American-Style Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

This eggless chocolate frosting takes a little more time to make than a traditional American buttercream, but not much—and its deep, dark chocolate flavor is well worth the wait.

By
America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019." data-inline-tooltip="true"> Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Editor Emeritus
Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one ofAmerica's Best New Pastry Chefsby Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.
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Updated Apr. 15, 2020
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Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • A small batch of dark-chocolate ganache boosts the flavor and richness of an otherwise traditional American buttercream.
  • High-fat Dutch cocoa powder contains more fat and less starch than supermarket brands, for better flavor and richness.
  • A small amount of instant espresso adds a subtle bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check, without lending an overt coffee flavor to the frosting.

This recipe combines the speed and ease of anAmerican buttercreamwith the richness and intensity of ganache, for a bold yet simple chocolate frosting. The exact color and texture will depend on how long the frosting is whipped; stop short for a dark, dense frosting, or continue whipping until it's airy and relatively pale.

In either case, the flavor will depend entirely on the quality of dark chocolate and Dutch cocoa involved, so check out our guides to thebest dark-chocolate barseasily found in supermarkets and thebest high-fat Dutch cocoafor baking.

Recipe Facts

5

(8)

Active:15 mins
Total:45 mins
Serves:24 servings
Makes:3 cups

Rate & Comment

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  • 4 ouncesheavy cream(about 1/2 cup;115g), straight from the fridge

  • 4 ounces finely choppeddark chocolate(not chips),around 72%(about 2/3 cup;115g)

  • 12ouncesunsalted butter(3 sticks; 340g), softened to about 65°F (18°C)

  • 9ouncesorganic powdered sugar(about 2 1/4 cups, spooned; 255g), preferably tapioca-based, such as Wholesome (see note)

  • 3ounceshigh-fatDutch cocoa powder(about 1 cup, spooned; 85g)

  • 2teaspoonsvanilla extract, plus more to taste

  • 3/4 teaspoon (3g) Diamond Crystalkosher salt, plus more to taste; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

  • 3/4teaspooninstant espresso powder, plus more to taste

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Off heat, add chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Set aside and cool to approximately 75°F (24°C). This can be done slowly by letting the mixture cool down over time in the saucepan, or sped up by transferring the ganache to a wide, shallow container to increase its surface area; the faster method will cool the ganache in about 30 minutes.

  2. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, then sift powdered sugar and Dutch cocoa on top to ensure no lumps of either remain in the frosting. Fit stand mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on low until dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

  3. Add vanilla, salt, and espresso powder, then increase speed to medium and beat until frosting is creamy and smooth, pausing along the way to scrape bowl and beater as needed. This will take about 6 minutes, although the exact timing will vary depending on the power of the mixer and the temperature of the ingredients.

  4. Reduce speed to medium-low and add ganache. Once ganache is fully incorporated, pause to scrape bowl and beater with a spatula, then resume mixing a few seconds longer to ensure the frosting is homogeneous. Extending the beating time can create a lighter, paler frosting with a higher yield, while reduced beating can create a denser, darker frosting with a lower yield; which you choose depends on your personal preference. At this stage, the buttercream can be doctored to taste with additional salt, vanilla, or instant espresso powder.

  5. Use buttercream right away or transfer to a large zipper-lock bag, press out air, and seal. The buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to several months. (The main issue with longer storage in the freezer is odor absorption, not spoilage.) Bring buttercream to approximately 72°F (22°C) and re-whip before use; see the troubleshooting guide below for tips on adjusting its consistency.

  6. Troubleshooting:If too cold, the frosting may seem stiff, greasy, or curdled; to fix, melt 1/4 cup frosting until liquid, then return it to the bowl and re-whip. Conversely, if too warm, the frosting may seem soft, loose, or runny; to fix, refrigerate the bowl of frosting for 10 minutes, then re-whip. It can take time to achieve the right temperature and consistency, but it gets easier with practice.

Special equipment

Stand mixer,nonreactive fine-mesh strainer, flexible spatula

Notes

If you don't have organic powdered sugar on hand, conventional powdered sugar will be fine; just add 1/2 teaspoon plain, unsulfured molasses(not blackstrap)随着salt and vanilla to create a similar depth of flavor. Check out our guide to thedifferences between conventional and organic powdered sugarfor more detail.

Make-Ahead and Storage

In a large zipper-lock bag, the buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to several months.

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Nutrition Facts(per serving)
220 Calories
15g Fat
19g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition LabelHide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 220
% Daily Value*
Total Fat15g 19%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol36mg 12%
Sodium52mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 15mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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