October 26, 2018

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Table of Contents

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details

This Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for cakes and cupcakes! A silky smooth frosting that melts in your mouth and is also incredibly easy to make.

Looking for more chocolate frosting recipes? Try this buttercream chocolate frosting!

A chocolate cupcake frosted with chocolate frosting with chocolate sprinkles.

Don’t mind me over here, I am just eating this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting with a spoon, no cake needed.

I was never someone who enjoyed eating frosting as a child, I always took it off my cake. Once I started making my own frosting, everything changed.

You’ll find a few different recipes for chocolate frosting on my blog, as well as my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe, but when the two become one, and you have Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, everybody wins.

A large piping bag piping chocolate frosting into a small glass jar.

What is Cream Cheese Frosting?

Cream cheese frosting is equal parts butter and cream cheese, or close to it. This helps make for a thicker, creamier frosting that doesn’t just wilt once it’s been pipped.

Start with cold butter and cold cream cheese, which again, helps to make them a bit more stable for piping. I also think you can whip cold butter much easier than room temperature butter.

The butter and cream cheese are whipped together at various stages of the process making it ultra-light and fluffy. It’s the perfect frosting for my moist chocolate cake.

A slice of chocolate cake with rainbow sprinkles.

What Kind of Cocoa To Use

For this frosting, you’ll need a solid cocoa powder because that is where all the chocolate flavor is coming from. You can use any type of cocoa powder, whether it’s a dutch processed cocoa powder, a regular cocoa powder or a sweetened cocoa powder.

You might find that with the unsweetened cocoa powder, you may compensate with some additional vanilla extract or milk. These liquids help smooth out the flavors and also contribute to the overall creaminess of this frosting.

Have I convinced you to try it yet?

A swirl of chocolate frosting piped onto a white surface.

How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

One of the best things about this frosting recipe is how easy it is to make! Here’s how:

Beat the butter: Start by cutting the COLD butter into 1-inch blocks, it helps you beat it easier. Beat the butter for 1-2 minutes until it is slightly softened.
Add cream cheese: Then add the cold cream cheese and cream together for 2-3 minutes until they are fluffy and free of lumps. It helps to stop and scrape down the bowl occasionally.
Add cocoa and vanilla: Turn off your mixer and add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. I like to add the cocoa powder at the beginning so that it really gets incorporated into the frosting.
Slowly add sugar and cream: It helps to alternate the powdered sugar with the heavy cream to avoid the frosting from getting too lumpy. Add the confectionery sugar 2 cups at a time, followed by one tablespoon of heavy whipping cream and beat for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth.
Beat until fluffy: Finally, add the remaining powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream and beat until desired consistency, at least 2 minutes. Your frosting should be nice and airy, resembling a whipped texture by this point.

Ways to Use Your Frosting

There are so many way to use chocolate cream cheese frosting. Firstly, you can eat it with a spoon. As I mentioned earlier, yes it is really that good.

You can also spread frosting over cooled cake or cupcakes and then cover with sprinkles. (Everything is better with sprinkles.) My favorite way to use it is for my chocolate cupcakes.

Or make cookies and sandwich frosting between them. I have also been known to dip strawberries in frosting – why not?

A small glass dish filled with swirls of chocolate cream cheese frosting

How Much Frosting Does this Recipe Make?

The recipe listed here is for a 9-inch by 13-inch cake and it’s more than enough for 12 cupcakes.

If you’re looking to frost 24 cupcakes just multiple the recipe by 1.5times it, if you double the recipe, you will have a lot of leftover frosting. Then you might have to make more cake!

Is that such a bad thing?

Follow Beyond Frosting:

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

If you love no-bake recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, No-Bake Treats!