Mocha Frosting

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Mocha frosting is a DELICIOUS treat that goes perfectly with any chocolate cake or cupcake. A touch of coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate but a lot of coffee adds a whole new depth of flavor and really helps balance out the sweetness of an American buttercream.

One of my favorite frostings is flavored with coffee and a touch of chocolate. This versatile icing can compliment many different flavor variations. It may just become your go-to cupcake topping and/or cake filling! 

How to make Mocha Frosting

1. Cream the room temperature butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. A hand mixer will work fine too.
2. Once your butter is nice and creamed up, pour in the salt.
3. Sift out and add the cocoa and espresso powders, then mix until incorporated. Sifting can prevent lumps from clogging piping tips and improve the consistency.
4. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl down and mix until homogenous.
5. The confectioners sugar should be added in batches while the stand mixer is running on low. I recommend sifting your confectioners sugar before adding it to the stand mixer, especially if you are going to be using this buttercream for decorating.
6. Mix until it’s nice and creamy. You can add the optional coffee and or vanilla in at this point. Pour the cream in a tablespoon at a time until a desired consistency is reached. Whip the buttercream up right before use as it tends to lose it’s consistency over time.

Pro Tips for Making Mocha Frosting

• Sift the cocoa powder, and powdered sugar before adding to the butter. Both can hav lumps that will clog piping tips and disturb the consistency.
• If your buttercream has a grainy texture add a tablespoon of cream and mix. Keep adding cream, or coffee if desired while mixing until the consistency is to your satisfaction.
• If possible, use a high-quality Dutch processed cocoa powder.
• Don’t have unsalted butter on hand? Use salted butter and skip that 1/2 tsp. You can add additional salt to taste at the end if needed.
• You can add more salt to taste to give this frosting more of a kick.
• If you’d like a bit of extra crunch then add some cacao nibs! Pure chocolate, no sweetness and full of antioxidants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you use instead of powdered espresso?

Add 3 tablespoons of strong coffee or espresso in place of the cream. You can add more coffee or cream as needed for consistency’s sake. 

How can I make a less sweet frosting?

Whip up a batch of Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream! They’re very light and creamy and just delicious. Try melting 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate with a tablespoon of instant espresso and mixing it into the finished buttercream.

Can I use a hand mixer to make frosting?

YES! Using a hand mixer is totally fine. You might whip some more air into the frosting but it will be negligible. Make sure to scrape the side of the bowl down

Can you use decaf coffee for mocha frosting?

Yes you can and I often do.

If you’ve tried this mocha buttercream frosting recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!