by Kristen Whitby 45 Comments
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A secret, natural ingredient turns delicious buttercream frosting deep black without dyes or food coloring- a perfect recipe for Halloween treats, cupcakes and cake decorating!
This black buttercream frosting recipe is one of my very favorites- in taste and beauty! It is as jet black as you see in the pictures and has a rich chocolate flavor. It is so easy to make and I really loved it on my Halloween Bat Cake. This black frosting is always a huge hit to make when we decorate our home for a cozy Halloween.
Black Food Coloring for Frosting or Icing
Halloween is one of my very favorite times of the year and I am so happy that it's here again! I love all of the spooky decorations, fun pumpkins, and yummy halloween treats.But, I don't love how the black frosting on cakes, cookies, and cupcakes can turn your teeth (and everything else) black and get EVERYWHERE.
But there is a delicious, natural solution that is less messy!!
This year I wanted to find an alternative so I did a little research. I am super picky about the taste of my frosting. My black frosting had to be a buttercream because it's flavor is so much better than the other sickly sweet frostings. I read about a secret ingredient that produces a rich, deep black color and uses zero food coloring or dyes. At first, I didn't believe it, but then I tried it, and it's true!
Dutch Processed Black Cocoa Powder
The secret ingredient for my black buttercream frosting is Dutch Processed Black Cocoa Powder (found here)! It is rich and delicious.
Dutch-processcocoa powder is made from cocoa beans which have been washed with a potassium solution to neutralize their acidity.Naturalcocoa powder (like Hershey's) is made from cocoa beans that are simply roasted and blended into a fine powder.
Black Cocoa Powder for Best Black Frosting
When you add the black cocoa to your frosting, it starts out as a deep brown. When added to frosting and exposed to the air, it turns a deep, jet black. So far, I have used it on cupcakes and a cake and I am in love! Not only is it a beautiful, deep black color, but the flavor is incredible. It is so rich and delicious.
It definitely has a unique flavor- more of a dark chocolate flavor. If you prefer something lighter, you can always try half black cocoa and half regular cocoa. I really love it just the way it is though. It has a flavor I love!
I hope you enjoy making this yummy black buttercream frosting! You will love it! My littles have been loving their halloween treats. It hasn't dyed their hands or clothes at all! It also licks clean instead of staining their little hands- win, win.
5 from 19 votes
Black Buttercream Frosting
A rich and delicious deep black buttercream frosting with no food coloring or dyes.
CourseDessert
Keywordcupcakes, dessert, Fall, Halloween, pastry, treats
Author Kristen | Ella Claire & Co.
Ingredients
- 1cupsalted butter
- 4cupspowdered sugar
- 3/4 cupblack cocoa**see link below
- 3-6 tblsp.whole milk
- 2tsp.vanilla
Instructions
Beat butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add black cocoa and powdered sugar and begin to mix. Add 3 tablespoons whole milk and beat until smooth. Add additional 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches desired thickness. Mix in vanilla.
Recipe Notes
**You can find the black cocoa HERE.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
lindsay
This is a really rich chocolate frosting, but delicious. It is also black with no food coloring. It worked great for my daughter's panda cake, which we were thinking we would just be settling for white and brown, but nope, real black. The linked cocoa power wasn't going to arrive in time for my event, so I found another (The Cocoa Trader brand). Someone had reviews it with other black cocoa powder and showed how dark it is. I don't know about the linked brand, but not all are as dark, but man, I was impressed and passed along this tidbit of knowledge to my mom and sister.
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Sadaf
I made this twice now and it is truly the most delicious chocolate frosting you’ll ever have. I was unable to find the King Arthur brand black cocoa. Instead, I used a brand called Wincrest that I found on Amazon.The first time I followed the exact recipe and used a whisk attachment on my KitchenAid and whipped it for at least 4 minutes-and that lightened the color way too much and I ended up with a dark brown/gray color. I left it in the fridge a few days thinking it might darken back up to a black but it never did.
The second time I used a paddle attachment and only whipped it until everything was well incorporated...only about a minute. I ended up with a nice black color. I also cut the sugar down to 8 oz (about half of what this recipe requires) and ended up with a buttercream that was perfectly sweetened to my liking.
So glad I came across this site! Thank you!
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Mochi mama
I’m so glad I read your comment! My daughter doesn’t like super sweet icing so cutting the sugar in half was perfect!See AlsoCopycat Recipe: Homemade Velveeta CheeseSourdough Babka Recipe: How to Make a Chocolate BabkaHomemade Dutch Leek Dip RecipeCaramel Sauce Recipe | The Prairie HomesteadReply
Jessica Lacor
It turned out wonderfull, how long can it be stored in the fridge?Reply
Kristen Whitby
It can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Melissa Laslavic
If it’s not completely black can I add black gel colouring? Or would that ruin it?
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Kristen Whitby
If you use the black cocoa, the frosting should be completely black. Note- it gets even darker after a few minutes of being on the cake, cookies, or cupcakes. It should be a deep, jet black.
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eve
Thank you SO much for posting this! My husband loved it!
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Megan
We loved this black cocoa frosting recipe so much that we used it for Halloween cupcakes and also for the piping on an "over the hill" cake! Delicious!Reply
Debbie
Absolutely delicious! We used this recipe for chocolate Halloween cupcakes and it was wonderful!Reply
Shannon
I need to try this at Halloween time!!!Reply
Dan
This frosting is outrageously delicious. What a wonderful treat. Thank you for your creativity.Reply
Jasmine Davis
Can this recipe frost a 3 layer 8 INCH cake?
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Kristen Whitby
I would double it. I used it to make this layered cake but my layers were very small. https://www.ellaclaireinspired.com/halloween-bat-cake-topper/
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Shauna
Finally getting around to say how much I love this frosting! I stumbled upon this recipe exactly a year ago and never looked back. I have tried so many other black frosting recipes and this one just is perfect in every way! Not overly sweet, perfect black, a nice balance, no stained teeth, easy to smooth out on a cake just add a little more milk. It’s my go too and I get a lot of cakes that people don’t want fondant but want black! Thank you!! Absolutely live this!Reply
CASSANDRA G SCROGGS
Easy and so delicious!Reply
Mina
Thank you so much for this tip!
Very helpful 😊Reply
Dee
Do you know how this compares to Hershey's dark cocoa? I've been buying that and was told my fudge looked almost coal-like this year, so it does get pretty dark.
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Kristen Whitby
It is even darker than Hershey's Dark. It is completely black once it sets up.
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Morgan
Can you use this is chocolate cake recipes? I want to make a black sponge cake
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Kristen Whitby
Yes! I would mix some of the regular cocoa in with the black though-about 50/50.
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Madeline
Love this and it tasted amazing! I got so many compliments on the flavor. Do you have a secret on how long it takes to turn jet black? I only got a dark brown. And is it best refrigerator or room temperature? Thanks for the receipt!!
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Kristen Whitby
It should only take a couple minutes. As the outside is exposed to the air and dries a bit, it turns jet black.
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Cheryl
I made it for a darth vader cake Andre frosting is Black, no stains,& delicious!
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Ms09909
The link goes to the KA double Dutch cocoa but they have a black cocoa too. Just want to confirm which to use. Love this and can't wait to try it!
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Kristen Whitby
Black Cocoa!
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TYcupcakes
Will the buttercream turn out tasting like chocolate if you add cocoa in it?
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Kristen Whitby
Yes, a yummy dark chocolate.
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Chrissy
I was so excited to try this recipe because I hate using dye but after using the King Arthur Flour double-Dutch dark cocoa that you used I still ended up with a brown frosting. It’s dark brown but now where near the black color in your photos. Did I do something wrong? Or at I missing something? Thank you for your advice!!
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Kristen Whitby
It should be the "black cocoa" and not the dark cocoa. It should turn a nice deep, jet black just a couple minutes after piping onto your cake/cupcakes.
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Andrea Peters
Worked really well. Very little black staining on lips and teeth.Reply
Nancy
Will it stain your teeth and can I make it one day ahead?
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Kristen Whitby
You can make it ahead and store in the fridge and no, it has never stained my teeth.
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Sue K.
Incredible recipe. Frosting is perfectly black and tastes great-like crushed Oreo cookies. Easy to make and NO staining! Ty!Reply
Ravena
This was absolutely perfect to make a black background for my kid's space-themed birthday. I made 1 1/2 times the amount to cover a 1/2 sheet cake. No black mouths afterwords and all the kids loved the chocolate flavor - asking for seconds and everything! Thanks so much!!Reply
Cat
How long till it turned black?
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Kristen Whitby
It just takes a few minutes as it is exposed to the air, the outside begins to dry a bit and darken to deep black.
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Dot
I’m going to use this recipe to make a snowman top hat cake for my daycare students for their Christmas party! Thank you so much!Reply
glenda LaFont
no one, no one does it better than you.
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chloe | boxwood avenue
What a wonderful discovery!!! I love this and will absolutely be using it!
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