Chocolate Buttercream Icing

I really just love love love homemade icing!  In fact, if I had known how simple it was to make delicious homemade icing years ago, I would have never ever bought icing in a can from the food store.  NEVER!  I can promise that once you master a few recipes for homemade icing, you will never go back to that store bought kind either!  If you are looking for a basic and super simple icing recipe, you can find my Buttercream Icing Here! 

Now back to the chocolate!  I love all things chocolate and icing is no different!  This chocolate buttercream icing will go perfectly on any cake that you make - I used it to frost a yellow cake! 

Here's What You Need to Make the Chocolate Buttercream Icing:

• 2 sticks of butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 pound (about 4 cups) powdered sugar
• 3-4 tbsp half and half (cream or milk will also work)

Now Let's Make the Chocolate Buttercream Icing:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the two sticks of butter and the vanilla extract
2. Beat in the cocoa powder 1/4 cup at a time until fully incorporated 
3. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed - the mixture will be thick and crumbly
4. Add the half and half one tablespoon at a time, increasing the speed of your mixture, until the icing comes together
5. Whip on high speed until desired texture is reached (I did about 4 minutes - as you continue to mix the icing it will get fluffier and take on a more "whipped" consistency)
6. Immediately ice your cake (or cupcakes)

PERFECT! 

This recipe makes enough icing to generously frost and fill a 9 inch cake like this one! 

KitchenAid Pink Artisan Stand Mixer