This Chocolate Fudge Frosting is silky smooth decadence in every spoonful. Rich yet sweet, no one would ever know it contains zero milk and can easily be vegan! This fudge frosting could not be easier! It only uses 5 ingredients and takes 5 minutes to make! If that wasn't enough, this homemade frosting is gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan with vegan butter!
This Chocolate Fudge Frosting recipe is so incredibly fudgey and silky; it’s a dream come true! With only 5 ingredients it is so easy to whip up to use on all your favorite baked goods including cookies, like my Frosted chocolate Cookies! Or you can eat it by the spoonful...I won't tell!
For more frosting and dip recipes, try Strawberry Buttercream Frosting, Raspberry Buttercream Frosting, Cookies & Cream Dip and my Cream Cheese Frosting!
Reasons To Love This Frosting
- Allergy Friendly- This frosting is gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Smooth & Creamy- This luscious chocolate frosting is so fudgey and silky!
- Easy to Make- Whips up in one bowl with only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes!
- Perfect on Everything- This fudge frosting is perfect on cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies or by the spoonful!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature. Even softened will make the frosting super runny and it won’t be fixed by putting it in the fridge. If using vegan butter, make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature. Also, use vegan baking sticks instead of vegan butter from a tub.
- Cocoa Powders- I like to use a combo of Natural Unsweetened and Dark to get that richness and color. If you're only using one, use Natural Unsweetened. Do not use Dark alone as the frosting will be too dry and bitter.
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract that is gluten free and vegan. If you use one that is not pure, the frosting will have a chemical taste.
- Water- This frosting uses room temperature water instead of milk! Add it in slowly; you may not need it all.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this into Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Check to make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Only use pure vanilla extract that's made in a gluten free and vegan facility.
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Here are the step by step instructions to make this decadent fudge frosting!
Step 1: Beat the Butter
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add in the Ingredients Half at a Time
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in half the confectioners’ sugar, half the cocoa powders, 2 tablespoons vanilla and half the water. Beat until combined.
Add in the rest of the sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla and beat until combined again.
If the frosting is too thick and dry, slowly add in the rest of the water...a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need it all.
Expert Tips
- Cream the Butter or Vegan Baking Stick- You could technically put all the ingredients in the bowl together and beat them at the same time. However, this can leave chunks of butter or vegan baking stick throughout the frosting. Your best bet is to beat the butter/vegan baking stick first until it is smooth and creamy for about two minutes. Then beat in all the other ingredients.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened. If using vegan butter, make sure it's more cold than room temperature. Vegan baking sticks are different than butter in the sense that if they are too soft in your frosting, they will create a liquid mess and your frosting will be sliding all over your cakes and cupcakes. At that point, even putting the frosting in the fridge would not help. If you are using butter, popping the frosting in the fridge will sometimes help resolidify and make the frosting thicker and firmer but not always.
- Only Use Stick Butter- Do not use spreadable butter from a tub. It is way too soft and your frosting will be a runny mess. Even putting it in the fridge will not fix it. If using vegan butter, also only use vegan baking sticks not vegan butter from a tub. Also, use it on the cooler side rather than actual room temperature.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the frosting its dark hue. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened...just know the color will not be as dark as mine. Do not use dark alone; it will make your frosting too dry and bitter.
- Use Packed Cups of Cocoa Powder- I love to use packed cups for this recipe to help add to the richness. Or use the gram amount (145 grams).
Recipe FAQs
You can make this frosting the night before you need to use it. Store it in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge.
When ready to use, let it come to room temperature and rewhip to get that creamy consistency.
This recipe makes about 5 cups of frosting.
That should be enough for a 3-4 layer cake or 24 cupcakes.
If the frosting is too thick, add more room temperature water ¼ teaspoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. It should be thick enough to be able to be piped onto a cupcake.
If the frosting is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. It needs to be thin enough to pipe but not sliding all over the place.
Storing: Store extra fudge frosting in an airtight container or a bowl covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature on the counter and rewhip it to regain a creamy consistency.
Freezing: You can freeze the frosting for up to one month in an airtight freezer safe container. To defrost, put the frosting in the fridge the night before. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature on the counter and rewhip to regain a creamy consistency.
Other Chocolate Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
- 7 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 cups cocoa powder I use 1 cup of Natural Unsweetened and 1 cup of Dark
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup water , room temperature
Instructions
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the 1 ½ cups unsalted butter until it is smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the half the confectioners’ sugar (3.5 cups), half the cocoa powder (1 cup), 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water and beat until combined and smooth and creamy.
- Once combined, slowly add in the other 3.5 cups confectioners' sugar, the other 1 cup cocoa powder and the remaining 2 tablespoons vanilla and beat until combined.
- If the frosting is too thick and dry, slowly add in the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water...a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.
Valerie
Hi! I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m curious how it holds up on a cake in a cooler. I’m looking for a fudge icing recipe for a Boston cream pie that will hold up in a cooler, but not become rock solid. Like, stick a spoon in and eat right from the fridge is what I’m looking for. This sounds amazing, and I’m going to try it!
Lee
Hi Valerie! This definitely does become hard in the fridge. You would not be able to stick a spoon in a bowl of this from the fridge unless you added a bunch more water than the recipe calls for and then the frosting would probably slide all over the cake. However, it most likely would not be rock hard on a cake in a cooler. When I have this on cakes in the fridge, I take it out and let it come to room temp. Then it's super soft again. Hope this makes sense!
Anne
I had some leftover fudge frosting (this recipe) from making a batch of your red velvet cupcakes. It WAS in the fridge hiding to be used as a filling for some of your (recipe) chocolate chip cookies I was planning on making. But my teenagers found it. Plans had to be altered because they ate it all, by the spoonful. Since they are slim and work out, it is hard to get upset… this frosting is that good!
Molly
Had a question:
what temperature water do you use?
Thanks!
Lee
Great question! I use room temperature water!
Cathy Frick
Is dark cocoa the same as black cocoa? I can’t wait to make this !!!
Lee
Hi Cathy! Actually dark cocoa powder is a bit less "dutched" than black cocoa powder. I use Hershey's special dark because it's nut safe and gluten free.
Alicia
The best fudge frosting!!
Lee
Thank you so much!!!!
john
This fudge frosting is perfect for my cakes!