going to ask about coffee.. LOL shall try this today
ok so this is my updated comment.. i just made this today a few min ago if you’d like to add coffeee peets coffee brand is pretty good for this type of chocolate buttercream so add 3 table spoons of peets coffee dark roast.. 2 tbl spoons vanilla extract … two table spoons of chocolate extract … and if you think its too strong then add a bit of milk at a time to tame the flavor along as well.. about 2 to 3 table spoons of milk… as for white lumps didnt see any so just keep mixing it with the kitchen aid mixer paddle.. instead of the whisker.. works way better
oh and i only used one stick of butter instead of two
Does this frosting has to be refrigerated? Does the cake has to be refrigerated after filling/crusted with this filling? Thanks
Hi Claudia, I think it is fine to be out 3 days. I would keep it out of direct sunlight and in a cool area.
This recipe is wonderful! I was using Wilton’s chocolate recipe – and this is far superior in taste and the way it frosts! My go-to chocolate frosting recipe from now on!
Thank you, Jean!!
How does this differ from your classic chocolate frosting?
Hi BakerJudy, the Classic Chocolate frosting is an all butter recipe. Both recipes are crusting buttercreams.
Just made this tonight – this frosting is the perfect amount of sweetness. I followed the advice above to decrease the milk to 1/4 cup plus 2-3 tbs, but this wasn’t enough liquid. The frosting wasn’t as smooth and a little too crusty, so next time I would use the full 1/2 cup of milk. I traditionally use hi-ratio shortening, butter, and white margarine in my frosting, but I love that this recipe leaves out margarine. Thumbs up from my daughter and husband as well. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Carolyn, Thanks so much for posting your thoughts on this recipe. I’m happy you like the frosting!
If I use this as a filling will it still crust? I won’t need a crusting BC for the filling, but I don’t want it too soft either because I want the filling to be a little on the thick side since I won’t be icing the cake, just a think layer of ganache under fondant. What do you recommend as a chocolate filling that’s a light chocolate taste?
Used as a filling I don’t think it will crust as it won’t be in contact with the air. This recipe as well as our Classic Chocolate Frosting recipe has a light chocolate taste.
2 TABLESPOONS of vanilla? Should it be teaspoons?
Hi Debbie, Yes, thank you. 2 teaspoons
What type of vegetable shortening do you recommend? Will Spectrum organic vegetable shortening hold up as well as Crisco? Is it considered a high ratio shortening?