Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 9 votes

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This easy chocolate cream cheese frosting uses only 6 ingredients and has 10 minute prep time, so whip up a batch of this delicious pipeable frosting for your cakes and cupcakes today!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Sophia Assunta

Equipment

Standing or Hand Held Mixer
Spatula
Sifter

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, see notes for salted butter
8 oz block full-fat cream cheese room temperature
2.5 cups powdered sugar up to 3 cups for firmer frosting
1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt omit if using salted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Sift together powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside.
Using a hand held mixer with a large bowl, or a whisk attachment in a standing mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until thoroughly combined, about 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary.
Slowly add chocolate sugar mixture, about ½ -1 cup at a time and mix on medium low, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
Add vanilla and salt and remix until combined. If piping, chill for 20 minutes in the fridge to get the perfect piping consistency. Otherwise, it’s ready to use on your favorite dessert.

Notes

You can use salted butter, just omit the added salt or only add a pinch.
Make sure both the butter and cream cheese are room temperature so they will combine properly and you don’t have any unmixed butter or cream cheese pieces.
Use full-fat block cream cheese. Low fat cream cheese or cream cheese in a plastic container can turn the cream cheese frosting runny due to the increased water content. You can read more about why and how to prevent it in this classic Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
If using a standing mixer, be sure to use a whisk attachment and not the beater attachment. The beater attachment can lead to runny frosting.
Still have issues with runny or lumpy frosting? Check out this post on why this happens and how to prevent it.
This recipe makes 2.5-3 cups of frosting, which is enough for 18-24 cupcakes or a 9x13 inch sheet cake. It can easily be halved or doubled.
It will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 2 months.

Nutrition