Black Frosting
With Halloween just around the corner, I’ve been using black frosting in quite a few of my baking projects. This has led to a bunch of questions from all of you, including:
- Why does my black frosting look grey??
- How can I make black buttercream that doesn’t turn my mouth black?
- Is there a way to make black frosting without loads of food coloring?
- How do you get your black buttercream such a deep shade?
- What’s the best way to make super black buttercream that actually tastes good?
- Which type and brand of food coloring works best for black frosting?
- What’s your trick for making such black frosting??
To make our lives easier, I’m sharing all my secrets for making super black buttercream frosting here!
I start off using my classic American buttercream as a base, which is insanely easy to make.
Next, I add my two secret ingredients – black cocoa and black gel food coloring.
The finishing touch to my black frosting recipe is the magic of time!!
That last line sounds hokey, I know. As I typed it, I couldn’t help but chuckle!! But I swear, letting this frosting sit is a sure-fire way to deepen its color.
Tip #1: Use Black or Dark Cocoa
Turning white buttercream black is incredibly hard. Starting off with a naturally darker colored frosting base makes it so much easier.
How do I naturally color my buttercream before adding in the gel food coloring?! Black cocoa and dark chocolate, my friends.
You can probably tell from recipes that I am obsessed with black cocoa. I love its flavor and its color.
Black cocoa has a slightly higher pH than Dutch-processed cocoa (8 vs.7) and is much less acidic than natural baking cocoa (5-6).
This gives it a bittersweet, chocolaty taste like an Oreo cookie! It’s absolutely delicious.
It also has a beautiful dark color, which helps build the perfect chocolaty base for this black frosting.
It can be hard to find in grocery stores, so I order mine on Amazon. My favorite brand of black cocoa is Wincrest. I’ve been using it for years and get it in 2 lb. containers because I use it so frequently.
Tip #2: Use Black Gel Food Coloring
Next comes the necessary evil, some food coloring. But I’m not talking about generic, black liquid food coloring.
Liquid food coloring can also throw off the consistency of your frosting if you add too much.
When coloring frosting, gel food coloring is a must. Especially if you’re after super vibrant or deep shades, like black.
Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid food coloring so you can add less and still get the dark color you’re after!
I use Americolor super black gel food coloring or chef master coal black, which I purchase in big bottles from Amazon.
Black gel food coloring is the perfect addition to my black cocoa buttercream.
You get a frosting that is a wonderfully deep shade of black and tastes like Oreos and chocolate.
Alternative Black Food Coloring
Powdered food coloring is less commonly used, but it is another wonderful way to make black frosting.
This black powdered food coloring isn’t expensive, and you can order it on Amazon. The biggest benefit to using it is that it has NO bitter aftertaste. The only downside is that you need a lot of it to make black frosting.
There are also some great natural black food colorings like squid ink. If you’re looking for a natural way to make black buttercream, I suggest trying this.
Some people also like to use activated charcoal, but it can impact the absorption of medications. With that in mind, be careful if you choose to use it.
Tip #3: Make It In Advance
My final trick to making black frosting is to make it ahead of time. Yes, time is my biggest secret!!
If you make the frosting a couple of days or more in advance, the color of the frosting will get darker over time! I swear it’s magic.
This buttercream can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge until it needs to be used.
I take the frosting out of the fridge the night before I need it to allow it to come to room temperature. As it thaws and sits at room temperature for a few hours, it deepens in color.
Tip #4: Use the Microwave
If you need a same-day fix, try my microwave method. Scoop about 1/4 cup of finished buttercream into a microwave-safe bowl, add a little more gel food coloring, and stir until combined. Microwave it for 5 to 10 seconds, just until it looks looser and deeper in color. Then mix that back into the full bowl of frosting.
This trick works really well, but it does soften the frosting temporarily. If it feels too loose afterward, let it sit for about 20 to 30 minutes so it can thicken back up before piping or frosting your cake.
If your frosting is still stubbornly grey after all that, the issue is usually one of two things: the brand of coloring or not enough resting time.
Give Your Frosting a Good Stir
I have one important piece of advice about making frosting in advance.
As buttercream sits and/or thaws, it usually gets tons of tiny air bubbles in it! Don’t worry, you’ll be able to make your buttercream smooth again. All you need to do is give the frosting a really good stir with a rubber spatula.
Work the frosting slowly from side to side. Focus on spreading it across the sides of your bowl for a few minutes.
It’s definitely an arm workout. But after working the frosting around the bowl and pushing out the excess air, you’ll be left with silky smooth frosting.
How Much Black Frosting Do I Need for A Cake or Cupcakes?
When using this to frost my chocolate layer cake recipe, I usually make 1.5 batches of black buttercream to cover a 7-inch or 8-inch layer cake with large swirls on top.
However, this can vary based on how I’m decorating the cake and the size of my cake layers.
If you were to use one batch of frosting to pipe buttercream swirls on top of cupcakes, it would frost about three dozen (36) cupcakes.
You might need more, though, if you want to pipe large swirls on top of your cupcakes.
Tips For Making SUPER Black Frosting
- Use black cocoa and melted dark chocolate to naturally give your frosting a deep base color. If you can’t find black cocoa, you can also use dark cocoa powder.
- Let the melted chocolate cool for about 10 minutes before adding it to your frosting. This will prevent it from melting the butter in your frosting.
- Use gel food coloring (preferably Americolor Super black) or powdered food coloring rather than liquid food coloring.
- If you want to naturally color black buttercream, use 1-2 tsp of squid ink powder or activated charcoal in place of the gel food coloring in this recipe.
- Make this frosting several days in advance to allow the shade to deepen.
- If your frosting still isn’t deep enough in color after trying these tips, use the microwave method! Scoop ¼ cup of finished buttercream into a microwavable bowl. Add additional gel color, mix until the frosting reaches the desired color, and microwave for 5-10 seconds. The frosting should be runny but deeper in color. Mix this back into the full bowl of frosting, and you should achieve a true black color.
Making This Black Frosting in Advance and Storage Tips
You can make this frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it comes to room temperature to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Share Your Creations With Me!
If you try this black buttercream frosting recipe, please tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations!
If you have any questions about black frosting that I didn’t cover or if you have any tips of your own, please share them in the comments section below.
Black Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 452g
- 1/2 cup dark or black cocoa powder 50g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 7 cups powdered sugar 907g or 2 lb bag
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 120ml
- 1 tsp black gel food coloring
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled 90g
Instructions
- Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
- Mix in the black cocoa, vanilla extract, and salt on a low speed.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar on a low speed. Add the heavy cream halfway through to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Add 1/2 cup of melted and cooled dark chocolate and about 1 tsp black gel food coloring. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
- Mix the frosting by hand with a rubber spatula at the end to make sure the frosting is evenly colored and smooth.
- To allow the shade to deepen, place in sealed piping bags or an airtight container and leave out at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. Then use as desired or place in the fridge until you're ready to use.
Video
Notes
Tips For Making Black Frosting
- Use black cocoa and melted dark chocolate to naturally give your frosting a deep base color. If you can’t find black cocoa, you can also use dark cocoa powder.
- Let the melted chocolate cool for about 10 minutes before adding it into your frosting. This will prevent it from melting the butter in your frosting.
- Use gel food coloring (preferably Americolor Super black) or powdered food coloring rather than liquid food coloring.
- If you want to naturally color black buttercream, use 1-2 tsp of squid ink powder or activated charcoal in place of the gel food coloring in this recipe.
- Make this frosting several days in advance to allow the shade to deepen.
- Start with a naturally dark frosting base (like chocolate) to allow you to add less food coloring.
- Use black cocoa and melted dark chocolate to naturally color and flavor your black frosting. If you can’t find black cocoa, you can also use dark cocoa powder.
- If your frosting still isn’t deep enough in color after trying these tips, use the microwave method! Scoop ¼ cup of finished buttercream into a microwavable bowl. Add additional gel color, mix until the frosting reaches the desired color, and microwave for 5-10 seconds. The frosting should be runny but deeper in color. Mix this back into the full bowl of frosting, and you should achieve a true black color.
Making This Black Frosting in Advance and Storage Tips
You can make this frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again. A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious! If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.Nutrition
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Do you know the brand of Black Cocoa Powder you use? I found Wincrest on Amazon. Is that the right one?
Yup, that’s the brand I use ?
Does the black cocoa have a strong taste? I’m looking to make a black cream cheese frosting without using a ton of gel food coloring. I’m wondering if adding 1/2 cup (maybe even 1/4 as I only need .5-1 batch of frosting) of the black cocoa to help with the color might really affect the taste? What are your thoughts? Thanks!
it tastes like an oreo cookie, and definitely is chocolatey! I think it would taste good with cream frosting though!!
Hi Chelsweets,
I made the Black frosting yesterday and put it in a bowl in the frig and it didn’t get any darker. It isn’t as dark as your frosting in the red bowl(pictured above). Maybe I need more black gel, seems like I added a lot, but I’ll add more. Should I have let it sit out on the counter instead of the frig?????
Thanks,
Laurel
Yah I’d recommend letting it sit at room temp, but it sounds like you make just need to add a bit more coloring :/
Thank you for these tips! Is there a particular brand of black cocoa that you use or recommend? Where can it be purchased?
This is the brand I use, and I get mine on amazon: https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
This is your vanilla cake recipe………..is that the right link?
sorry, here is the link again: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Cocoa-Powder-1-Lb/dp/B00B6PIKP0
Thank you SO much!! I am just starting my baking business and just do it out of the home right now. I have been having such a hard time trying to figure out black frosting. Your videos are very inspiring and I have been able to use techniques that I’ve learned from watching your stuff!!
You’re too sweet <3
Is this supposed to say 1/2 cup black cocoa or 1.2 cups? Just want to make sure I add the right amount!
Thanks!
yup, just 1/2 cup!
just fixed my typo 🙂
Do you refrigerate the frosting or just let it sit in the counter?
You can do either! really depends on when you need the frosting. If I make frosting the night before and plan to decorate a cake first thing in the morning, I’ll leave it out overnight. However, if I won’t be using the frosting for a while, and will have to let it thaw the following day, or in a few days, I will refrigerate it.
I’m in the UK and just wondering what heavy cream is? Thanks
it’s basically whipping cream, it just has slightly more fat.
@Kirsty,
I realize the question is almost 7 years old but for those who may have only recently discovered this recipe, I thought I’d chime in. Heavy whipping cream is 35-36% fat but unfortunately the percentage isn’t always indicated on the label. As long as you see the words “Heavy Whipping Cream” on the label( Heavy being of utmost importance), you’ve got the correct product.
@MNelson,
I’m correcting my previous reply. Heavy Whipping Cream is actually 36-40% butterfat and the FDA requires it to be at least 36%.
I bought the black cocoa(from your link) and used black gel color, followed the recipe exactly and made it yesterday morning and its still gray. 🙁
Strange! I’d recommend adding a bit more gel food coloring!!
@Diana Henze and @Chelsweets,
The same thing happened to me. I scrapped it and made a second batch using a different kind of butter (first batch used Kerrygold, second used Challenge). I also used a little more gel color. It made the world of difference and I ended up with nice black frosting. Hopefully tomorrow, it will be even darker.
@Chelsweets, I think it’s the butter, I had the same issue but our butter is very yellow
How many cups of frosting does this recipe make? If I have one cup of buttercream frosting (not from this recipe) how much of the cocoa should I put in to get it black?
It depends on how much air you incorporate into the frosting, but for me it usually makes about 5 cups! I’ve never made a single cup of frosting, but I would say you should add about a tablespoon!
Thank you! I also followed your suggestion of leaving it overnight, and it turned a wonderful black! I’m actually making the Nightmare before Christmas cake!
Hey Chels! Big fan of yours! I was wondering. I’m from the Netherlands and it’s really difficult to purchase black cocoa. So I thought. Isn’t it easier to (if you want your cake all black) cover it with black mirror glaze?
You could pour a black glaze over a cake, yes! It’s just a bit more work to make a mirror glaze as well! I’d still recommend using a dark frosting underneath the glaze though!
my Frosting doesn’t get super smooth, it looks like there were a lot of air bubbles that popped.
Sounds like you may need to give it a good stir with a rubber spatula! After stirring for a couple minutes, it should return to being silky smooth 🙂
Hi, been following you on Instagram for a while and love your cakes. I am making a “mustache” cake, so I needed to make this black buttercream. I wanted to ask if the amount of cups of sugar is right on the recipe. Seems like a lot. 8 cups is 4lbs, and that turned out to be a lot. I couldn’t even put all of it in my blender, and I had to add a lot of heavy cream because it was way too thick.
Let me know. Thank you!
8 cups of powdered sugar is actually 2 lbs! it is normally thick, but if you added 4 lbs of powdered sugar that is twice as much as you should’ve added!
@Glenda Rodriguez,
How do you make buttercream in a blender anyway? Just curious.
Does he black cocoa make this frosting chocolate flavored? What do you recommend for vanilla black frosting?
Thank you! ?
it does! I honestly don’t make vanilla frosting that is black, because it takes LOADS of food coloring, and I just can’t handle how black it makes everyone’s mouth! but if someone really wants it, just be very heavy handed with the black gel food coloring. I use americolor, which I think works best!
Hi Chels,huge fan of yours. Was wondering if you can use regular cocoa powder like extra brute cocoa barry?
yah you def can! It won’t work quite as well, but will still help make a dark base to build off of!
You mentioned using a butter from Whole Foods that is more white in color, I forgot the name of it. I hate it when the frosting is a cream color when you want white.
Thanks.
It’s just the generic unsalted Whole Foods brand (not the organic kind)! The box is blue 🙂 Hope that helps!
Thank you
Will the black food coloring cause mouths to turn black like a vanilla black buttercream would?
it is much better about that than vanilla black buttercream! it still will color your tongue a little bit, but it’s not bad at all!
Hola? me encanta su trabajo. En esta receta que crema se utiliza esa parte no entendi
i only speak english, I’m sorry!!
@Hilda, buenas noches ahora seceral años después espero que hayas encontrado tu respuesta. La receta requiere 1/2 taza de crema espesa (crema batida) Espero que ayude
Hi Chelsea! First off, love your blog and IG tips. Now….my question is, if I were to use already made white frosting. Can I add the black cocoa powder to that and it would work? I ordered a lot of vanilla buttercream from a cakeshop…..what do u recommend?
Thanks Erica! it can vary based on the base frosting you’re using, but it should work just the same! I’ve never used premade frosting before, but at the end of the day it’s all just fat of some type (butter or shortening or both) and lots of powdered sugar. So I think you should be good!!
Would I be able to mix Ghiradelli Unsweetened Cocoa with Hershey’s Special Dark to get the
same result?
It won’t be quite the same, but it should work too!
If I only needed a small batch of buttercream, what would you suggest?
@Angela Kora,
Since all of the ingredients are an even measure versus odd, they can be easily halved
I think this recipe would work just as well made by half.
Thank you for this tutorial! I have never been able to figure out black frosting. And it seriously tastes so good. You were right about the Oreo flavor. Someone else commented that their frosting turned out gray, I also had that problem at first. But I did use Wilton food coloring (which according to everyone I talked to, is not nearly as good as the Americolor you suggested). I ended up adding about twice as much food coloring so now I’m waiting to see if it turns dark enough (I can already tell that the color is darkening some). This is definitely my new favorite frosting recipe!!
Aw i’m so happy to hear that Lisa!! It will definitely darken over time, so if possible try to let it rest for a few days 🙂
She is asking for the type of cream you use ??
I use heavy cream, which is 38% fat 🙂
Hi. Apart from the color, will I have a bitter taste after eating it? Recently I tried Ameri color super red gel for an Icing. After piping over a cupcake, I tasted it and omg, the Icing was bitter 🙁 Because of this, I’m so afraid to try deeper shades. Hope you’ll be able to share with me, what am I doing wrong. Thanks so much in advance and congratulations on your wedding.
I’m happy to say it does not! That is one thing black frosting has over red frosting 😛 I hate red frosting, especially when it’s bitter!!
I have a few work around for it too though, which I share here: https://chelsweets.com/2019/02/09/how-to-make-bright-red-buttercream-frosting/
Hope that helps Asha!
Hi
I made the frosting but didn’t realize I could let it set out overnight and I now need it. How long does it need to sit and what can I do to help it along? Thanks
It depends on the type of container it’s in! If it’s in a deep bowl, it can take longer! if it’s in a shallow container, it can warm up more quickly. It also depends how much frosting is in the container. You can try popping it in the microwave for small intervals and stirring between! You can also try breaking it up into smaller pieces and placing it in a shallow container. Hope that helps!
Hi Chelsey. I am trying to find the post regarding your Jack Skellington cake, but can’t find it anywhere. Is it not on your blog anymore?
Hilda, puedes comprar la misma crema que compraba para crema batida. No sé si la palabra corecta es crema espesa. Estoy usando Google translata para la palabra. Lo siento si mi español es mala— no la uso mucha!
I learned from Liz Merek that if you put a small drop of violet food coloring in the icing, it will turn it more white; get rid of the yellow. Kinda like when you use purple shampoo for gray hair. ?
yup, you are totally right! yellow and purple are opposites on the color wheel. I don’t usually have to do that because of the butter I use, but you can if your buttercream has a yellowish hue <3
She said, She loves your creations. And Also, She is asking. What Type of frosting are you using?
Hi Mary,
That’s too sweet! I’m using chocolate frosting!!
Can I use your chocolate buttercream recipe and just use the black cocoa power and coloring to get black frosting. I love the chocolate buttercream but need a black frosting?
Hi Crystal,
You totally can! I love that recipe too 🙂 I think that’s a great idea!
Hi, Just curious is this recipe enough to frost a 12 x 18 sheet cake or would I need to double it?
Thank you!!
Hi Bree,
This should be enough to frost a single sheet cake that size, but you should double it if you plan to fill/ stack two sheet cakes on top of one another, or if you plan to frost the sides. Hope that helps!!
Hi! Love this recipe, but I only need a small batch (just enough for your vanilla cupcake recipe). Do you have a small batch frosting recipe and if so how should I incorporate the black cocoa?
Thank you!
Hi Ali,
The only small batch frosting recipe I have is shared with my cupcake recipes (it’s a half batch). You can add 1/4 cup of black cocoa, and a couple squirts of black gel food coloring to that recipe, and add in a couple extra Tbsp of heavy cream to get the consistency right. Hope that helps!
Mine is gray also ?
I think I answered your other comment above!
Hi Chelsweets!
I followed your recipe exactly and mine is pretty gray at the moment, and nowhere near black. I don’t have confidence that it will be black in the morning, as I am leaving it on the counter. I didn’t use Wincrest, the brand you recommended, but used another brand of dark cocoa from a bakery shop here in my area. It is completely black cocoa and says 100% cocoa on the back. And it also doesn’t taste anything like Oreos. So mad, I’ve probably wasted all that butter. Any ideas? I also always use americolor.
If it seems too light/grey, I’d recommend adding more gel food coloring! That’s your best bet if you only have one night for it to deepen in color. Hope that helps!!
Thanks a lot, Chelsea! That helps. I’ll give it a try 🙂
What if I wanted to make one of my cake layers black? Do I have to start with chocolate cake batter or just add black gel to the vanilla cake batter?
Hi Stephanie! That’s a challenge, it depends on what color you want the other cake layers to be!
The black frosting on your cupcake is so shiny. My is more matte. How do you do that?
Hi Susan! I let my frosting sit out overnight, which really deepens the color! My kitchen also gets pretty warm when I’m baking, and I think that’s why it looks the way it does. Hope that helps!! <3
Could be the food colouring you used. If you used Wilton or a similar brand it does go grey.
Will this receipt taste good with a lemon cake?
Hi Becca! I personally don’t love lemon and chocolate together, so I’d say no :/ So sorry!!
Hi! Can I use this recipe to make navy frosting and just use navy food coloring instead of black? Or will that not work?
Hi Amanda,
You can! The black cocoa makes the frosting a dark grey, but it would still be a great base for a navy frosting. You should be able to swap out the black gel food coloring for navy, and get a nice deep color 🙂 Hope that helps, happy baking!
Maybe you can advise? I love your site and am planning to use one of your buttercream recipes for a cake that I have been asked to make. It is a disco/70’s theme, so I was going to make a dancefloor shaped cake. I have purchased your fav brand of black cocoa, Wincrest. So, my ideal would be to make a very dark, near black, chocolate buttercream frosting, not having to use any black gel color. My customer didn’t specify that they want “black”, but I am going off the invite and other colors and black would be a good decor choice. Today she “reminded” me, but I already thought of, that it’s important to her that her guests teeth/mouths don’t turn black or show black on teeth. I haven’t used this black cocoa before, but I think using cocoa only, that would not happen? I am worried about adding any black gel color at this point. What would you advise? Your black buttercream recipe w/o gel color or another recipe? Thank you!!
Hi Paula,
If you use just the black cocoa and dark chocolate to color the frosting, it shouldn’t change the color of anyone’s teeth / mouth! If you use a very dark chocolate, you should be able to get a naturally deep shape. However, I usually also add a touch of black gel food coloring to make truly black frosting.
Since that’s not necessarily what you’re after for this cake, I think your game plan for this frosting sounds great. Please let me know how it goes <3
I used Wilton gel and after so much almost twice what you call for it’s still just a dark grey. Worried about adding too much more. Is this not the same kinda gel coloring? 🙁
Hi Lindsey! I hate to say it, but I don’t think Wilton black colors as well as Americolor. I think americolor works a lot better! You also can try adding in some melted dark chocolate or more black cocoa, to try to help it naturally deepen as well!
Another thing is, if you haven’t, give it time to develop. Mine looked dark grey after mixing all together, but after putting in the fridge for the night and letting it come to room temp in morning and whipping again, it’s nearly black. A couple more hours at room temp it will be a nice rich black. If I whip it again it will lighten, but the darken again as it sets. Hope that helps!
I couldn’t agree more Courtney! it’s all about letting it sit at room temp!!! 🙂
Hi Chels,
I am making a Black and Gold cake for an 80th birthday. My client requested Chocolate cake and Chocolate frosting…easy enough. I have been looking at a ton of tutorials and your is the only one that is truly black.
My question is, because the frosting needs to taste like chocolate, should I start with a classic Chocolate Buttercream base and then add additional black cocoa and gel food coloring so it tastes like ‘chocolate? I do realize that the black cocoa will intensify the chocolate flavor.
I love that you ditched your corporate gig for this…good choice!! I admire your work!!
Thanks!!
Wendi
#kre8tivekakeri
Hi Wendi,
That is a great question. I love the way my chocolate buttercream tastes, and you can definitely use that a base. If possible, use melted dark chocolate and dark cocoa powder, to make the base as dark as possible naturally before adding in the food coloring. As long as you make in advance and use wilton black gel food coloring, it should still turn out black and taste chocolatey and delicious 🙂
I hope that helps, and thank you!!! <3
Hello! I am going to be making a Batman cake for my son’s birthday next week, and am honestly trying to avoid the hassle of making the buttercream frosting, since I’m going to have so much going on. Would I be able to buy premade buttercream from the bakery and just add the black gel food coloring? Also, do you know if Wilton gel work as well as the brand you use? Or does it come out more grey? Your black frosting looks AMAZING
Hi Rachael,
I’ve never tried doing this before, so I’m not really sure!! I would think it should, but the ingredients could be a lot different than mine and it might end up coloring differently! I’d just say try to pick a chocolate frosting base. If you just add black gel food coloring to white frosting, you’ll have to add a ton and you’ll be able to taste it!!
I hope whatever you end up doing works out great for your son’s cake! <3
I just read another comment about the Wilton gel being grey after I posted this, so never mind on that one!! Haha
haha no worries Rachael 😛
Hi, Chelsey! This may have been answered already, but is it ok to substitute the cream for a non dairy option like almond milk? My husband is very lactose intolerant.
Hi Nina,
You totally can! Sometimes I’ve found soy milk can have a weird effect on the buttercream, but I’ve used almond milk, lactaid, and oat milk, and they’ve all worked great. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Do you prefer the version in your video or the version in the printed recipe? The video doesn’t include dark chocolate, but the blog post does.
Hi Lauren,
My recipe cards are always the most up to date! Sometimes I tweak recipes after I make the video, so the recipes cards always reflect my latest and greatest. Hope that helps, sorry for any confusion!!
I’m doing the black frosting and need it to hold up/crust warmer weather, Will it through the taste off by half butter and high ratio shorting.
Hi Angelia,
It will change the taste a bit, but I totally support swapping out some of the butter for shortening if you live in a warm environment!
Have you ever used Chefmaster gel colors? Wondering how they compare to Americolor.
Hi Rose,
I have tried chefmaster and I find they work well! Americolor will always be my favorite, but I think chefmaster works well too 🙂
Will the black cocoa make the frosting taste like chocolate? They want an amaretto flavor for the icing?
Hi Mallory,
The black cocoa does still taste like chocolate, but more like a dark chocolate. I’ve never tried amaretto and chocolate together in a frosting, but I guess it’d be like a chocolate covered almond??
Any other suggestions for coloring buttercream black without using cocoa if they dont want chocolate buttercream?
Hi Mallory,
I’ve heard of people using activated charcoal, but I’ve never tried it out myself. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Hi
I don’t have dark chocolate chips, can it be substituted for regular chocolate chips?
Hi Maiks,
You can totally use regular milk chocolate chips in place of the dark chocolate chips! You might just have to use a touch more food coloring to get the color right. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Looking forward to making thus! I noticed that the original buttercream that you said you started with Is a crusting buttercream. Will this black version crust as well? We are hoping so, we want to paint a bit of luster dust on it.
Hi Ellie,
This is definitely a crusting buttercream! I like that aspect of it too 🙂 It’ll be great for painting on some luster dust!!
Very informative indeed, but I cannot get the black cocoa where i am, can i sub with regular baking cocoa and still achieve the same rich black color?
Hi! If I frost the cake with the icing I just made (which is dark grey at the moment), will it turn black on the cake overnight? Or do I need to let it sit and re-stir it tomorrow for that transition to happen? Thanks!
Hi Shanae,
I’ve seen frosting darken on cakes that I’ve already frosted, but I’d recommend waiting and checking the color tomorrow to make sure it’s dark enough before you add it to your cake. Also letting the frosting come to room temp is what really deepens it, so I’d leave the frosting out overnight, then frost the cake the following morning. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Making it ahead allows the gel color to “mature” or deepen right?? So if I am waiting for my black cocoa to get here and it won’t be here till day of… can I still make the frosting without it and add the cocoa and extra tablespoon of cream when it gets here?? That way the color gel still has tthe day before to sit and deepen?
Hi Stephanie,
I am so sorry for the delayed response! Yes, that is a fantastic work around!!! You can also just use regular cocoa if you have that on hand! Hope that helps, and that your black frosting turned out super deep in color <3
Hi, I was wondering will this work with swiss meringue buttercream?
Hi Alan,
These tips / ingredients work in swiss meringue buttercream as well 🙂
Hi ! I am so excited to see how my frosting turns out tomorrow… thank you for sharing. I have only tried using regular cocoa which didn’t come out as deep black as this one you showed . But my question is , can you explain the color wheel on what colors or methods work best to achieve vibrant colors ?! This sounds odd but I have not been able to achieve vibrant colors consistently! ? .. thank you ?
Along the same lines. Can you add black cocoa and food coloring to italian meringue buttercream to the same effect?
Hi Chelsea! I made this frosting tonight as written and it was perfect! This is my third time trying to make black frosting and I FINALLY got it right! Thanks so much for all your recipes and tips ?
Hi there! I’m making a black wedding cake for some friends’ wedding. They are coming over tomorrow for a mini tasting and the powder and gel I ordered won’t get here until tomorrow – possibly after the tasting. If it does get here before them and I have a chance to add it to the frosting, will the taste still be the same or does that have to mature like the color? If it doesn’t get here in time, can I crush up some oreos to add so they can get an idea of the taste? They know they want a red velvet cake, but they’re just trying to decide between cream cheese or chocolate frosting so I was going to divide a layer cake into two individual layers one with each frosting. Thanks!
Hi, I have 2 questions:-
1. Do we really need 7 cups of sugar? Does the frosting become too sweet or is it just fine?
2. I am trying to make 3 layer vanilla cake with black frosting for my son’s bday. Do you think I can use normal chocolate buttercream in between the layers and to crumb coat the cake, let it set for sometime and then use black buttercream to frost the cake? or is it just too many flavors and I should stick to using black buttercream for everything?
Hi Chelsea, thank you so much for the this recipe I just made it and left it for about half hour and it darkened almost straight away and the taste was great not bitter at all,
That black cocoa is fantastic.appreciate you sharing this recipe.
Kind regards Jenny. Hello from Australia. Hope you stay safe
If I can’t find dark cocoa powder can I just use black food coloring?
Can I use Hershey’s special dark? Also can I just use bittersweet chocolate chips?
Hello, is there a way to make Cream Cheese frosting black?
Hi there! I made some buttercream with black cocoa powder today and it came out INCREDIBLY bitter! maybe I used too much, but I followed the recipe to a T. I ended up throwing the whole thing out and I probably won’t be trying it again. I’m super bummed.
I watched the video and am confused because you did not mention adding melted dark chocolate. However, it is listed in the recipe. Is this extra step just omitted from the video?
Am I able to omit the dark chocolate chips? Will that change the rest of the measurements in the recipe? I’m not a dark chocolate fan. Do you think it would taste okay if it was left out?
I just made this last weekend for a cake I served last night. I hashtagged you in my Instagram post, but it was even darker by last night. This black frosting is amazing! Very black, but super tasty, and sure enough, no stained teeth! Thank you!
Hey I followed this recipe exactly and even added an extra squirt of black food coloring Ive allowed it to “mature” for two days and it is still dark gray and not black, is there anyway to save this? Can I add more cocoa powder and a little bit more black food coloring and mix it again in the KitchenAid?
Es crema de batir.
crema batida espesa
Hi! Thanks for your tutorial. In your video you don’t show using the melted chocolate but in the written recipe you do. Can you clarify the difference? Thanks!
Hi Chelsea, I’m wondering how to add the black cocoa if I’m making SMB. Do I add the black cocoa at the end? Will it make the SMB grainy? Thank you for your help!
Hi Chelsea, I follow you on Instagram and Tiktok and I love your content! Does this buttercream do well in humidity? I want to try to make it for cupcakes and they will be out in the Texas heat for a bit. Do you think it will be fine and if not should I incorporate shortening in the recipe?
She says that she loves your work and is confused on what kind of cream you are using 🙂
Oops I was trying to let you know what hilda had asked you in Spanish but it made a separate comment ?
So I am making a wedding cake, it’s a wonderfully heavy carrot cake and as a result of getting married on Halloween they want the icing black. I’m worried about a chocolate tasting icing on a carrot cake….I like one of your post suggestions that perhaps this recipe could be a cream cheese version. Would you suggest just using a cream cheese icing recipe and adding the black cocoa powder and black gel coloring? I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with this black cake request and am just looking for some help from YOU…the expert!!!
Can you use the cocoa powder for royal icing as well?
Hi, can I use your cream cheese buttercream recipe instead of the vanilla for your black buttercream? By the way, I made the black buttercream and it came up amazing!!!! Thank you!
Hi Chel,
Your blog is terrific! Absolutely love love your recipes.
I have tried to create black buttercream, followed the steps as mentioned in your recipe but my buttercream stays dark shade of grey but not black, i let it stay for 3-4 days and no difference. I’m using wilton and chef master gel food colors. Please advise what to do. I get same issue with generating red and royal blue colors.
Hi Chelsea
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m making a black and gold theme cake and I’ve never made black icing before so I will definitely be using your recipe!
Quick question – can the icing work well with either a vanilla cake or raspberry and white chocolate cake?
I have blommer jet black cocoa on hand, will this work?
I saw a youtube video which said you can heat your frosting for a few seconds and the colour depens. I tried it with this recipie by heating for 20 sec intervals (30 secs was sufficient). Mix and allow to cool. It got really black and shinny. I will try adding the dark chocolate and black cocoa to wiltons crusting buttercream next to see if it works the same way as well.
Frosting was also very delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Hi. Why does your recipe call for melted chocolate and you don’t put it in your video?
@Dawn, Do I need chocolate in the recipe? I need dark black icing for a Harley Davidson cake thou. Thank you
What can I substitute instead of the chocolate? I have the black cocoa but my family doesn’t like dark chocolate
Thinking of making this frosting with your Oreo funfetti cake. Think it would taste like an Oreo? Love your recipes!
Hi! I was going to make a cake that had black and white frosting but I didn’t want to make two separate batches of frosting so is it possible to leave out the chocolate components until the end and make normal white frosting and then add the chocolate? Or will that mess up the proportions?
Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I recently made a grey cake…it was supposed to be black! Lol is there anyway to achieve super black vanilla buttercream? So that the buttercream still actually tastes like vanilla?
Wish I could post pictures….this recipe delivered exactly as promised! The key is to let is rest, there is no doubt about that. It looks dark grayish brown brown when finished, but I put it in the fridge for 24 hours and then on the counter overnight before I used it. By the time I piped it onto the cake it was a beautiful deep black color! I was seriously impressed. Thank you for this recipe!
Hello. Is there an error in the recipe? You have in the ingredients 1/2 c of dark chocolate chips melted then cooled. But in the video I don’t see you adding any melted chocolate? Can you clarify for me? And how is your buttercream sample on your cupcake so shiny? Thank you
Hi! I just realized I don’t have dark chocolate chips. Would semi-sweet chocolate chips work as a replacement?
Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial! I will be making a Mickey Mouse cake this weekend for my sons birthday and this will definitely help!
Also I have to say I LOVE your stand mixer! Pink is my absolute favorite color!??
Hi! I just made my first attempt at making this black frosting and I followed the directions to a T… At best I got a very dark grey frosting. I know I need to let this sit for a couple days which is fine but I don’t see this converting to black. Help!
I just made it for a cake for this Thursday, I need to see it turning more black, the flavor it’s amazing
In the video, I did not see you add the melted chocolate. What kind of chocolate is it suppose to be? There are 2 different videos for this black frosting…
What is the ratio for icing to black cocoa powder, if I use store-bought?
Hi, my frosting didn’t come out black. I followed the instructions. Please help!
To me, this frosting tastes like an Oreo cookie!! Delicious!!
Hi Chelsea, I tried this recipe and it completely broke. I have never had this happen to my buttercreams and I’m at a complete loss. How can I fix this?? I tried microwave method it made it worse, I tried adding more fat, nothing, I tried adding more sugar nothing is happening. I’m at a complete loss . What can I do??
Hi, I watched your video for Black Buttercream, you mentioned nothing about adding melted chocolate, but it’s listed in the recipe. Can you please explain. Thank you
Wonderful site !
All or nearly all is here.
Friends asked me to do their wedding cake. Nether done that. I need some advices. Could you help me please.
I could send you a photo of what I have to do.
Kind regards
Jean-Pierre
I know this is an old recipe, but I do really want to stress how careful people need to be when baking with activated charcoal. Charcoal can interact with certain medications, rendering them inactive. This includes many heart medicines and antidepressants. If you want a natural colorant, the safe way to go is squid ink. You never know what medicines the people eating the cake may be taking.
Hi Ollie,
That is a great point that I wasn’t aware of until now! I’ve updated the post to reflect this. Thank you for sharing <3
We love more of a milk chocolate buttercream but I wanted the darker color. Followed recipe to a T and oh WOW! New favorite frosting. Flavor is absolutely perfect. Black cooca and dark chocolate make it superb!
Hi Mary,
I am so happy you love this recipe just as much as I do 🙂 Thank you for sharing!! This comment made my day!
I made the black cocoa buttercream on Monday..let it sit in the fridge for 2 days..didn’t get dark..on Wednesday I let it sit out and then mixed in 2 toothpick dips of black gel color..it looks lighter than it did b4..really need black that won’t stain teeth and tastes good..need to decorate my cake tomorrow..help
Hi Lee,
I’m sorry to hear this didn’t work for you! Did you add gel food coloring in with the black cocoa when you first made the buttercream like the recipe calls for? If so, what brand of food coloring did you use? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what went wrong.
Is there any way to achieve this without using chocolate? I actually have black cocoa, but no chips on hand.
And is the large amount of whipping cream to account for the added cocoa powder, for consistency?
Hi Susie,
You can still achieve a black color, but you’ll have to use more gel food coloring and definitely make it far in advance. The amount of whipped cream is based on the chocolate and cocoa powder, so if you omit the chocolate I’d add about a third the amount of cream the recipe calls for. Hope that helps, happy baking!
How can I make BLACK CRUSTING BUTTERCREAM?
– I have a dear friend that has two standard poodles; one black and one white. I’d really like to make her some cookies that look like her pups!
– I don’t want to frost my poodle cookies with Royal Icing. I like the flavor and consistency of CRUSTING buttercream.
– I am a beginning beginner and don’t know how to combine recipes for Crusting Buttercream with Black buttercream.
– Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Hi Porcher,
This recipe is a crusting buttercream (it also uses an American buttercream as the base so the high sugar content causes it to crust), but it won’t set as firmly as royal icing. It will keep its shape well, but I wouldn’t recommend stacking frosted cookies on top of each other. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Any change this is heat stable?
Hi Lillian,
Sadly no buttercream is really heat stable :/ But if you want this to hold up better in high heat / high humidity you can swap out half the butter for hi-lo shortening and that should help. Happy baking!
How do I make Crusting Black frosting for decorating cookies?
Hi Porcher,
This buttercream recipe has an American buttercream base, so it does crust 🙂
My new favorite! This frosting is amazing. I ordered the dark cocoa and the color with the black food coloring was so dark it was perfect!
Hi Heidi,
I am so happy to hear that!!! YAY 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Made your black frosting today! Holy cow this stuff is good! Thank you for all the great hints about black cocoa and adding melted dark chocolate that has been cooled. It was the best black frosting I have ever made!
Hi Dina,
I’m so happy to hear that! Your comment put the biggest smile on my face 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
My frosting turned out very grainy. Is there anything I can do to fix it? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer,
So sorry to hear that! It can be caused by a few different things.
Sometimes it’s the brand of powdered sugar that you’re using (they’re not all refined to the same size of particles), sometimes the frosting needs a bit more heavy cream to help dissolve the sugar! I’d recommend adding a bit more heavy cream and beating the frosting for a few more minutes on a low speed and see if that fixes it. If it doesn’t, I’d recommend trying a new brand of powdered sugar next time. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Do I triple this if i need it for a three layer 10 in and three layer 8 in? Not using for filling. Or do I need to just double it? Or more?
Hi Rochelle,
Great question! It depends on how you want to decorate it, but I’d think a double batch should definitely be enough! I actually have a great chart where I share how much buttercream you need for different sized cakes, here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/how-much-buttercream-do-i-need/
Hope that helps for the future, happy baking!
Hi Chelsea! If trying for black frosting with your “Not too sweet buttercream” recipe, is there anything different in the process? Can you use the microwave method if needed, or no due to the egg whites? thanks!
Hi Stephanie,
Great question!! Usually when I do the microwave method, i do short intervals 5-10 seconds, so I’d suggest doing that with my not too sweet buttercream recipe. It shouldn’t be enough time to cook the egg whites. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Tried this recipe. Truly amazing recipe, worked very well. Nice and black and it tastes as good as it looks ? thank you ?
So happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing Natashja 🙂
I made this frosting and let it sit on the counter but it never turned black. I followed instructions completely. The cupcakes still looked good. I would try again making it a couple days ahead to see if that makes a difference.
Hi Audrey,
I’m so sorry to hear that! Making it further in advance does help, so the further you make it ahead of time the darker it will get. What brand of food coloring are you using?
If I use the microwave method, should I allow the frosting to cool before I incorporate it into the rest of the batch?
Hi Noel,
Great question! It depends on how much frosting you melt down. If it’s a little bit it’s fine to add when it’s still hot, but if you do it repeatedly or with a large portion of the frosting, I’d let it cool down a bit before adding it back in. Hope that helps, happy baking!
This recipe worked great for me. I followed the directions up until the microwave part. I let my frosting sit on the counter for 24 hours, the color deepened a little but still was not black. This is when I decided to do the microwave tip and it totally worked! Needed black for a spiderman theme cake for my kiddo and it worked perfectly. Wish I could attach a picture for you to see.
I used Modern Mountain Black Cocoa that I was able to purchase on Amazon and Black Gel Food Coloring for Color Mill.
The frosting was delicious and did NOT turn our mouths black 🙂
hi
I made my black buttercream this morning and its not gone either grey or black .its still dark chocolate. I’m worried as i think i left it a bit too late asi need it in two days time. i have also tried the microwave method
what can i do
Help!!
thank you
Hi Pritpal,
So sorry to hear that! Did you use black cocoa and dark chocolate? Have you added black gel food coloring? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what’s going on together!
Thank you do much for all the tips and the recipe! Getting ready for our granddaughters OH Twodles birthday party at the end of the month and we needed a good tasting black icing for part of the cake.
So happy to hear that Teresa!! I hope your granddaughter’s cake turned out amazing, I’m sure it did 🙂
My daughter asked for a black cake with neon splatters for her birthday. This frosting came out incredible! I’m so excited to frost and decorate the cake!
Ahh that sounds amazing! What a fun and bold birthday cake idea. I’m so glad the frosting turned out great, and I bet those neon splatters are going to pop against the black background. Your daughter is going to love it! I hope you have the best time decorating and celebrating. Can’t wait to hear how it all turns out!