Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy + Decadent!)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is easy to make in a matter of minutes with just a few ingredients and it turns out smooth, creamy, and decadent…the perfect chocolate frosting for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and so much more!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox. Plus get our best recipes every week!
If you're a chocolate lover, you'll also enjoy The BEST Homemade Chocolate Pudding, Warm Chocolate Cobbler, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake!
As an admitted sweet tooth -- who has surprisingly never enjoyed cloyingly sweet frosting -- classic Cream Cheese Frosting has always been my favorite. The tang of the cream cheese perfectly tempers the sweetness of the powdered sugar for a decadent frosting that I actually enjoy eating...rather than immediately scraping off. 😉
So it only makes sense that my Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is a top choice any time I need a fruity frosting. And Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting happens to be perfect for springtime treats. So along those same lines, today I bring you velvety smooth, irresistibly chocolatey (drumroll, please...) Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting!
I've been making this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting for years but I'm admittedly belated in bringing it to the site. And honestly, it follows the same framework as my other incarnations of cream cheese frosting: just a few ingredients + five minutes for a rich, chocolatey frosting with a tangy undertone that's not overly sweet but oh-so-delicious.
So whether you’re a fellow cream cheese frosting fan or a self-proclaimed chocoholic, this recipe combines the best of both worlds!
Ingredients
Since Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting utilizes simple, everyday ingredients, quality is key!
- Salted butter: At room temperature. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt, since a little saltiness enhances the overall flavor of the frosting, making it pop.
- Cream cheese. Also needs to be at room temperature, so as to avoid small lumps. Be sure to use regular, full-fat cream cheese from a block for the correct consistency! Cream cheese "spread" from a tub has additives that will result in runny frosting.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Choose high-quality, all-natural cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavor. Incidentally, the color of your cocoa powder will ultimately dictate the shade of your frosting.
- Powdered sugar. Feel free to tweak the amount to control the sweetness and consistency of your Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Also, if your cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar are lumpy, you'll definitely want to sift them first!
- Pure vanilla extract. Use good quality vanilla, as the flavor really shines through in this recipe.
- Instant espresso powder. Optional but recommended. A hint of espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor without actually tasting like coffee.
How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
It's easy to whip up a batch of Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting in a matter of minutes!
- Using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth and blended.
- Slowly and gradually blend in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and espresso powder (if using), scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat your frosting on high until well-combined, smooth, and creamy.
The longer you whip this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, the lighter and fluffier it will become.
However, as soon as it starts to stiffen, stop beating! Otherwise, it can start to break down and turn runny.
Yield + Storage
This recipe yields about 3 cups of frosting, enough to frost a 9x13" cake or 24 cupcakes (using a knife to modestly spread the frosting).
For a layer cake -- or to generously pipe frosting onto 24 cupcakes, as shown in the photos of this post -- you'll want to double (or at least X1.5) this recipe.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting should be kept in the refrigerator, whether making it ahead of time or storing leftovers.
You can either apply the frosting as soon as you make it and then refrigerate your cake/cupcakes/etc. Or you can transfer the finished frosting to a sealed container, refrigerate (for up to two weeks), and then bring to room temperature and stir until smooth before using.
So have I convinced you to give this frosting recipe a try?
It's quick and easy, rich and velvety, and versatile enough to enjoy in a variety of applications.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting shines on chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or red velvet cake or cupcakes...but its adaptability doesn’t stop there!
You can use it to frost sugar cookies or brownies. And you can even enjoy any leftover frosting as a decadent dip for strawberries, apple slices, cookies, or even pretzels for a sweet-and-salty treat! And -- your secret is safe with me! -- I may or may not also advocate licking it straight off a spoon. 😉
So whether you’re making a special birthday cake, a yummy batch of cupcakes, or some other treat that calls for a luscious mantle of chocolate, this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe will become your new go-to for creamy, chocolatey goodness that everybody loves!
More Decadent Chocolate Treats
- Homemade Chocolate Syrup
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- Easy Crockpot Hot Chocolate (4 Flavors!)
- Triple Chocolate Banana Bread
- Fluffy Chocolate Fruit Dip
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy + Decadent!)
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 to 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, depending on your desired consistency & sweetness of frosting
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder, optional
Instructions
- Using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly and gradually blend in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Then beat on high until well-combined, smooth, and creamy.
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting should be stored in the refrigerator. You can either apply the frosting as soon as you make it and then refrigerate your cake/cupcakes/etc., or transfer the frosting to a sealed container, refrigerate, and then bring to room temperature and stir until smooth before using.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- The saltiness of salted butter balances the sweetness of the Cream Cheese Frosting and helps the flavors pop. If you only have unsalted butter, you can add a tiny pinch of salt for the same effect.
- Be sure to use regular, full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block or brick. Using cream cheese from a tub or reduced-fat cream cheese won't yield the same results.
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are completely soft and at room temperature or your frosting will have small lumps.
- If your powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder are lumpy, you will want to sift them first.
- The espresso powder is optional. It doesn’t make the frosting taste like coffee, but it does deepen the chocolate flavor.
- The longer you whip this frosting, the lighter and fluffier it will become. However, as soon as it starts to stiffen, stop beating! Otherwise, it can start to break down and turn runny.
- This frosting recipe holds up best when chilled. It is pretty soft at room temperature, meaning it's not the best choice for frosting an elaborate cake that needs strength and structure.
- Use good-quality, pure vanilla extract, as the vanilla flavor really shines through in this recipe.
- A batch of this frosting is enough to frost a 9x13" cake or 24 cupcakes (spread with a knife). For a layer cake -- or to generously pipe frosting onto 24 cupcakes -- you'll want to X1.5 or double the recipe.
- I usually frost my cake or cupcakes ahead of time, refrigerate, and then let them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
