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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
This frosting is the best. Easy to make & so light & yummy. I have some extra frosting. How long does it keep in the fridge?
It will stay good in the refrigerator for several days, but you will have to let it get closer to room temp for it to pipe easily.
is this frosting pipeable with tips to make flowers and borders
thank you
Hi Carole, I would say it pipes well! Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “It is so creamy and smooth and pipes like a dream.” I hope that helps!
Does this icing need to be refrigerated after it’s on the cake?
Hi Vicki, since it has cream, yes, it does! I hope you love it!
This was very pleasant. It has a mild cream cheese flavor, but not overpowering. Though because the chocolate flavor wasn’t enough for me, next time, I’ll use dark cocoa powder for more flavor.
It was delightfully creamy and I loved it. Thanks so much!
Sounds good! Feel free to change it up a bit and adjust it according to your personal preference.
Hi Natasha!
How many days can the leftover buttercream be refrigerated?
It will stay good in the refrigerator for several days, but you will have to let it get closer to room temp for it to pipe easily.
Just tried this as a frosting for cupcakes and as a filling for a chocolate cake. Super easy to make and tastes great. 5 stars
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Randy!
Just tried this as a frosting for cupcakes and as a filling for a chocolate cake. Super easy to make and tastes great.
Glad you liked it, Randy!
This is a wonderful chocolate frosting! You really can’t go wrong and everyone love it and kept commenting on how delicious the frosting was. I put it on the chocolate cupcake recipe that makes 12 cupcakes. It is actually too much frosting for that recipe but it is fabulous.
Hello Paula, that a nice review. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi there. It’s this cream hard Enough do use it as a filling for a fondant cake?
Hi Tina, I have not tested this under fondant to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
Can i use this frosting to frost a teddy bear cake? Will it do good with wilton’s 233 tip to make frosting look like fur?
Hi Areej, I haven’t tested that to advise, but it may work! As always, I recommended testing a new method before making it for a big event.
I made this today for the first time. I looked through several recipes before selecting yours. So glad I did. It is a easy and absolutely delicious frosting. It does need that little bit of salt so glad I added it to bring out the right amount of sweetness. I will be using your recipes more often from now on.
Hi Helen, that is so wonderful to know. Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback. I hope you’ll love every recipe that you will try!
Everybody loved this frosting which I now make my go-to basic chocolate frosting. Delicious, inexpensive and so simple to make! And when it’s refrigerated it eats like fudge. Literally perfect. Thank you you so much!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Lili! Thank you for that wonderful review.
Natasha do you know if you can freeze cream cheese. I have 3 packages but 1 is past the expiration date. I don’t want to have to throw them out because I haven’t had the chance to use them yet. Thanks
Hi Sharon, you sure can, here’s what a quick Google search brought up, “Unopened cream cheese can go straight in the freezer in its original packaging. The foil wrapping and cardboard box provides more than enough protection from freezer burn. Frozen cream cheese is best kept in the freezer for up to two months.” I hope that helps.
Hi! I might be a bit late to this thread, but I can verify that freezing cream cheese in its packaging is perfectly fine. However, there is one catch to this: you should only use it in a baked good after freezing. The consistency of the cream cheese can be messed up during the freezing and thawing process, therefore making it not ideal for frostings, dips, and toast. I hope this helps!
I come back to this page constantly for delicious recipes.
But this frosting is way too sweet!! I would reduce the sugar from 3 cups to 1.
Hi Niso, thanks for your feedback. Feel free to adjust the sweetness level of the recipe according to your preference.
I made this chocolate cake and frosting from YouTube video. My husband’s birthday cake. My granddaughters will be coming for a visit and I want them to have some of this cake. My question is how long will this cake be ok to leave out or refrigerate it. Again how how will it last?
Hi Deborah, since it is dairy-based, I would refrigerate overnight and then bring it back to room temperature to serve.
Hi Natasha!
I want to try this recipe but I see it calls for cream cheese but my dad does not like the texture of cream cheese. What can I substitute for cream cheese?
Hi Bria, you might try using all butter and make a chocolate buttercream frosting. I don’t have a chocolate buttercream frosting posted yet, but we do have a great ganache recipe that can be whipped into frosting once it cools.
Great recipes!! Love your site 🥰
Thank you, Lisa!
I love all your recipes ! Thank you. Can I use this icing recipe for your Brownies ?
You sure can, Craig! Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “Works like a champ on brownies. I cut back on the sugar in the brownie mix to allow the chocolate to take hold. This frosting adds the perfect complement to the rather bittersweet brownies.” I hope this helps.
Best recipe on Vanilla Cupcakes and the Chocolate Creme cheese icing!
Thanks
Have you ever made this icing with Non dairy cream cheese (such as Kite Hill)? Thinking of trying for Thanksgiving, but don’t want to waste a tub of $7 cream cheese if it isn’t going to work. 🙂
Hello Andi, I haven’t tried that yet to advise if it would work fine. If you want to do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I just love your recipes and this frosting recipe is to die for! I’ve tried countless chocolate frosting recipes before I found this perfect one. I love that you add nutrition facts to your recipes – that’s very helpful. Love the videos!
Thank you so much for your great comments and review, Kim. Love it!