Extra Rich Milk Chocolate Frosting

Milk Chocolate Frosting makes the perfect chocolaty swoops and swirls on your cakes and cupcakes. I’ve got a tip that will guarantee a rich chocolate flavor every time!

I love chocolate. It happens to be an integral part of my favorite food: Chocolate Chip Cookies. So, naturally,  when it comes time to frost a cake I typically go to chocolate.

Of course, a good dark chocolate ganache or borderline bitter chocolate glaze is always a dream, but sometimes I need a little milky creaminess in my life. Milk Chocolate Frosting is just the thing.

How to make milk chocolate frosting:

I have made versions of chocolate icing and frosting where I simply sift the cocoa together with the confectioners’ sugar and blend it all with butter and milk – however, that’s not as flavorful as this version.

The cocoa creates the most flavor when it is heated with butter, oil or water. So, I set out to make my frosting more chocolaty.

I use the same ingredients but I’ve changed the method slightly. This is my hack for how to get really rich chocolate frosting!

Tip for real chocolate flavor:

I melt the butter and cocoa together first. Melting the cocoa into butter activates all the chocolaty flavor (and I add the milk too to save a step).

Besides enhancing the flavor, this quick step also creates a smooth chocolate mixture so, when I mix it in with the other ingredients, my frosting won’t have cocoa lumps. The best part is you don’t need to sift it! (I really hate sifting.)

Also note that you can use either Dutched or regular unsweetened cocoa. Read about the difference Here.

To get a richer flavor in your frosting, melt the cocoa and the butter together first.

Finally, blend this flavorful sauce into confectioners’ sugar. Just watch that luscious frosting come together.

How much does this chocolate frosting recipe make?

This recipe makes enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake, or a lot of cupcakes. If you have some left over, don’t worry. It freezes well and of course, any leftovers make tasty graham cracker cookies! You know the ones.

Sandwich this delicious frosting in between two graham cracker squares and enjoy. I could eat a dozen!

What is buttercream frosting?

This recipe is a cocoa version of classic buttercream frosting. A frosting that uses butter and sugar to make a fluffy, swirling topping.

This milk chocolate variation is just one of my great frostings. My Fluffy Vanilla Frosting is the most popular post on my blog. Why, you may ask?

Everyone needs a perfect confectioners’ sugar buttercream in their recipe book. It’s a classic topping for cupcakes, cakes and cookies. I use it on my soft sugar cookies too.

It is very similar to this milk chocolate version in that it uses a confectioners’ sugar base. The powdered sugar gives the frosting a sweet but grainy texture that melts to a smooth cream on your tongue.

Use Milk Chocolate Frosting:

Here are some delicious ways to use this milk chocolate frosting.

Almond Flower Cake

Black Cat Cupcakes

Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Print

Extra Rich Milk Chocolate Frosting

Work Time

10 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Milk Chocolate Frosting makes the perfect chocolatey swoops and swirls on your cakes and cupcakes. I’ve got a tip that will guarantee a rich chocolate flavor every time!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy chocolate frosting, frosting, icing, milk chocolate frosting

Yield: 6 cups

Calories: 1068 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
• ½ cup milk 2% or whole
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. In the microwave or on in a saucepan, melt together ½ cup of the butter (1 stick) cocoa and milk and stir until smooth. Cool slightly. 

2. In another large bowl, beat remaining butter and vanilla together, then add cooled cocoa mixture. Add confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, blending with each addition, until frosting is smooth and creamy. 

3. For a stiffer frosting for piping use all 8 cups of sugar, and for a softer frosting for swooping on a cake, use 7 cups confectioners’ sugar.

Recipe Notes

• Nutrition facts based on 1 cup of frosting.

• Melting the cocoa and butter together activates the chocolate flavors in the cocoa. It also helps make the frosting smooth and creamy.
• For more homemade chocolate frosting try my dark chocolate ganache or chocolate cream cheese frosting.

• Here are some delicious ways to use this milk chocolate frosting.

  It goes so well with my Almond Cake

  Make the perfect Black Cat Cupcakes

  The quintessential Classic Yellow Cake

• If you want to try my bakery style vanilla version: Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Nutrition Facts

Extra Rich Milk Chocolate Frosting

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1068 Calories from Fat 432

% Daily Value*

Fat 48g74%

Saturated Fat 30g188%

Cholesterol 124mg41%

Sodium 21mg1%

Potassium 204mg6%

Carbohydrates 167g56%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 158g176%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 1445IU29%

Calcium 50mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe by Tara Teaspoon