Chocolate Russian Buttercream

If you are looking for smooth rich chocolate frosting, this chocolate Russian buttercream recipe is for you. It takes just a handful of simple ingredients to make and isn’t too sweet. It is perfect for spreading on your favorite cakes and cupcakes.

This chocolate frosting has a silky smooth texture and rich creamy flavor. It really is a really simple recipe, the only trick is to make sure the ingredients are the right temperature for the best results.

We fell in love with Russian buttercream back in 2018. There is something so magical about making frosting from just butter and sweetened condensed milk.

Plus, you don’t get the poof of powdered sugar that inevitably happens when you start the mixer while making American buttercream. So, there is that.

I shared a recipe for lemonade Russian buttercream pretty early on, but I don’t know how or why it has taken me this long to share a chocolate version.

This recipe uses an entire cup of cocoa powder, so it has really nice big chocolate flavor. The only sugar comes from the can of condensed milk, so it is nicely balanced and not overly sweet.

It is a great option for folks who think most frosting is overpoweringly sweet. Plus, it is really creamy.

Things to Know

Because there is no powdered sugar in this recipe, it does not form a crust. You are relying on the butter to hold its shape.

So, if you want to set the frosting for transport refrigeration is your friend. The chilled butter makes it set more solid, making it better for transporting.

However, like most frostings, the texture for eating is better at room temperature. It is much more pleasing to bite into a soft pillow-y cloud of buttercream than a cold solid one, plus the flavors come through better as well.

You will have the best luck getting a piping or spreading consistency if your can of sweetened condensed milk is well chilled. Put it in the refrigerator at least a couple of hours but preferably a full day before you make the frosting. It needs to be cold throughout.

You want the butter to be just soft enough to be beaten smooth. You don’t want it too soft or warm. Because of this, I wouldn’t rely on a microwave to soften it. Let it soften naturally.

I like to start by adding a couple of Tablespoons of chilled sweetened condensed milk. Make sure that is fully mixed in before adding more.

It helps to lighten the mixture a bit and makes it easier to incorporate the rest of the can.

The finished frosting is perfect for spreading over a cake. It also works well for piping simple swirls on cupcakes. I wouldn’t use it for intricate designs.