No Dye Black Frosting (that tastes amazing!)
Embrace the dark side with my black frosting—a lusciously creamy, dreamy buttercream with a captivating deep color made exclusively from black cocoa. I have perfected this recipe over two years, and it is undoubtedly the most delicious black buttercream I’ve ever tasted. It’s best described as an Oreo cookie butter. It’s built using my Sugarologie frosting method, which gives it a smooth and uber-creamy texture. Plus, it's colored naturally with black cocoa instead of food dyes, ensuring no stained smiles.
This is the second version of my black buttercream, which has an improved, no-cook method with no thermometers. I've also calibrated this recipe to account for ingredient variations to make it more accessible.
However, just a heads up that this is one of the more difficult frostings on my site. If you're only used to making American Buttercreams, it may be a bit tricky. Just make sure you read all the steps beforehand and move very slowly, especially with the mixing parts.
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What is the texture of The Black Buttercream?
All the naturally black buttercreams I had tried previously were variations of American Buttercream that simply incorporated black cocoa powder. American buttercreams start with a slightly grainy texture due to undissolved sugar, and adding extra cocoa powder only exacerbates this graininess, creating an unpleasant mouthfeel and overly sweet taste. Of all the buttercreams I’ve studied, American Buttercreams are my least favorite to decorate with.
I developed my Sugarologie Buttercreams to tackle this specific issue. My Black Frosting has an incredibly silky and creamy texture. By emulsifying sugar syrup into the butter, you can achieve a luxuriously smooth, melt-in-your-mouth consistency without any graininess or heaviness. It will stably fill and frost your cake, similar to European meringue buttercreams. However, this buttercream is easier as it requires no cooking but just pouring syrup into whipped butter.
What is the taste and flavor of The Black Buttercream?
The best way to describe this frosting is as Oreo cookie butter. Imagine blending Oreos and butter into a smooth, creamy concoction- that’s the essence of this frosting.
Oreos derive distinctive flavor from black cocoa, an alkalized form of natural cocoa. This alkalization gives the cookies a unique, almost bitter taste. To balance the alkalinity, I add cream of tartar, an acidic powder that enhances sweetness and sharpens flavor. While optional, including cream of tartar elevates the frosting by balancing the flavors.
At 37% sugar, it’s got a medium-level sweetness. If you compare this to American Buttercreams, which can border on 50% (or more!) sugar, this one is much more balanced and refined in flavor. I’ve specifically tailored the sugar content to be similar in sweetness to Swiss Meringue Buttercream (37%) and French or Italian Meringue Buttercream (both 34%). Black cocoa also has a slight bitterness, which tempers the sweetness, so you may think this frosting tastes slightly less sweet than its European counterparts.
Does this frosting stain your teeth/tongue?
Ah, yes, the most common question regarding black frosting. This frosting uses only black cocoa powder and no food dye. So, it's the same thing if you like eating Oreo cookies. Yeah, maybe you'll get crumbs from the cookies between your teeth, but it typically doesn't "stain" like frostings with food dye.
Gel food coloring is comprised of water-based super-concentrated color pigment. If the baker doesn't homogenize the food dye thoroughly, patches of super-concentrated droplets are unevenly distributed in the frosting. The frosting is primarily fat-based (butter), so it may not look like there's dye, but it's hiding everywhere.
Once the frosting hits your mouth (your saliva is water-based) and the butterfat melts, the water-based food dye is quickly disbursed everywhere and dyes everything black in your mouth.
What’s the difference between this recipe and your old black frosting recipe?
This new method is more straightforward than my previous one, bypassing the sugar syrup cooking step. The tradeoff is a slight granularity (graininess); when I say subtle, it is just the tiniest bit and only noticeable if you have these two side by side. Even then, it may be undetectable to the untrained palate. In short, this recipe here will get you 99% there in terms of an unbelievably creamy, smooth, and delicious black frosting.
Version 1.0 of my Black Frosting is remarkably creamy and smooth, but it is the hardest recipe on my site. Try that one if you're very comfortable with Swiss and Italian meringue buttercreams and are familiar with candy making. Some bakers like that one, so I still have it here if you want to try it.
What ingredients do you need for this Black Frosting?
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Heavy cream serves multiple purposes in this frosting. With a high-fat content (around 36%), its fat globules release emulsifiers (phospholipids) when heated and mixed, effectively stabilizing the emulsion of water and fat-based ingredients. This allows for more water-based components, resulting in a buttercream that isn't overly buttery or greasy. Additionally, the water in heavy cream helps dissolve the sugar, preventing a sandy or gritty texture.
Boiling water is mixed with the heavy cream to help disintegrate the fat globules I mentioned earlier and also helps dissolve the powdered sugar.
Black cocoa powder is the main ingredient for the color of this frosting. This variation of cocoa powder is super alkalized, a chemical process that changes the color, pH, flavor, and solubility of natural (light brown) cocoa. It’s got a very unique flavor and is what is used in Oreo cookies.
I’ve tested several types of black cocoa, and here are Amazon links to my favorites (in order of preference): Cocoa Trader black, Cacao Barry Noir Intense, Magic Mountain Black Cocoa, and King Arthur Flour Black Cocoa.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is used with black cocoa to give a depth of chocolate flavor. Dutch-process also alkalizes natural cocoa, but not to the same extent as black cocoa. My favorite brand of Dutch-processed cocoa is Droste (I buy it in three packs here on Amazon), as it has the most beautiful chocolate flavor and nice fat content.
Milk powder is used to bulk up the water-sugar syrup in this frosting. You can use either non-fat (skim) milk, whole milk, or buttermilk powders with this recipe. I’ve calibrated the amounts so that they all work well.
There is a bit of a gradient of which works best. Sweet cream buttermilk offers the best emulsion due to its emulsifiers, followed by whole milk, which has a higher fat content. Both of these powders add an extra boost that creates a thicker frosting. Skim milk powder, even though it doesn’t contain fat, works too and yields the standard stability. Since this powder is most readily available, I used it to design this frosting, and it is used in the blackberry cake pictured in my YouTube video.
Vanilla extract adds flavor, and it may seem like I’m telling you to add too much to this recipe, but I promise the amount is correct. It will make the frosting taste like ground-up Oreos.
Unsalted butter is the primary source of fat in this recipe. The fats, which are included in the heavy cream, serve as emulsifiers. The butter also has a tiny amount of water, which will help dissolve the sugar. I always use unsalted butter in my frosting recipes as salted butter can be overly salty, particularly in a recipe such as this one where lots of butter is being used.
Powdered sugar is the sweetener for this buttercream. It’s a finely granulated sugar with some cornstarch added to prevent caking. I like using powdered sugar in this recipe because it dissolves more readily during mixing, creating both a sugar syrup and emulsion simultaneously.
Cream of tartar is an acidic powder that is a by-product of wine production. It contains tartaric acid, which can help neutralize the alkaline flavor present in black cocoa powder. If you don’t have access to cream of tartar, you can use either apple cider vinegar or powdered citric acid.
Salt is a flavor enhancer and should be used in all buttercream recipes, especially since I don’t use salted butter. Salt balances sweetness and will give the final frosting a more balanced, well-rounded taste. I use fine salt in my buttercream recipes as it dissolves more readily.
Step by step:
I suggest you watch my video tutorial below, which walks you through making this buttercream. Before moving on to each step, I will show you what your frosting should look like.
Video
There are three ways you can make this frosting and here are the timestamps to skip to in my video based on the method you choose:
04:31 How to make the black cocoa syrup
06:00 Method 1: Stand mixer + Immersion blender
08:00 Method 2: Food processor (my favorite way!)
12:00 Method 3: Hand mixer + Microwave or Immersion blender
14:20 Troubleshooting a runny buttercream
How to store this Black Frosting?
You can store this frosting in the fridge for a few weeks. The best way to defrost is to let it come to room temperature and then use the paddle attachment to smooth it out.
If, for some reason, the frosting looks lumpy or curdled, use the whisk attachment and let it go at a medium speed until it comes back together. This may take up to 10 minutes, depending on the quantity of frosting you have. At this point, the frosting may be gray, and that’s because the syrup needs to be more evenly distributed. You may also need to use the immersion blender again to regain the necessary texture and color.
For a detailed tutorial on how to store leftover frosting, check out my How to Store Buttercream Guide.
Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.
I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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The Black Buttercream
- 41 g (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 60 g (¼ cup) boiling water
- 22 g (¼ cup) black cocoa powder*
- 2 g (¾ teaspoon) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 13 g (2 ½ tablespoons) milk powder**
- 7 g (1 ½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g (¾ cup + 1 teaspoon) powdered sugar (1), unsifted
- 40 g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar (2), unsifted (optional)
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar***
- pinch of fine salt
- 41 g (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 60 g (¼ cup) boiling water
- 22 g (¼ cup) black cocoa powder*
- 2 g (¾ teaspoon) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 13 g (2 ½ tablespoons) milk powder**
- 7 g (1 ½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g (¾ cup + 1 teaspoon) powdered sugar (1), unsifted
- 40 g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar (2), unsifted (optional)
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar***
- pinch of fine salt
- 82 g (⅓ cup) heavy cream at room temperature
- 120 g (½ cup) boiling water
- 43 g (½ cup) black cocoa powder*
- 4 g (1 ½ teaspoon) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 25 g (5 tablespoons) milk powder**
- 13 g (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g (1 ⅔ cups) powdered sugar (1), unsifted
- 80 g (⅔ cup) powdered sugar (2), unsifted (optional)
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar***
- big pinch of fine salt
For larger quantities of this frosting or to pair it with a cake, try my Cakeculator and select “The Black Buttercream.”
Stand mixer/Immersion Blender method
- Remove butter and heavy cream from the fridge.
Cut the butter into 2-inch chunks and soften slightly, about 10 mins at room temperature. It will still be cool (around 55-65°F/13-18°C is okay to start this recipe).
Also, remove the heavy cream from the fridge so it reaches room temperature. You can also microwave the cream until it is slightly warm to the touch. - Make the black cocoa syrup.
Add the cream and boiling water in a measuring cup with markings on the side (you’ll need these to read amounts for later). Whisk vigorously for about half a minute, then allow to sit for a minute. Whisk in both the black and Dutch-processed cocoas and whisk until no lumps of cocoa are visible. Add the milk powder and whisk.
The cocoa syrup has to be completely cool before proceeding with the recipe. If I’m in a rush, I’ll place the measuring cup in an ice water bath until the syrup cools. The temperature of the syrup doesn’t have to be precise, but it should aim for anything between 55 and 70°F. Usually, I just stick my finger in, and if it feels like cool water, it’s good to go. Alternatively, you can place the syrup in the fridge until it's cooled.
After it’s cool, whisk in the vanilla extract. - Smooth the butter and add the black cocoa syrup.
Add the softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and, with the whisk attachment, whisk at high speed for 3 minutes until it is creamy and smooth.
Now, we can add the syrup, which has to be done in at least three additions. Start with a healthy splash (about a quarter of the mixture if you want to be precise) and mix on low speed initially to reduce the mess. Then, gradually move to the highest speed and mix until all the syrup has been mixed into the butter and it’s a smooth, light gray. Use the markings on your measuring cup and add half of the remaining syrup. Again, mix on low speed, then high until all the syrup has been incorporated. Repeat with the remaining syrup.
After all the syrup has been integrated, mix it at high speed for a full minute. Scrape down your bowl. - Add powdered sugar (1) to the butter mixture.
Add half of the powdered sugar (1) and whisk on high speed until no traces of sugar are visible and the buttercream mixture is thick. Add the second half of powdered sugar (1), the cream of tartar and a healthy pinch of fine salt and mix for a full minute on high speed. Scrape down your bowl. - Taste and add powdered sugar (2) to the frosting.
This powdered sugar is optional, so taste the frosting first. You will have a different preference for sweetness than I do. (I like it with the powdered sugar #2.) You can add the whole amount of sugar at once or as little as you want. Mix on high speed for another minute. - Adjust for color and texture with the immersion blender.
Depending on your brand of cocoa powder, your frosting might be a dark gray or even a soft black. If you like it, just switch to the paddle attachment to smooth it out.
If you prefer a black and glossy buttercream, you’ll need to use an immersion blender. Just start blending away until you like the depth of color and consistency. The frosting should be super smooth and ready to use.
Food Processor Method
Note: Stay under half the capacity of your processor. It’s better to be a little under, so I typically don’t make more than 5 cups of frosting in my 11-cup processor at a time. For larger quantities, I do my frosting in batches.
Also, if this is your first time using the food processor to make frosting, use only the “pulse” function if you have it. This will prevent overmixing. Open the top frequently to check the consistency and scrape. After you’re familiar with the power of your processor, you don’t have to check as often.
- Remove butter and heavy cream from the fridge.
Remove butter and heavy cream from the fridge. Cut the butter into 2-inch chunks and let it soften slightly for about 10 minutes at room temperature (ideal temperature 55-65 °F/13-18 °C). Allow the heavy cream to reach room temperature, or warm it slightly in the microwave until it feels warm.
- Make the black cocoa syrup.
In a large measuring cup with markings on the side, combine cream and boiling water. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds, then let sit for a minute.
Whisk in black and Dutch-processed cocoa powders until smooth, followed by the milk powder. Let the cocoa syrup cool completely. Place the cup in an ice water bath or refrigerate to speed up cooling. After it’s cool, whisk in the vanilla extract. - Smooth the butter and add the black cocoa syrup.
Add the softened butter to the food processor bowl and pulse until it is somewhat creamy. It may be chunky since it’s hard to get all the butter at the bottom to mix.
Now, add the syrup to at least three additions. Start with a healthy splash (about a quarter of the mixture, if you want to be precise) and pulse until the butter turns a light gray. During this first addition, you may need to scrape periodically to get the butter down.
Then, use the markings on your measuring cup and add half of the remaining syrup. Pulse to mix the liquid and scrape occasionally to get the residual black liquid and butter chunks down towards the blade. When the syrup is completely emulsified, the frosting will look solid gray with no streaks of syrup visible. Repeat for the remaining syrup.
After this step, the buttercream should be gray yet still thick and creamy with no streaks of syrup. Scrape down the bowl. - Add powdered sugar (1) to the processor. Add half of the powdered sugar (1), pulse, and run continuously until fully integrated and thick. Add the remaining half of powdered sugar (1) along with cream of tartar and a pinch of fine salt. Run the processor until just combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Taste and add powdered sugar (2) to the frosting.
Taste the frosting and decide if additional powdered sugar (or flavoring such as salt, vanilla, or cream of tartar) is needed. Add powdered sugar (2) as desired and pulse to combine. Check the consistency and color; it should be dark, smooth, and glossy, perfect for piping or spreading.
For a super glossy finish, run the processor for an additional 5-10 seconds.
Hand Mixer/Microwave Method
Note: Use sweet cream buttermilk powder to get a tighter emulsion if you can. The nonfat and whole milk powders also work, but they will be slightly looser.
- Remove butter and heavy cream from the fridge. Cut the butter into 2-inch chunks and soften slightly, about 10 mins at room temperature. It will still be cool (around 55-65°F/13-18°C is okay to start this recipe).
Also, remove the heavy cream from the fridge so it reaches room temperature. You can also microwave the cream until it is slightly warm to the touch. - Make the black cocoa syrup. Add the cream and boiling water in a measuring cup with markings on the side (you’ll need these to read amounts for later). Whisk vigorously for about half a minute, then allow to sit for a minute. Whisk in both the black and Dutch-processed cocoas and whisk until no lumps of cocoa are visible. Add the milk powder and whisk.
The cocoa syrup has to be completely cool before proceeding with the recipe. If I’m in a rush, I’ll place the measuring cup in an ice water bath until the syrup cools. The temperature of the syrup doesn’t have to be precise, but it should aim for anything between 55 and 70°F. Usually, I just stick my finger in, and if it feels like cool water, it’s good to go. Alternatively, you can place the syrup in the fridge until it's cooled.
After it’s cool, whisk in the vanilla extract. - Smooth the butter and add the black cocoa syrup. Add the softened butter to a large bowl, and with a hand mixer, blend on high speed for 3 minutes until creamy and smooth. Now, we can add the syrup, which has to be done in at least three additions. Start with a healthy splash (about a quarter of the mixture if you want to be precise) and mix on low speed initially to reduce the mess.
Then, gradually move to the highest speed and mix until all the syrup has been mixed into the butter and it’s a smooth, light gray. Use the markings on your measuring cup and add half of the remaining syrup. Again, mix on low speed, then high until all the syrup has been incorporated. Repeat with the remaining syrup. This last addition may take some time, but keep going. It will eventually mix in. After all the syrup has been integrated, mix it at high speed for a full minute. Scrape down your bowl. - Add powdered sugar (1) to the butter mixture.
Add half of powdered sugar (1) and whisk on high speed until no traces of sugar are visible and the buttercream mixture is thick. Add the second half of powdered sugar (1), the cream of tartar, and a healthy pinch of fine salt and mix for a full minute on high speed. Scrape down your bowl. - Taste and add powdered sugar (2) to the frosting.
This powdered sugar is optional, so taste the frosting first. You will have a different preference for sweetness than I do. (I like it with the powdered sugar (2).) You can add the whole amount of sugar at once or as little as you want. Mix on high speed for another minute. - Adjust for color and texture with the microwave or the immersion blender.
Depending on your brand of cocoa powder, your frosting might be a dark gray or even a soft black. Often, though, using the hand mixer will introduce air pockets, so mix at low speed or manually with a spatula to smooth it out.
You can use the microwave method to slightly darken the buttercream, but it’s not my favorite as it’s not as effective. Just microwave a small bowl of buttercream until liquified (about 5-8 seconds), and then pour that back into your buttercream and mix. Repeat until you like the color.
If you prefer a black and glossy buttercream, you’ll need to use an immersion blender. Just start blending away until you like the depth of color and consistency. The frosting should be super smooth and ready to use.
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*Black cocoa powder is an alkalized version of natural cocoa powder, which turns the cocoa black and raises the pH. It has a smoky, mellow, and sometimes alkaline flavor reminiscent of Oreo cookies. It’s hard to source in stores, so I buy mine online. (I get it at Amazon, here.)
**This recipe can use nonfat, whole, or buttermilk powder. I’ve calibrated it so that everything will work great. Buttermilk powder is the best emulsifying powder and yields the thickest frosting. The whole comes in second because of a little extra fat, and nonfat comes in last, yet it still gives a silky smooth, stable black frosting.
***Cream of tartar is an acidic powder used to offset the alkalinity of the black cocoa powder. If you can’t find it, you can substitute apple cider vinegar or powdered citric acid. Use the same volume and add more if you prefer a less alkaline taste.
Recommended Sugar Lab Recipes + Experiments
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