How to make chocolate cream cheese frosting! This recipe is made with cocoa powder and is simple, fool-proof, and richly chocolaty.
It’s creamy and smooth but is still sturdy enough for piping and would be the perfect complement to your favorite cake or cupcake recipe!
Due to popular demand (and a persistent sweet tooth), I’ve been trying to amp up my frosting section on the blog recently.
So far I’ve covered some of my favorite frostings, including a decadent, silky smooth (but not too-sweet) chocolate frosting and a classic (and perfect, it’s literally my favorite) cream cheese frosting, and today I’m marrying these two favorites together into this chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe.
Despite my afore-mentioned sweet tooth, buttercream frostings were always too sweet for me growing up, so as soon as I discovered cream cheese frosting my mom switched over to icing and decorating my birthday cakes exclusively with classic and chocolate cream cheese frosting. While many cream cheese frostings don’t stand up well to piping or decorating (too many are too soft and runny), this recipe is stiff enough for decorating and, as you can see in the above picture, works perfectly for piping on top a cupcake.
Chocolate cream cheese frosting only requires 6 ingredients and for my recipe I always use cocoa powder (rather than melted chocolate) to give my frosting a rich chocolaty flavor.
Take a good look at your cocoa powder before adding it in to your mixer, and if it looks particularly clumpy I recommend running it through a sifter with your powdered sugar so that you don’t have any lumps when you go to pipe the frosting — there’s nothing more annoying than ruining that perfect chocolate swirl because your piping tip has a lump of cocoa powder or powdered sugar jamming up the flow.
Another tip for silky smooth frosting: Make sure that your cream cheese and butter are softened before beating them together. Cream cheese that’s still cold can also cause lumps in your frosting. I always recommend beating the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer first until both are well-combined and lump-free, and then adding your other ingredients.
Alright, I think that’s all I have to say about today’s super simple frosting recipe. I’m also just back from vacation and recovering from a crazy/wonderful week of sunny days and late 2AM nights with 29 of my favorite family members, so hopefully everything I just typed came out as coherently as possible 😉
Enjoy!
And if you’re wondering about the cupcakes in this picture, I just made my favorite vanilla cake recipe, added a handful of sprinkles, and baked into cupcakes. My funfetti cake or chocolate cupcakes would also work nicely!
How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened brick-style, not spreadable
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar*
- ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
Instructions
- Combine the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer or a stand mixer to beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened, 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened
- Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar*
- Add cocoa powder and beat until well-incorporated into the frosting -- be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that all ingredients are well-combined.½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
- Frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Christina Johnson
This is my new favorite chocolate frosting. I read some of the comments before I started so I softened my butter in the microwave and then mixed in the sifted cocoa powder and incorporated well. I put it back in the fridge for about 5 minutes before using it to make the frosting. I also sifted the powdered sugar. There were no lumps and the cocoa didn’t seem grainy. I’m so glad I found a new go to.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Christina! 🙂
Susan Drobar
Absolutely delicious. I was always hesitant to try using cocoa in a frosting but this was so good. I did use a little heavy cream to loosen it up while beating. Had a family gathering last Sunday and I used on vanilla cupcakes then topped each with a fresh raspberry and the tart zing of raspberry with the sweet chocolate was heavenly. Now everyone requesting for their birthdays. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Susan! Those cupcakes sound incredible! 🙂
Jzak
Enough to frost my cake using 9” pans with some left over. I used dark King Arthur cocoa instead of my usual Hershey’s Special Dark and only 1 1/2 cups of caster sugar which was really sweet enough.
Sam
So glad you enjoyed!
Mary
I just finished my frosting and I’m anxious to try it tomorrow!
I too found it a little thick.
I should have added a little milk like a previous comment, and it was starting to get thick after 3 cups of powdered sugar, so I only added another 1/4 cup.
The little bit I licked off the beaters was really good 😉
Hope it’s a hit 🤗
Thx for your expertise!
Sam
I hope it was a hit, Mary! Thank you for commenting!
Mandy
This was a terrific icing. It is thick, as some have commented, but that’s what I was looking for. It was a huge hit. I did use special dark cocoa for my particular cake. Yum!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Mandy! 🙂
Anna
This is really delicious, but I find the icing slightly gritty, due to the cocoa powder. Is there anyway I could make the cocoa wet so that the granules have dissolved first, before adding to the mixture? If so, what would you suggest using, so as not to upset the overall consistency? Thank you for another amazing recipe. You really have become my go-to site for baking!
Sam
Hi Anna! I would actually probably try using melted chocolate instead, you may have better luck with that. I’d essentially recommend using the method I used in my chocolate frosting. You would chop and melt 4-6 oz of chocolate (semisweet or dark would be my preference, though unsweetened would probably work as well given the amount of sugar in this recipe) and let it cool until it’s no longer very warm (10-15 minutes). Beat together the butter and cream cheese and gradually stir in the cooled melted chocolate until combined, then proceed with the recipe as written (minus the cocoa powder). I hope that helps!!
Jasmin
Hi Sam
I made some frosting today and unfortunately I only use 2 cups of powdered sugar and it becomes runny. It really taste good though. There’s still frosting left.
I’m planning to make an add-on on saturday for mother’s day the next day what should I do?
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying my recipe, Jamin! This recipe uses 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. The extra 1 1/2 cups are needed to help thicken your frosting so it isn’t runny and more manageable when applying to a cake. As for your extra frosting… you can transfer it to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. 🙂
Amber Rader
Will this frost a whole cake? I’ll be making an ice cream cake with 2 layers of cake. Should I double the recipe?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Amber! Depending on the size of your cake one batch should be plenty. This recipe is enough to decorate 24 cupcakes or 1 8″ or 9″ 2-layer cake. 🙂
Robin
How long will the icing store in an air tight container in the refrigerator?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Robin! The frosting can be made and transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. 🙂
Chrissie
Hi Sam, can I use the frosting on cakes after leaving it in the fridge? How to best do this? Take it our to room temperature before applying it? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Chrissie! When you refrigerate it you will want to press a piece of plastic wrap all the way down onto the surface of the frosting so it doesn’t get a crust on it. When you go to use it, you will want to let it come to room temperature first then you may have to beat it with a mixer before using it. 🙂
Erika
Would this frosting recipe taste good with your carrot cake cupcake recipe? I’ve never seen anyone put chocolate cream cheese frosting on carrot cake but I’m not such a big fan of cream cheese so I thought the chocolate would dim down the cream cheese flavor? Also give the cupcakes some chocolate flavour(I love chocolate!). But I’m not sure how well chocolate and carrots will do together…
Sam
Hmm I haven’t tried it. I too have only had traditional cream cheese frosting with carrot cake cupcakes. It’s worth a shot right? Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Cora
love it! I don’t like melting chocolate if I don’t have to. This was easy and not too sweet. My husband and son loved it!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the frosting, Cora! 🙂
Patty
Yikes! I only have 2 C powdered sugar. I’m not picky about what it will look like, but would like it to taste delicious…any suggestions?
Sam
Hi Patty! The powdered sugar really helps with the consistency so your frosting will be pretty runny unfortunately. 🙁
Nikki M
Could I make this the night before to save time on the whole 3 layer cake process?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Nikki! Yes, you can! Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. 🙂
Michelle
Yummy recipe. I added a tablespoon of milk because mine came out a bit stiff. Since I was spreading it on a cake I wanted it a bit more workable. Thanks for this recipe. My son loves chocolate cake with chocolate frosting but I can’t stand buttercream frostings so this was perfect.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that this frosting was the perfect solution for you, Michelle! Thank you for trying my recipe. Enjoy the cake! 🙂
Beth Ozment
Cream cheese frosting has always been my favorite and go to. I was so excited to find this in a chocolate version for a GF chocolate cake. I usually shy away from chocolate frosting because I don’t want to deal with melting chocolate. The frosting is creamy and delicious. Directions are perfect and using soft butter and cream cheese is ket. I also sifted the sugar and cocoa powder.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Beth! Thank you so much for trying it and for commenting. 🙂
Monique Dodge
Rich but not too sweet!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed the frosting, Monique! Thank you for commenting. 🙂