Best Ever Mocha Buttercream

What happens when melted chocolate chips, instead of cocoa powder, is whipped into creamy butter and powdered sugar and crosses with the glorious taste of coffee? Magic happens. Say no more. It doesn't get any better than this luscious chocolate buttercream that is truly the best you'll ever taste.

For years, I made cakes and wedding cakes regularly, and I had my signature recipes I would use for each event and order. This was a customer favorite, and I used it for so many birthday cakes and wedding cakes. Let's just say that I have made this buttercream more times than I can count.

It's so smooth and creamy. I adore the extra flavor and texture that the melted chocolate chips add to the buttercream, rather than adding cocoa powder. It gives the buttercream little extra chocolate flavor-boost, and I am totally for that.

Especially for cakes, I love this buttercream because it's the perfect consistency and is great for piping. It's not too soft and holds its shape perfectly. It's really magical buttercream, I tell you.

So, when one of my best friends, Rebekah, asked me if I could make cupcakes for her wedding shower in North Carolina following her beautiful fall wedding in Indiana - I immediately started mulling over what flavors we should do. She and her new husband chose a chocolate cupcake with a mocha buttercream for one of them - which is precious since they met each other while working at a coffee shop. One of the other cupcake options was the Pistachio Cupcake (also gluten free) with Fresh Blueberry Buttercream that I've shared recipes for. It's really a showstopper combination. 

Ingredients You'll Need for Mocha Buttercream

- Semi sweet chocolate chips: I have made this with milk chocolate chips and that was delicious, too.

- Unsalted butter, softened

- Powdered sugar

- Vanilla extract

- Salt

- Instant coffee: I use decaf, just in case the people I am serving are sensitive to caffeine, but use what you prefer. 

- Hot water

Steps to Make The Best Ever Mocha Buttercream

1. In a medium sized glass bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth and fully melted. Remove from the microwave and let cool almost to room temperature, about 15 minutes - don’t skip this step. Otherwise, warm chocolate will melt our buttercream, and that's not what we want.

If you don’t have access to a microwave, you can melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over low, simmering water over the stove until smooth and melted. 

2. In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment), combine the butter with 1 cup of the powdered sugar with a paddle attachment. Beat until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining powdered sugar and beat again. Whip on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light, smooth, and creamy. 

3. In a small bowl, combine the hot water with the instant coffee until dissolved. Add the coffee/water mixture, vanilla, salt, and melted and cooled chocolate to the buttercream and mix on high for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl to incorporate all of the chocolate. 

4. Pipe on cupcakes, spread on a freshly baked cake, dollop onto a cookie, or eat the whole bowl with a spoon. You can’t go wrong with any of those options. Enjoy!

How to Freeze Mocha Buttercream

This buttercream freezes perfectly, and I do it regularly. A lot of times I will prep this in advance, freeze it, and thaw it to rewhip right before I need it. I've never had issues!

You can freeze buttercream for up to 6-8 months, as long as it is wrapped up well.

I usually lay out some plastic wrap flat on the counter, add the buttercream into the center, and fold the plastic wrap tightly around it. Don't forget to label it with what it is and what date you made it.

You can just as easily store this in an airtight container in the freezer, as well. I just like using the plastic wrap for easy clean up and easy thawing. 

Once you're ready to use it - I thaw mine on the counter overnight or until room temperature, throw it into my stand mixer, and rewhip it like normal. It's easy!

          

Other Buttercream Recipes

- As a summer fruit lover, this fresh Blueberry Buttercream is very tasty. It can be made with either fresh or frozen blueberries, and it couldn't be any easier to make. To make it, you can use this buttercream recipe, too. It really is so easy, and it really is so delicious.

- I'm a huge cake person.. which means that I am also a huge buttercream person. While I do love a vanilla buttercream, I also adore chocolate buttercream. There is nothing better than this Milk Chocolate French Buttercream that tastes just like a chocolate mousse. I mean, duh. It's so luxurious. It's a great, fancier alternative when you're wanting straight decadent chocolate.

- A bit of an adult favorite is this Brandy Italian Buttercream. It's more delicious than one could ever imagine. The slow cooking of the brandy in the sugar syrup brings out so many flavors that I didn't know brandy even had. It's fruity, floral, nutty, and a little dried-fruity. Most of the alcohol cooks out, but there's an option of adding more in towards the end of the whipping process. Choose your fate. But, either way.. it's a tasty one.

- Who doesn't love peanut butter? This Peanut Butter Italian Buttercream is all I could ever dream of in a perfect buttercream. Salty, sweet, peanut buttery. If you're a fan of peanut butter - you'll love this.

- Looking for the basics? This Traditional Vanilla Buttercream is just for you. With just a handful of ingredient and a couple minutes of your time - you can have this beautiful, silky smooth buttercream to enjoy on cake, cupcakes, or cookies.

made the recipe?

Mention @rosemarywhisk or tag #rosemarywhisk!