Easy Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Icing

So yesterday I made my Extreme Chocolate Chip Chocolate Pudding Cake because I was super craving some chocolate cake, and had been for at least a week.

But I couldn't make cake with also making the icing! I've never been a big fan of prepackaged icings. I feel like they are way too sweet, and just have a fake, chemical kind of flavor.

It's hard to detect if you're used to it, until you have made it yourself. Then no other icing can compare. And it's so easy that there's no reason why you shouldn't try it yourself.

For vanilla buttercream, simply eliminate the cocoa powder. For almond buttercream, use almond extract instead of vanilla extract in your mixture.

For a fruit flavored buttercream, like apple, lemon, lime, or orange, substitute the fresh fruit juice from the fruit for the milk in my recipe. And for peanut butter buttercream, substitute your peanut butter for the butter in my recipe.

This is such an easy homemade buttercream icing, that you can make it your own with just a few substitutions.

Let's get started!!

I only have one warning. As you are mixing your ingredients, know that cocoa powder tends to fluff and go everywhere when you mix it.

If you don't have a problem with chocolate powder all over you and the counter, go for it! lol Otherwise, you may want to mix slowly and cover your mixing bowl when mixing.

Okay, maybe I have more than one suggestion!

If while making your frosting, it gets too thick for you, simply add in a little bit more milk, one teaspoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.

However, if your frosting becomes too thin, and mine was a tad on the thin side, just add in a small amount of powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time until it's the right thickness for piping.

Finally, this frosting is incredibly addicting. Be very careful in how you use it! lol You might just eat the whole batch on the couch and have to go back and make some more.