Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy 5 Minute Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
This creamy, tangy chocolate cream cheese frosting comes together in just 5 minutes and makes the perfect, silky smooth frosting that is easy to pipe and will hold its shape in warm weather.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces (85 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup (1.5 ounces or 43 grams) Dutch-processed OR natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if necessary
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 3 ½ cups (14 ounces or 397 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted if necessary
- 3 Tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-low until smooth, about 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and corn syrup, then add the rest of the ingredients and beat until light and creamy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the cocoa powder and corn syrup, using the spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until just combined. Slowly pour in the milk, and continue beating until just combined. Once combined, increase the mixer to high and beat for 1 minute more, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary, until the frosting is light and creamy.
- Use immediately or store for later. Use an offset spatula or piping bag with a tip to frost the cake recipe of your choice. The chocolate cream cheese frosting will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.To store for later, scoop the frosting into an airtight container with a lid. Press a sheet of plastic wrap against the frosting. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. When ready to use, thaw the frosting to room temperature and beat for 1 minute until light and creamy once more.To freeze, follow instructions to store for later. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then follow the instructions to thaw at room temperature and beat once more.
Notes
- The recipe makes between 4 to 5 cups of frosting, enough for generously frosting an 8- or 9-inch layer cake with either 2 or 3 layers. If using for a sheet cake recipe, I recommend halving the ingredients in the recipe—otherwise it will make too much frosting!
- I recently discovered that you don’t really need to sift confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder when making frosting. Because you’ll be mixing the frosting at high speed, most of the lumps in these ingredients work themselves out pretty easily! Save yourself time and energy—don’t bother sifting these ingredients. That being said, DON’T apply this advice to other recipes beyond American buttercream and cream cheese frostings like this one. I still encourage you to sift these ingredients (ESPECIALLY if they look really lumpy) when making baked goods with delicate crumbs like angel food cake. You’ll also need to sift confectioners’ sugar when making royal icing.
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