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image of a chocolate cupcake frosted with not too sweet chocolate frosting
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4.80 from 5 ratings

Not Too Sweet Chocolate Frosting

This not-too-sweet chocolate frosting recipe is the perfect hybrid between American buttercream and Swiss meringue buttercream! It's a dream to frost cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and macarons!
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Frosting & Fillings
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4.5 cups
Calories: 1170kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Hybrid Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Minette Rushing's Faux Swiss Meringue Frosting)

  • 1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites, room temperature 120g
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or a 1 lb. box
  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 339g
  • 3/4 cup dark or milk chocolate, melted and cooled 130g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

Instructions

Not Too Sweet Chocolate Frosting:

  • Place 1/2 cup of room-temperature pasteurized egg whites and 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you plan to make it with a hand mixer). Mix on a low speed to combine.
  • Once all the powdered sugar has been incorporated, mix on high with a whisk attachment for 5-10 minutes until the meringue has soft peaks. Sometimes the egg whites will be able to reach stiff peaks like in the picture above, but if you only get soft peaks, the frosting will still turn out great once you add the butter.
  • Swap the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment. This will help make your buttercream super smooth once it's fully made.
  • Mix in 1 1/2 cups or 3 sticks of room temperature butter on a low speed, one at a time. Wait until each stick of butter has been fully mixed in before adding the next stick.
  • Once the butter is incorporated, mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes until the frosting looks fluffy. If the frosting breaks or becomes soupy once you add in the butter, don't worry! Just keep mixing, and it should come back together in 5-10 minutes. When in doubt, keep mixing!
  • Add 3/4 cup of dark chocolate chips that have been melted down and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes (it should still be fluid but just slightly warm to the touch), 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp of fine salt. Mix on a low speed until fully combined.
  • Stir for a couple of additional minutes by hand with a rubber spatula to make the frosting silky smooth. Then use as desired! This frosting is amazing on layer cakes, cupcakes, and macarons.

Notes

This recipe makes about 4 1/2 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost a 6-inch or 7-inch layer cake or 2 dozen cupcakes.
This recipe can be doubled if you have a 5 Qt or larger KitchenAid or stand mixer, but it will give your mixer quite a workout (mine always gets quite warm when I make a double batch).
 

Tips for Making the Best Not Too Sweet Chocolate Frosting

  • Use good-quality dark chocolate! I recommend using either Couverture chocolate, Guittard, or Ghirardelli chocolate chips.
  • Make sure that you let the dark chocolate sit for about 10 minutes to cool before mixing it into the frosting. It should still be fluid but only slightly warm to the touch. This will prevent the heat from the chocolate from melting the butter in the frosting.
  • Don't bother sifting your powdered sugar! Most brands in the US contain cornstarch to prevent caking, and this means no sifting is needed. Only sift if you notice clumps in your powdered sugar.
  • Make this recipe with a stand mixer if you have one! You can use a hand mixer, but it will take about twice as long to whip up the meringue.
  • Make sure the butter is at room temperature! If it isn't, the frosting will break or can become soupy, and it can take a lot longer to get it to the right consistency.
  • If the frosting breaks or becomes soupy once you add in the butter, don't worry! Just keep mixing, and it should come back together in 5-10 minutes. When in doubt, keep mixing!
  • Switch to a paddle attachment once you've whipped up the egg whites and powdered sugar! It'll help make the frosting nice and smooth.
  • Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out of the top of the bag and make the piping bag easier to use.
  • If you make this frosting for a cake, mix the buttercream on the lowest speed at the end of the process for a couple of minutes, to get out any extra air that might have been incorporated during the mixing process.
 

Making This Chocolate Frosting in Advance & Storage Tips

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 2 weeks.
Be sure to give it a good mix with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature for up to a day or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. If you freeze the cake, transfer it to the fridge the night before you plan to eat it.
This will help it gradually thaw and minimize any temperature shock. Remove the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cut into it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 1170kcal | Carbohydrates: 115g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 78g | Saturated Fat: 49g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 377mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 111g