Chocolate cream cheese frosting: in other words, the most luscious frosting ever. For cupcakes, cakes, and spoons. Don’t worry – I won’t tell!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Don’t ask me how this is possible.  How it’s possible that I’ve withheld a recipe from you for over 2 years…withheld possibly one of my absolute favorite recipes from you for over 2 years.  It somehow slipped by me, I swear!

I’ve made this chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe so many times that I just took it for granted that I must have shared it with you already.  I distinctly remember taking photos of 3 (THREE) different types of cupcakes and yet the recipe never made it here.  And one of those photos (this one) has been sitting in my Flickr photostream, unloved, unblogged for almost 2 years now.  I’m sorry.

Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake

I’m not sorry, however, about how this frosting will change your life.  That’s a big assertion, but it will.  It’s rich and deeply chocolatey, thanks to the drizzled-in addition of melted chocolate rather than cocoa powder, and it’s super creamy.

As some cream cheese frostings can be cloying with cream cheese flavor (or at least Kyle thinks they are), this one allows the chocolate to take center stage and it keeps the cream cheese as more of a background flavor (or understudy?).  It pipes gorgeously onto cupcakes and is a dream to fill and decorate yellow butter cakes, fudgy chocolate cakes, or cannoli layer cakes with.

The only problem I have with this chocolate cream cheese frosting is keeping my spoon out of the leftovers.  Utterly impossible.  And I may be guilty of skimping on the frosting a little on a cake to ensure there actually are leftovers.  For shame, I know.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Notes

The shortening in this recipe is used to help stiffen the frosting and it works wonderfully when you’re making this frosting in warmer months. If you loathe shortening, substitute an equal amount of butter in place of it (so, add an extra ½ stick – 4 oz – of butter to the recipe). I will tell you though, you cannot taste the shortening in this recipe, as you can in some frosting recipes, and the frosting does not taste artificial at all. Promise.

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened (room temperature may be a little too cold)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tbsp shortening (like Crisco – see note below)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp Kosher salt
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Instructions

  • 01

    In the bowl of stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and shortening together on medium until smooth and creamy.  No lumps of cream cheese or butter should remain.  Mix in the vanilla extract and salt on low until blended.

  • 02

    With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the melted chocolate and continue mixing until the chocolate is thoroughly combined.  Gradually add in the sifted confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Once all of the sugar as been added, whip the frosting for 10 seconds on medium-high to make sure the sugar is completely incorporated.

  • 03

    Use immediately, keep refrigerated for up to two weeks, or freeze for later use.  It will take a couple of hours at room temperature for the refrigerated frosting to be pipe-able or spreadable, so keep this in mind.

adapted from My Baking Addiction

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Leave a Comment

  • February 6, 2013 at 7:05 AM

    LOVE this frosting! Yum!

  • February 6, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    I can’t remember if I’ve ever made a chocolate cream cheese frosting – maybe that means it wasn’t entirely memorable if I did 🙂 Either way, need to try this asap!

  • February 6, 2013 at 10:05 AM

    Can I marry frosting? Is that ok? Because I want to marry this frosting!! (sorry Michael, but you can never compare to the rich sweetness of this chocolate cream cheese frosting!) 😛

    • February 6, 2013 at 10:32 AM

      Ha!

  • February 6, 2013 at 10:07 AM

    this sounds amazing! i make a simpler chocolate cream cheese frosting but i’d love to try your version too!! 🙂

  • February 6, 2013 at 10:22 AM

    This frosting looks so fluffy and perfect that it doesn’t even look real. I can’t wait to try it. Gorgeous picture.

  • February 6, 2013 at 11:53 AM

    Yeah. I would eat that with a spoon.

  • February 6, 2013 at 11:53 AM

    This frosting looks perfectly fluffy! Love chocolate cream cheese frosting!

  • Tina
    February 6, 2013 at 1:09 PM

    I’ve never had chocolate cream cheese frosting before. Any recommendations for cakes that would go well with this?

  • February 6, 2013 at 8:47 PM

    Heck with a cupcake under that chocolatey goodness. Just give me a spoon! 😀

    • February 7, 2013 at 6:43 AM

      I completely agree, Janet!

  • February 7, 2013 at 7:37 AM

    Oh my! I’ll eat this on anything and everything. Pass the spoon, please!

  • February 7, 2013 at 1:09 PM

    That is probably one of the prettiest cupcake photos I’ve ever seen.

    • February 7, 2013 at 8:26 PM

      Thanks, Shawnda! I seriously had it sitting in Flickr since March 2011 b/c I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to post it.

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