This post has been updated from the original with new tips and delicious information.
A homemade chocolate frosting recipe with a silky, smooth chocolate taste. This Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is easy to make, but hard to beat!
If you like cream cheese frosting (and let's be honest, we all do!), you will love this chocolate version. It works perfectly on sheet cake and cupcakes, even right out of the spoon.
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Delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting
Raise your hand if you like cream cheese frosting!
(Please tell me I'm not the only one with both hands raised)
This is the chocolate, luscious, delicious, elegant, perfect version of cream cheese frosting. I get the best of both worlds with this bakery style frosting. It's rich, has great flavor, and looks beautiful swirled on a cake.
Cream cheese makes a basic chocolate frosting even better by adding mouth-feel. That's the sensation you FEEL in your mouth when you eat something delicious. Cream cheese creates a velvety texture in frosting so it lingers on your tastebuds just a second longer.
Similar to my simple cream cheese frosting, this one is easy to make and goes with a lot of different things.
What frosting goes best with chocolate cake?
This chocolate version of cream cheese frosting goes splendidly with chocolate cake!
It's a not too sweet chocolate frosting that pairs with yellow cake, chocolate cake and red velvet cake (that red cake that is just a vehicle for cream cheese frosting). Oh and cupcakes.
Also, excellent on graham crackers, and your finger.
Use these tools to make this chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe:
- A stand mixer.
- A powerful hand mixer.
- Deep mixing bowls.
- Offset spatulas for spreading.
Pro tip:
It's important to use cream cheese that has been softened. When making frosting with cream cheese, if it is cold, you have a higher chance of ending up with un-mixed lumps of it in your mixture.
Softened cream cheese mixes well with the butter to cream a uniform base for this chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe.
To soften cream cheese, let it sit at room temperature for several hours. Alternately you can unwrap it from the foil and put it on a microwave safe plate. Heat in 10 second increments until just soft, but not melting or warm.
Homemade frosting is the best. Try my other great recipes:
Delicious Fluffy Chocolate Frosting.
The very best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.
My Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting.
And learn how to make Caramel Frosting.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 1½ sticks, softened
- 1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz) softened
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa sifted
- 1 lb confectioners' sugar 4 cups
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy and lightened in texture, about 2 min. Stir in cocoa. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well. Beat in vanilla extract and enough milk to get the consistency you desire. Stir until smooth.
- Can be refrigerated up to one week; bring to room temperature and stir before using.
Notes
- Fluffy Vanilla Frosting for cake, cupcakes and cookies.
- Caramel Frosting for cupcakes and spice cake.
- Classic Cream Cheese Frosting perfect for cake or cookies.
- The ultimate Milk Chocolate Frosting.
Nutrition
- Lemon Lover's Layer Cake
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- The Best Frosting For Cookies
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
- Simple Cream Cheese Frosting
- Best Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
Recipe by Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes and food styling for magazines, books, television and advertising. Find out more about me!
Recipe by Tara Teaspoon. Photography by Ty Mecham.
Mary says
1Never tasted anything so fabulous! Thank you so much
Ruby says
I just made this and WOW is it fluffy!! I love the rich, yet subtle, chocolate flavor. This just became my new go-to chocolate frosting recipe!
Tara Teaspoon says
Great to hear Ruby! Thanks for commenting. Tara