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Ultra-rich and irresistibly creamy, this decadent chocolate fudge frosting is the perfect chocolatey topping for your favorite cakes and cupcakes.
Easy Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Chocolate fudge frosting is one of the best chocolate frosting recipes you’ll ever taste and it happens to quite easy to make! It’s light and creamy like my traditional chocolate buttercream frosting, made extra fudgy with real melted chocolate.
Chocolate fudge frosting pairs perfectly with chocolate cake and yellow cake, and it’s a recipe that you’ll use time and time again for all of your favorite treats.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Fudge Frosting Recipe
- Made with real chocolate. This fudge frosting uses melted dark chocolate and cocoa powder. The result is fluffy whipped frosting that’s packed with chocolatey flavor.
- Better than store-bought. Skip the canned frosting from the store! This homemade version tastes a million times better, and making it yourself is way easier than you think.
- Quick and easy. This frosting recipe comes together in minutes and it’s great to make ahead. Use chocolate fudge frosting to decorate everything from cakes to cupcakes, and more.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find my notes on the important ingredients below. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a printable ingredients list with amounts.
- Chocolate – Chocolate plays a starring role here, so choose a high-quality chocolate, like Ghirardelli or Guittard. I prefer dark chocolate, but you can use milk chocolate or semi-sweet, too. These will make the frosting a bit sweeter.
- Butter – I recommend unsalted butter that’s cold from the fridge. If salted butter is all you have, that works too.
- Cocoa Powder – Use unsweetened cocoa powder or any type that you prefer (learn about the different kinds of cocoa powders). You can make this frosting without cocoa powder in a pinch, but the flavor won’t be quite as chocolatey.
- Heavy Cream – For the creamiest frosting consistency, use full-fat heavy whipping cream. Whole milk will also work.
How to Make Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Making perfect fudge frosting from scratch is a quick, 3-step process. Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Melt the chocolate. Start by microwaving the chocolate in increments, stirring until it fully melts. Check out my tutorial on how to melt chocolate for tips. Allow the chocolate to cool to the touch for best results.
- Make the frosting. Meanwhile, cube and whip the cold butter in a bowl until it’s light and super fluffy. You should easily be able to run a spoon through it. Next, beat in the cocoa powder, followed by the powdered sugar, alternating with the vanilla and heavy cream.
- Add the chocolate. Lastly, slowly add the melted chocolate. Once that’s combined, give the frosting one good, final whip so that it’s nice and airy.
Tips for Success
Here are my last-minute tips for perfect chocolate fudge frosting:
- Use good-quality chocolate. You’ll taste the difference! Chocolate bars will also melt down more smoothly than chocolate chips.
- Chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips have a coating on them, and tend not to melt down as smoothly as chocolate bars.
- Let the chocolate cool. Melt the chocolate slowly and give it enough time to cool before you add it to the frosting. I usually wait about 10 minutes or so.
- Start with cold butter. You’ll spend a bit more time whipping the butter first to get it to a fluffy consistency. However, starting with cold butter produces a more stiff, stable buttercream frosting that’s perfect for piping.
- Scale the recipe. You’ll need to scale this recipe depending on whether you’re frosting a sheet cake or cupcakes. I include the ingredient amounts for both in the recipe card.
- White Chocolate. If you want to make a white chocolate frosting, skip the cocoa powder and replace it with powdered sugar instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chocolate ganache has a pourable consistency that thickens once it sets. This makes it perfect for filling cupcakes or drizzling over cakes. Meanwhile, chocolate fudge frosting is pipable and spreadable. My whipped ganache frosting is the best of both worlds!
If your chocolate frosting is looking a little runny, adding more cocoa powder is a great way to thicken it. Try adding 1-2 teaspoons at a time to get the frosting to the right consistency.
First start by scraping down the bowl and mixing the frosting at the lowest speed for about a minute. Turn the mixer off and use a spatula to further mix the frosting for a couple of minutes until the frosting is smooth.
Ways to Use Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Find me a dessert that isn’t made better by a swirl of chocolate frosting! There are endless ways to put this frosting recipe to use. These are some of my favorite ideas:
- Cupcakes. Pair this frosting with chocolate cupcakes for a double-chocolate treat. I also love the fudgy flavor alongside these yellow cupcakes. If you’re new to frosting cupcakes, also check out my tutorial on how to decorate cupcakes.
- Cakes. Use this chocolate fudge frosting as a filling for a yellow layer cake, this chocolate layer cake, or marble cake.
- Brownies. Make your next batch of fudgy brownies extra indulgent with a swirl of fudgy chocolate fudge buttercream.
- Cookies. This would be perfect to frost a batch of chocolate chip cookie bars or as a frosting for some chocolate sugar cookies.
How to Store Chocolate Frosting
- To Store. If you have leftover frosting or if you make this recipe in advance, store the chocolate frosting airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week. Once it’s been stored, it needs to be re-whipped (at room temperature) with a mixer before reusing.
- Freeze. Freeze this chocolate frosting airtight and thaw it in the fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature and re-whip it before you use it.
More Frosting Recipes
- Perfect Vanilla Frosting
- White Chocolate Ganache
- Nutella Frosting
- Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Ultra-rich and irresistibly creamy, this decadent chocolate fudge frosting is the perfect topping for your favorite cakes and cupcakes!
Ingredients
Recipe to frost 12 cupcakes
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted
- ¾ cups (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream (or milk)
Recipe for a 9×13″ cake
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, melted
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream (or milk)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
- Cut the butter into pieces. Using the paddle attachment, whip butter for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Beat until butter look light in color. Next, beat the cocoa powder into the butter until well mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Alternate adding 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time with the liquid ingredients: vanilla extract & heavy cream. Ensure the powdered sugar is well combined, and whip for 1-2 minutes before adding more powdered sugar.
- Next, pour in the melted chocolate and beat on slow speed until incorporated. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes to whip additional air into the frosting.
Notes
- I recommend using a chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips tend to have a coating on them and don’t melt down quite as smoothly.
- If you find that you’re having trouble whipping to a light consistency, try removing half of the frosting from the bowl and whipping again.
Storing
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- To Store. If you have leftover frosting or if you make this recipe in advance, store the chocolate frosting airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week. Once it’s been stored, it needs to be re-whipped (at room temperature) with a mixer before reusing.
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- Freeze. Freeze this chocolate frosting airtight and thaw it in the fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature and re-whip it before you use it.
- Category: Frosting
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
I used Hershey cocoa powder and Ghirardelli dark chocolate. This icing actually got hard, or “crusty” as you said above. As a very seasoned baker, I’ve never encountered a frosting that got hard after refrigeration.
The frosting shouldn’t be hard if left at room temperature. But yes, many American buttercream frosting recipes will have a light crusting due to the sugar to butter ratio, unless too much liquid was used. If you refrigerated this frosting, then yes it will get firm. Any butter based frosting recipe will firm up in the fridge, and should be served at room temperature. With this frosting and the addition of melted chocolate, it is also a contributing factor to firmness if refrigerated. It cannot be served straight from the fridge.
I am super disappointed in this and wish I’d have just stuck with the store bought fudge option. This is not a fudge frosting, it’s a sickening sweet light chocolate buttercream. It smells super chocolaty but that’s about it. It really lacks depth of flavor and there is definitely something lacking in this recipe. Too sweet and not rich in flavor whatsoever.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I personally love this recipe, but everyone has different opinions. It could also have something to do with the type of chocolate or cocoa powder being used.
I love the stability of this frosting. I probably could’ve added a touch more cream to pipe more easily. I was able to make a tall 6” cake, yet it’s melt-in-your-mouth chocolatey goodness. The family that had the cake said it was absolutely perfect. Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing Camille!
Can you tell me what kind of dark chocolate? Is it semi sweet? Bittersweet? Unsweetened etc. Thank you!!
You can use any type you’d like. I use a Trader Joes Dark Chocolate bar or Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bar usually
Is this more of a fudge frosting? I do not want a light buttercream I am looking for a fudgy tasting frosting
Yes, it’s more dense and rich than my regular chocolate buttercream
I love this recipe this is the only Chocolate frosting I use now!!
Amazing!! Thank you so much Cindy!!
I made this to frost my chocolate cake and it turned out to be amazing! It does become solid when refrigerated, but once it comes to room temperature it’s super fluffy and Fudgy!
Thanks for sharing Trishna!
I LOVE this icing – I’m about to make it for the second time and I’m certain I’ll come back to it again and again! I love the combination of the rich flavor (NEVER too chocolatey in my book!) and lovely light texture. Last time I used it to top some chocolate-cherry brownies and it was divine…today I’m making a peanut butter pretzel cake for Father’s Day and this will give a perfect fudge accent in between two of my layers. 😋
That cake sounds amazing!! Thanks for sharing- I’m so glad you like it!
This frosting was too chocolaty and lacked something. I made as written using a fork and whisk to beat. My preference recipe is-Combine 4&3/4 c confec. sugar, 1/2 c dry cocoa, & 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1/3 c boiling water and 1/3 c butter-softened. Blend. Add 1 tsp vanilla.. Frosts 2- 8 inch layers.
After reading other chocolate fudge frosting recipes, this is the one I want to try. However, my electric mixer is just the handheld kind, with 2 standard blades, no paddle thingies. Will it still do the job?
Hi Deja- yes it will, but since you’re working with a hand mixer, I do recommend starting off with a little bit of a softer butter. I would microwave for 10-15 seconds. Also take extra time to beat the butter in the beginning before adding any additional ingredients, it should be soft, fluffy and very spreadable.
How do I adapt this recipe for a 9” layer cake?
Hi Eileen- how many layers are you looking to do?
For a 2 layer cake, I’d 2x the recipe for the 9×13 inch cake and for a 3 layer cake I’d probably 2.5x or 3x it if you like a lot of frosting between layers and plenty for decorating. You may have leftovers.
Hi! Does the frosting need to be refrigerated or can it be left out at room temperature like normal buttercream once it’s been put on a cake?
You should be okay to store this in an airtight container as long as you do not live in a hot or humid environment.
I think I found my new favorite chocolate frosting!😍 Thank you!
This is awesome Laura! thank you!
Delicious! Thank you! Perfect for the sides of my German chocolate cake and it holds its form well when piped.
Great! Thanks for sharing!
If I use this frosting on cookies will it become firm enough to stack the cookies?
It’s can be a fairy thick frosting and will have some “crusting”. You could probably stack them 2 high without too much damage. You’ll be able to control the consistency of the frosting to some degree, adding more heavy cream for a lighter, fluffier frosting or more powdered sugar for a stiffer frosting.