Pin It!

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

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

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.
A piping tip pipes a squiggle of chocolate fudge frosting onto a white surface, with a jar of piped frosting in the background.

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

What is the difference between ganache and fudge frosting?

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!

Why is my chocolate fudge frosting runny?

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.

How do I remove air bubbles from my buttercream?

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.

A piping tip pipes a swirl of chocolate fudge frosting into a glass jar, with a second jar of piped frosting in the background.

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:

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

Print
Chocolate fudge frosting swirled in a glass jar, with a second jar of frosting and a piping bag in the background.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Description

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Equipment

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

    • 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.

Nutrition Information:
1
249
25.6 g
3.3 mg
15.4 g
28 g
1 g
0.9 g
31.4 mg
  • Category: Frosting
  • Method: No-Bake
  • Cuisine: American

 

5 BAKE FROM SCRATCH SECRETS!
Subscribe to my newsletter and get my fav tips to take your cakes & cupcakes to the next level.