Best Recipe for Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
This creamy Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting comes together in just 10 minutes into a silky, tangy chocolate frosting that's perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting has a dreamy creamy texture with the best chocolate flavoring, made in just 10 minutes! The perfect choice to use on all of your favorite cakes and cupcakes!
This Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting Is Dreamy!
This dreamy Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting brings new life to all of your favorite dessert recipes! It’s light and fluffy with a rich, sweet taste and a subtle tanginess from the cream cheese, making it a treat in and of itself!
It’s so good you’ll be licking it off the spoon before it even lands on cupcakes and cakes! Since this Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting whips up in 10 minutes using only 7 simple ingredients, there’s no reason NOT to reach for this recipe card instead of a tub from the store.
Any dessert that this frosting touches will instantly elevate it to bakery level! Including the moist Yellow Cupcakes pictured!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Ingredients
- Cream Cheese
- Salted Butter
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Salt
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Extract
The higher the quality, the better tasting the frosting will be! Regarding butter, I’d recommend choosing between Kerrygold, Plugra, and Cabot. As for the cream cheese, I always reach for Philadelphia. However, it must be a solid block of cream cheese and not a container of whipped cream cheese.
Substitutions & Variations
- Unsalted Butter – Unsalted butter can replace salted butter if needed. To do so, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the frosting recipe.
- Dark Cocoa Powder – To create dark chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting, you can use special dark unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Heavy Cream – Half and half, whole milk, or coconut cream can be substituted for heavy cream. Just keep in mind that the frosting may not turn out as creamy!
- Consistency – You can create your desired consistency with this frosting by adding additional powdered sugar or additional heavy cream. I would suggest completing the chocolate frosting recipe as is first and then working to your desired consistency from there.
How To Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream together 8 oz cream cheese with salted butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar in 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat at high speed until the chocolate buttercream frosting becomes light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl down using a rubber spatula as you go to ensure that all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- If needed, add more powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Favorite Ways To Use This Recipe For Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Put this chocolate frosting on ALL of your favorite desserts for added sweetness! From cupcakes to cakes, even Classic Maine Whoopie Pies and dessert bars, this frosting will be the perfect finish on everything!
- Cake – Try this frosting out on Chocolate Raspberry Cake or Yellow Butter Cake! You can also enjoy it on this Chocolate Pumpkin Cake for a delicious taste of Fall!
- Cupcakes – From Birthday Cupcakes to Chocolate Cupcakes, this frosting will add the perfect chocolate flavor finish!
- Cookies – Feel free to frost your favorite cookie recipes with this chocolate cream cheese frosting!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting Storage
This chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting is best made and used on the same day! However, if you have leftover frosting, you can store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag with the excess air squeezed out of it. Then store the frosting in the fridge to use within 2 days.
When using this frosting on baked goods, I am comfortable leaving the dessert out at room temperature for up to 24 hours since the amount of sugar in the frosting helps to control the water activity and spoilage. However, after 24 hours, I’d recommend storing the frosted dessert in the refrigerator.
More Homemade Frosting Recipes:
- American Buttercream Frosting – Classic vanilla flavor made with 5 ingredients in just 10 minutes!
- German Chocolate Icing Recipe – Rich, decadent Coconut Pecan Frosting!
- Nutella Frosting – An elevated buttercream recipe made with chocolate and hazelnut!
- Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting – Sweet, creamy, peanut buttery perfection!
- Easy Brown Sugar Frosting – Perfect for cooking, spice cakes, cupcakes, and more!
Steps
Cream together the , , and until smooth.
Add the 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Then add and and beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add more powdered sugar ½ cup at a time if needed to reach desired consistency. Use frosting as desired.
Notes
This is a very soft frosting. It will pipe and hold shape fairly well, but it doesn't really crust like traditional buttercreams.
I am comfortable leaving these out for 24 hours because there is a lot of sugar in the frosting, which helps control the water activity and prevent spoilage. However, after 24 hours, they should definitely be stored in the refrigerator. This is why I recommend preparing frosting the day you plan to enjoy it.
