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!

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 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!

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.)

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

Finally, blend this flavorful sauce into butter and confectioners’ sugar. Just watch that luscious Milk Chocolate Frosting come together.

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!

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

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 frosting 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.

5 from 3 votes

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Extra Rich Milk Chocolate Frosting

Work Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 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: frosting, icing

Yield: 6 cups

Calories: 1068 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 sticks unsalted butter softened
• 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

• Melting the cocoa and butter together activates the chocolate flavors in the cocoa. It also helps make the frosting smooth and creamy.

Nutrition Facts

Extra Rich Milk Chocolate Frosting

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1068 Calories from Fat 423

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 47g 72%

Saturated Fat 30g 150%

Cholesterol 123mg 41%

Sodium 20mg 1%

Potassium 204mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 167g 56%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 157g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 28.9%

Calcium 5%

Iron 8.8%

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