Name: 5-Minute Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 8 tablespoons (113 g) lightly salted or unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; ⅛ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter; 4 ounces (about ¾ cup / 115 g) chopped bittersweet chocolate (or chocolate chips); 5 tablespoons dutch-process cocoa powder ((see note))

Make this luscious chocolate cream cheese frosting with cocoa powder in 5 minutes OR using melted chocolate in 10 minutes. I tested it both ways to work with whichever ingredient you have on hand. Chocolate turns out a silky-smooth frosting, while cocoa adds a velvety richness that's even faster to whip up.

Spread or pipe this creamy, tangy frosting over cake or cupcakes, or just nom it straight from the bowl – I won't judge!

swirls of chocolate frosting look silky and luscious

If you love my community-favorite less-sweet cream cheese frosting and chocolate recipes are your love language, let me introduce you to your new frosting BFF: CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING.

I created this recipe to top this gluten-free chocolate zucchini cake and it works beautifully with cocoa powder or melted chocolate. While both add rich chocolate notes, melted chocolate makes this frosting extra silky-smooth, while cocoa gives it a velvety texture. The choice is yours.

Two bowls show the difference between frosting made with cocoa powder and melted chocolate — Make this tangy, smooth frosting with either melted chocolate (bottom) or cocoa powder (top) – both work beautifully!

This luscious frosting is:

light & floofy
rich & creamy
tangy from cream cheese
balanced, not super sugary
loaded with chocolate

Spread this easy chocolate cream cheese frosting over your favorite cake and cupcake recipes – if you don't eat it all straight from the bowl first!

frosting ingredients are arranged on a surface — Ingredients: salt, vanilla, cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, chocolate OR cocoa powder

Chocolate or Cocoa – which is better?

Melted chocolate (or cocoa powder) add rich chocolate notes and body to this frosting. Since their flavors dominate, be sure you like the flavor of the chocolate or cocoa that you use.

Here's how they differ and which types to use:

The chocolate version takes a little longer to make but has an especially silky texture – it's my favorite. I recommend using bittersweet baking chocolate or a chocolate bar with 60-75% cacao mass. My go-to brands are Tcho Sweet and Sassy and Guittard bittersweet baking chocolate.
The cocoa powder version is quickest and easiest to make, but the texture is a touch heavier on the palate. I recommend using dutch-process cocoa, which is treated with alkali to make it darker and milder, for the best flavor. I tested this with Equal Exchange dutch-process cocoa. Be sure you're using pure cocoa powder and not a hot cocoa beverage containing other ingredients.

Which cream cheese is best?

Be sure to use a block of cream cheese that has some gums in it. This will ensure that the frosting whips up smooth and thick enough to swirl, pipe, and shape. Avoid low-fat, whipped, cream cheese that comes in a tub, and artisanal cream cheese.

My favorite brand is Organic Valley which has a clean, fresh flavor and can be found at most major grocers.

chocolate cake is topped with luscious cocoa cream cheese frosting — Pipe or swirl this deliciousness over your favorite cake recipes, like this gluten-free cocoa zucchini cake made with sorghum flour.

Method

This recipe makes about 2 cups of frosting, enough for an 8-inch square cake, 9-inch single layer cake, or 6 cupcakes. Double the recipe for a 9x12-inch sheet cake, or triple it for an 8- or 9-inch layer cake. It takes about 5 minutes to whip up if using cocoa powder, or about 10 minutes if using chocolate.

You can make it in a small stand mixer such as the KitchenAid Mini (affiliate link) fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with an electric beater (or a spoon and your strong arms!)

butter and cream cheese have been beaten in a stand mixer — Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth.

powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla have been added — Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.

frosting has been beaten until fluffy — Beat until smooth, then increase the mixer speed and beat to incorporate some air - this makes it floofy!

chocolate is in a saucepan — If using chocolate, melt it in a small saucepan set over the lowest possible heat, stirring constantly.

chocolate has been melted in the pan — Remove the chocolate from the heat and let cool to warm.

melted chocolate has been added to the frosting — Add the melted chocolate (or cocoa powder, if using) to the frosting.

chocolate is being stirred into the frosting — Stir until incorporated.

the finished frosting, swirled over chocolate cake — Swirl over your favorite cake recipes, or eat it straight from the bowl!

If you make this frosting, please let me know what you use it on in the comments below!

Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this cream cheese frosting with chocolate or cocoa powder, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.

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