Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
Published Mar 15, 2022•Updated Oct 10, 2024
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Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting is as light and fluffy as whipped cream but has rich chocolate flavor that is perfect for chocolate or vanilla cake or other desserts. It holds its shape well for piping. I tested this recipe over 10 times to get the best chocolate flavor and the lightest texture.
With just four ingredients and a not-too-sweet flavor, chocolate whipped cream frosting / icing is the perfect frosting for all of your cakes, cupcakes, and snacking cakes. This is a chocolate version of my most popular frosting recipe – Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting. I received many requests for a chocolate version and today is the day!
And if you’re looking for more easy, well-reviewed dessert recipes, be sure to check out my chewy chocolate chip cookies (with 1,000+ positive reviews), easy chocolate cake (perfect for a weeknight), oatmeal chocolate chip bars (that readers call “nostalgic and easy”), easy banana bread (made with melted butter and one just bowl), the best peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies (I tested these over 10 times to get them just right).
Ingredients for Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
- Cream cheese – This acts as a stabilizer for the frosting, giving it structure and a great rich flavor. Be sure it is softened to room temperature before you use it so that it will get smooth and creamy.
- Powdered sugar – For sweetening the frosting and thickening it.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Dutch process or non-Dutch process will work just fine. I love Hershey’s Extra Dark cocoa powder if I want the frosting to have a darker color and more intense chocolate flavor.
- Heavy cream or whipping cream – Be sure it is very cold so that it will whip up in to fluffy peaks.
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The key to making a frosting with heavy / whipped that will hold its shape is to add something to stabilize it. Fresh whipped cream on its own is very light and fluffy, but when you beat in softened cream cheese it has a sturdy texture that will hold its shape. Here’s how to make it:
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. This will make it easy for the heavy cream cheese to combine with the cream.
- Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Beat these into the cream cheese until combined. This mixture will be very thick and pasty.
- Slowly add whipped cream. With the mixer running, slowly add in the heavy / whipping cream. You want all of the ingredients to be well combined before you turn up the mixer speed.
- Beat until peaks form. Crank up the speed on the mixer until your frosting is thick and fluffy and holds stiff peaks. Once you see those stiff peaks, stop mixing so you don’t risk over-beating the cream.
- Adjust as needed. If you over beat the frosting and it is too thick, just add in some more cream and continue beating until your frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Be sure to use very cold heavy cream / whipping cream for this recipe. Cold cream will whip up quickly into firm peaks to help the frosting hold its shape.
FAQs
The thing about frosting is that you want to adjust the consistency based on how you’ll use it. For a snacking cake like the peanut butter version photographed here, the frosting can be very light and spreadable – it doesn’t need to hold any solid shape. If you’re going to pipe this frosting onto cupcakes, beat it a bit longer until the whipped cream is sturdy and will hold its shape.
Absolutely. But the frosting won’t be as stable without the whipped cream, so you’ll need to use it and serve it right away.
Yes. Store it right in the piping bag you plan to use in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Let it soften at room temperature until it is easy to pipe and spread (about 30 minutes).
Easy Snack Cakes
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Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
Equipment
- Stand or Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cup heavy / whipping cream, chilled
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low-medium until the cream cheese is very smooth, about 2 minutes.
- To the cream cheese, add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Turn the mixer on low and then slowly increase speed to medium until the dry ingredients are mixed into the cream cheese (it will be very thick).
- With the mixer running, slowly pour the heavy cream down the side of the bowl. When all of the heavy cream is added, increase speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. If the frosting is too thick to spread with a spatula, add more cream a bit at a time.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I doubled the recipe and didn’t use all the heavy cream and it came out like water??
Hi Lexie – your heavy / whipping cream just didn’t set! It probably just needed to whipped for longer OR the heavy cream wasn’t cold enough when you started out. Do you think either of those might have happened? Did you use a stand mixer or a hand mixer? As you beat the ingredients together on high, you should see the frosting growing thicker in the bowl. If it’s not getting thicker, it’s one of those two reasons.
I trying to make this wonderfully light frosting….. and it looks like lumpy soup. I’m so frustrated!!!! My heavy cream was right out of the frig so I know it was cold. I’m using a stand mixer. I tried whipping it more and it’s not helping. Ugh!!!!
Oh no Gayle! As long as your heavy cream is cold, you’ve got that part checked off. I bet there is something oily remaining in your stand mixer from the last time you used it. If the bowl is at all greasy or oily from some past baking project, the heavy cream won’t whip properly. Next time, just make sure the bowl is super clean and it should work just fine.
Made this to use on a yellow cake for a crowd. It went fast. Delicious.
So glad you enjoyed it! This is a go-to for me!
I love using this recipe for a special cake that my dad loves. However, he’s gluten and dairy allergic, so I use plant cream. I was curious to know if you think using plant butter instead of cream cheese would workm
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried it, but I do think it might work. You could also try the vegan frosting included in this recipe which I tested with plant butter. https://inquiringchef.com/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes/
Will this work well as a cake filling? I’m curious if it’s stable enough to hold cake layers. Thanks!
Yes! I use it as cake filling. You won’t want to use a super thick layer, but it’s sturdy enough to use that way.
How far in advance can I make this frosting?? Today is Wednesday, the party is Saturday. I was going to ice the cake either tomorrow or Friday. I hope that makes sense.
Thanks
Today will be fine! You may have to give it a really good stir or use the hand mixer to get it nice and fluffy again before frosting the cake.