Black Buttercream Frosting
Struggling to make truly black frosting?? Learn my tips for making the deepest black buttercream, with a simple recipe that comes together in minutes.
Servings: 7 cups
Calories: 1161kcal
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
This recipe makes about 7 cups of frosting, which is enough to fill and frost an 8-inch layer cake.
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
Serving: 1 | Calories: 1161kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 199mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 144g