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Mixing bowl full of small batch chocolate buttercream frosting.

Small Batch Chocolate Buttercream


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  • Author: Susan Gravatt
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups of frosting 1x

Description

Perfect for a small cake or cupcakes, this small batch chocolate buttercream frosting has rich chocolate flavor and is smooth and spreadable.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 tablespoons (113 grams) of unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups (345 grams) of powdered sugar
  • ⅔ cup (60 grams) of your favorite cocoa powder(s) (I use a mix of black, unsweetened, and natural cocoa powders)
  • ⅔ cup (160 grams) heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine your unsalted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder(s), vanilla extract, heavy cream, and salt. Start mixing on a low setting in short spurts to incorporate and avoid powder flying everywhere. Then increase speed and beat for another 5 minutes.
  2. Once happy with flavor, use a spatula to smooth the frosting. Drag the spatula from the middle of your bowl to its edges, watching as the tears and bubbles in your buttercream disappear. Spend 3-4 minutes doing these motions to achieve nice, smooth frosting. If the frosting is too thick to easily spread it, add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time into your bowl. If too thick, add ¼ cup of powdered sugar and mix.
  3. Once the consistency is smooth, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice.

Notes

  • This frosting recipe provides enough buttercream to decorate 12 cupcakes, a 2-layer 6" cake, or lightly coat a 2-layer 8" or 9" cake. Increase as needed. 
  • The nutritional values are approximate and can vary based on specific ingredient brands and measurements.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 220 kcal
  • Sugar: 30.7 grams
  • Sodium: 50 mg
  • Fat: 11.8 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 7.0 grams
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4.2 grams
  • Trans Fat: Negligible
  • Carbohydrates: 32.1 grams
  • Fiber: 0.9 grams
  • Protein: 1.0 gram
  • Cholesterol: 35 mg