Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is loaded with rich, bold chocolate flavor.  With its slight cream cheese tang, it delivers up a delicious chocolate frosting that's not cloyingly sweet.  It's a perfect chocolate lover's choice for topping just about any batch of cupcakes or cake!

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How would I describe this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, you ask? -- With three simple phrases:

1. Rich
2. Bold chocolate flavor
3. Not overly sweet

And those three simple phrases make this the perfect chocolate frosting for me. -- And I would venture to guess, I'm not the only one!  

It's a perfect frosting for me because one, I'm a dark chocolate lover.  Which means I love rich, bold chocolate flavor.  And while this chocolate cream cheese frosting doesn't get its fabulous chocolatey-ness from melted dark chocolate itself, unsweetened cocoa powder nicely delivers up that wonderful dark chocolate vibe.

With its slight cream cheese tang, Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting delivers up a delicious chocolate frosting that's not cloyingly sweet.

Two, I can't stand frostings that are overly sweet.  And this one is definitely not.  Delicious? -- Yes.  Fabulously chocolatey? -- Absolutely.  Cloyingly sweet? -- Most definitely not.

This recipe's mix of ingredients keeps this chocolate frosting from becoming over-the-top sweet. A slight tang from the cream cheese base combines with unsweetened cocoa powder and a small touch of salt to keep this frosting far from the super sweet side. 

It's a perfect frosting for the chocolate lover who doesn't love their frostings overly sweet.  Slather it on just about any batch of cupcakes or cake for one fabulously delicious chocolatey treat.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

Some chocolate frosting recipes call for melted chocolate.  This frosting, however, gets its rich chocolate flavor from unsweetened cocoa powder instead.  I love the ease of using cocoa powder, and the fact this saves the added step of melting and cooling chocolate.

To whip up a batch of Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, you'll need:

• Cream cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese instead of a lower fat variety. Regular full-fat cream cheese creates a much better, sturdier, creamier textured frosting.

• Butter - Unsalted butter combines with the cream cheese to form the frosting's creamy base.

• Vanilla extract - Adds flavor depth and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.

• Salt - To cut the sweetness and balance the frosting's flavor, toss in a small pinch of salt.

• Confectioners' sugar - Brings in the frosting's sweetness, and joins with the cream cheese/butter base to make the frosting fluffy.

• Unsweetened baking cocoa powder - Creates the frosting's rich, bold chocolate flavor.  This recipe calls for 1/3 cup -- Use a little less if you want a less chocolatey frosting.

How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

Whipping up a batch of Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting isn't hard at all, and takes all of about 15 minutes or less. -- Once your cream cheese and butter are softened, that is.  

I recommend placing your cream cheese and butter out on the counter at least an hour before making the frosting.  You want them to be pretty close to room temperature so they blend together easily, without lumps.

To make the frosting, start by beating the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until they're fluffy, about 1 minute. Then add a little vanilla extract along with a small pinch of salt, and mix them in on low speed for a few seconds until the mixture is just combined.

Overbeating a cream cheese frosting will cause the frosting to be become thin and runny.

Next, combine the recipe's confectioners' sugar and cocoa in a large bowl.  Stir them together until they're well mixed.  You want to have them well combined before adding them to the cream cheese mixture to minimize how much beating you have to do for the frosting to come together.

That's because, as with all cream cheese-based frostings, you want to be careful to not overbeat it. Overbeating a cream cheese frosting will cause the frosting to become thin and runny. Once that frosting texture is fluffy and smooth, stop those beaters!

Add the confectioners' sugar/cocoa mixture to the cream cheese mixture gradually, about 2 cups at a time, beating on low speed for a few seconds between each addition.  Then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 20 to 30 seconds until the frosting's smooth.

On this final mix, stop those beaters as soon as the frosting's smooth.  Again, you don't want to overmix a cream cheese-based frosting.

Once it's smooth, you're good to go with topping your chosen treats with its chocolatey deliciousness!

This recipe yields plenty of frosting for a 9x13" sheet cake, a 2-layer cake, or about 24 cupcakes. Though for a layer cake, if you frost all around the sides (instead of just the top & between the layers) or you like extra-thick frosting, I recommend making a batch-and-a-half or double batch to be on the safe side.

If you end up with leftovers? -- Our favorite Frosting Graham-wiches are a fabulous way to enjoy it! 

So if you're like me and love rich bold-flavored chocolate frosting, but also can't stand frostings that are super sweet, give this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting a try.

With its slight cream cheese tang, it delivers up a delicious chocolate frosting that's not cloyingly sweet.  Which makes it a perfect chocolate lover's choice for topping just about any batch of cupcakes or cake.

Check out these other tasty frosting recipes:

• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
• Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
• 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting
• Peanut Butter Frosting (made with marshmallow creme)
• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Coffee Buttercream Frosting
• Lemon Buttercream Frosting
• White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• More dessert recipes

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Frostings

American

Yield: Frosting for 1 cake or about 24 cupcakes

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is loaded with rich, bold chocolate flavor. With its slight cream cheese tang, it delivers up a delicious chocolate frosting that's not cloyingly sweet. It's a perfect chocolate lover's choice for topping just about any batch of cupcakes or cake!

Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 c. unsweetened baking cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla extract and salt; reduce mixer speed to low and mix for a few seconds until just combined.
2. Combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa in a large bowl; stir until well combined.
3. Add confectioners' sugar mixture to cream cheese mixture, about 2 cups at a time, beating on low speed for a few seconds between each addition. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for about 20 to 30 seconds until smooth.
4. Use to frost one cake or about 24 cupcakes.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. As with all cream cheese-based frostings, be careful to not overbeat it. Overbeating a cream cheese  frosting will cause the frosting to become thin and runny. Once that frosting texture is fluffy and smooth, stop those beaters!
2. Use full-fat cream cheese instead of a lower fat variety. Regular full-fat cream cheese creates a much better, sturdier, creamier textured frosting.
3. This recipe yields plenty for frosting a 9x13" sheet cake, or a 2-layer cake. Though for a layer cake, if you frost all around the sides (instead of just the top & between the layers) or like extra-thick frosting, I recommend making a double batch or batch-and-a-half.

Similar Recipes

Cream Cheese Frosting

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

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