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This chocolate cream cheese frosting is a chocolate lovers dream. This chocolate frosting is silky smooth, surprisingly easy to make, and pipes onto cupcakes or cakes beautifully.
It works really well over either of the chocolate cupcakes that I’ve posted: (1) Moist Chocolate Cupcakes – easy peasy or (2) super fluffy Dark Chocolate Cupcakes.
I’ve gotten loads of requests for a perfect chocolate cupcake frosting recipe and I know you’ll be impressed with this one. The cream cheese base gives it a lighter whipped texture. It’s not overly rich or overly sweet, but is super chocolatey and will win you over.
Yields: about 3 cups of frosting to generously frost 18 cupcakes or reasonably frost 24 cupcakes. It would also be enough to frost an 8 or 9-inch two layer round cake.
Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting Recipe:
8 oz package cream cheese, room temp
8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
How to Make Whipped Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer with a large bowl), beat together 8 oz cream cheese with 8 Tbsp butter on medium/high speed until creamy (3 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
2. Sift in 3 cups powdered sugar with 1/2 cup cocoa powder to ensure there are no lumps then add 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on low speed until well combined, scrape down the bowl well then increase to medium/high speed and beat until smooth and whipped (1 min).
3. Add 1 tsp vanilla and beat on medium/high until smooth (1 min). Now it’s ready to be piped onto cooled cupcakes.
Note: it’s best to pipe the frosting on after it is made. If you refrigerate the frosting, it will need a little time at room temp to soften and become pipe-able.
Best Chocolate Frosting! Whipped Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 oz package cream cheese, room temp
- 8 Tbsp 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer with a large bowl), beat together 8 oz cream cheese with 8 Tbsp butter on medium/high speed until creamy (3 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Sift in 3 cups powdered sugar with 1/2 cup cocoa powder to ensure there are no lumps then add 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on low speed until well combined, scrape down the bowl well then increase to medium/high speed and beat until smooth and whipped (1 min).
- Add 1 tsp vanilla and beat on medium/high until smooth (1 min). Now it's ready to be piped onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Shown in this post: (nope, no one paid us to write this; just stuff we love):
*The OXO strainer/sifter is totally multi-purpose!
*I love my stacking measuring spoons – I just wash the ones I use.
*Red Stand Mixer from KitchenAid: 6 Qt. Pro 600 Series in Empire Red
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
My son doesn’t like overly sweet frostings. Would you recommend this cream cheese frosting recipe or the buttercream frosting recipe? I follow you and try to make all your recipes because they are delicious!!!
Hi Grace we also don’t like overly sweet recipes, we believe we found the perfect balance with this one. I recommend making it as written the first time around and potentially decreasing the sugar slightly or adjusting the recipe to your liking after the first attempt.
Thank you for sharing your recipes. And yes I bought your cookbook. It has been a joy to have.
Thank you for purchasing my cookbook! I hope you will love every recipe that you will try.
I made the cream cheese icing and the chocolate cream cheese frosting it was a big hit at our party just have to work on decorating lol
I’ve been making this icing for years! Love it so much, it’s almost like chocolate fudge!!! Making a batch today to use with a boxed Golden Yellow cake mix. Thanks so much for such a fantastic recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Rachel!
Sounds delicious! I want to make these the day of about 5 hours prior to serving. How should I store them? House temperature is around 67 degrees.
Hi Jenny! Because of the cream cheese, it should stay refrigerated and can be out at room temperature no more than 2hrs for food safety.
So,, almost went to the store to buy the sacrilege can of chocolate frosting. I’m really glad I didn’t do that. I never thought in a million years that I would go gaga over frosting but here we are. Gaga enough to leave a review. Half of it went into the freezer… I really don’t know why. Because I could actually see myself sitting and eating the rest of it. It’s just that good. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Christine. Thanks for sharing your experience trying this recipe. Glad that you liked it!
I just made this cream cheese icing to go along with my homemade chocolate cupcakes and it is delicious. Simple & quick to make, and easy to pipe on to cupcakes. This will be my go to and I would highly recommend. (not overly sweet .. just perfect)
Thank so much, Heidi! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Wow!! So easy! Very nice, rich chocolate and perfect for piping! Pretty sure this is going to be my regular go-to Choco Frost! Thank you for sharing only deliciousness!! 🙂
You’re very welcome, Chey!
I am saving alot of your recipes bc they look GREAT and I’m sure TASTY. Do you have recipes for chocolate and vanilla FROSTING that are fluffy, whipped and not to sweet? Thank you
Thanks, Nana! Here are my Frosting Recipes.
This is the BEST CHOCOLATE FROSTING!!! I made your vanilla cupcakes 🧁 but added chocolate chips and the chocolate frosting on top. These were THE BEST cupcakes I’ve ever made. This made my husband’s 40th one to remember 😊❤️
I’m so glad to hear that! Happy Birthday to your husband!
will this frosting taste good with your easy chocolate cupcakes [the kind that uses coffee]?
Hi Elaine, yes, it will work great with those cupcakes. Here’s the note we have in the recipe “It works really well over either of the chocolate cupcakes that I’ve posted: Moist Chocolate Cupcakes – easy peasy”
Would this recipe work as a cream cheese frosting by just leaving out the chocolate?
Hi Diana, have you tried our Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe?
Hi Natasha.
Can i use cool whip instead of heavy whipping cream? Is there a difference between them? Thanks!
Hi Olga! They are not the same and it depends on the recipe. There is no heavy cream in this one.
This is great! I am not a fan of buttercream, but with the cream cheese this one is delicious.
I think it’s a great option for people who don’t like normal buttercream but need a firmer frosting for decorating. It’s so good!
Hi Jenny! Thank you for sharing that. I’m glad you loved it. 🙂
Hello.
Please, could you advise?
I would like to make this recipe in two days time for birthday cupcakes, however I am little concerned about the sweetness. If I reduce the sugar by half, should I change any other quantities for a good consistency?
Hi Marietta! I think it could work but I haven’t tested it myself to advise what the consistency would be like. Feel free to experiment with it. If the frosting is too soft to pipe or work with, you can try refrigerating it for a bit or add more sugar until it reaches a better consistency.
Where have you been all my life “made from scratch vanilla cream cheese frosting”? Today was my first time making this recipe and I am so excited to make it again already. It is delicious and makes a beautiful pillowy frosting perfect for topping your favorite cupcake flavor. Thank you so much for sharing 🫶
Hi Beth! I’m so glad you love this frosting. 🙂 You’re very welcome!
I made this as a filling for my chocolate cake and it was amazing!! Super creamy and delicious!! Must try 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Mariam!
Too sour/cream cheesy for my family. It is an easy, smooth and easily spread frosting if you REALLY like the cream cheese part.
Just made this but cut the butter in half and added additional cream cheese. I needed to add
A bit of milk to loosen it but wow, the flavour and smoothness was spot on. Thank you!
That is great, Harriet. Thank you for sharing with us. I’m happy you enjoyed the frosting!