My Favorite Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate. Do we need much more in life? I know I definitely have a serious weakness for chocolate. I have a really hard time understanding people who don't. Like my sister for instance, I love ya sis but I will never understand why you pick the chocolate chips out of your chocolate chip cookies. They are basically the best part of the cookie. It is hard for me sometimes, to sit and watch you do such a thing =). It breaks my little baker heart. I guess next time just hand them over to me and I will pile them on top of my chocolate chip cookie. Less wrinkles for me. Yes indeed, even chocolate has it's nutritional value with the antioxidants it contains, right? How much, well that's not important. All I know once upon a time I heard chocolate contains antioxidants which helps slow aging so I need not ask further questions. I simply just say that means I need to eat more chocolate. With that said, frosting for breakfast? Mmkay. I love when my mom comes to stay and she get's excited when I have some left over frosting in my fridge that she can pile on her morning oatmeal. What a great way to start the day.

I've had a few people ask if my recipe for My Favorite Fluffy Buttercream Frosting could be adapted to make a chocolate version. So rather than guessing to answer your questions I've decided to create and post what I thought are the best proportions. I'm telling you, this frosting is what dreams are made of. It's fluffy, creamy, smooth, rich, indulgent, chocolaty, delicious, my best friend. Basically it's melt in your mouth, pure divinity. Don't be fooled by it's pale shade, this is a very chocolaty frosting. The pale color is just due to all the whipping of the butter, so the rich chocolate flavor may take some by surprise.  
I listed below two options for cocoa and powdered sugar measurements, one creates a richer chocolate frosting than the other so just go with the one that suites your taste. This recipe should yield plenty enough for 24 cupcakes or a 2 layer 9-inch cake. Enjoy!

Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups salted butter, at room temperature

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar* 

3/4 cup cocoa powder* 

3 - 4 Tbsp heavy cream or half-&-half

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment (paddle attachment works too. Whichever you use just pay attention the the shade of the butter), whip butter on moderately high speed until very pale and fluffy (nearly white in color), about 6 - 8 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl. Sift in cocoa powder then add in powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp heavy cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until combine, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed and adding up to 1 tbsp additional cream to thin if desired. Increase mixer to medium-high speed and whip mixture until pale and very fluffy about 4 - 5 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl. 

Note that similar to whipped cream the frosting will lose some of its "fluff" after a few hours, it will still taste the same it just loses some of the air that was whipped into it (similar to whipped cream how it loses it's stabilization after a few hours). It is best to prepare and use within a few hours for best (fluffiest) results.  

*For a milder more milk chocolate like flavor, increase the amount of powdered sugar to 4 cups and decrease the cocoa powder to 1/2 cup (leave other ingredient measurements the same). 

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy