Keto Chocolate Frosting (Buttercream Recipe)

Make the most perfect low-carb cake topped with delicious chocolate icing. They'll never know this keto chocolate frosting is low-carb and sugar-free!

Article Index

• Ingredients Needed For Keto Chocolate Frosting
• How To Make Keto Chocolate Frosting
• Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• More Low-Carb Dessert Ideas
• Recipe

I've decided to start posting my frosting recipes separately. In the past, I've just included them in the recipe that they were used for. But, it's a bit difficult to find them that way.

So, here's my recipe for low-carb, sugar-free chocolate buttercream frosting. It's based on a recipe that I used for a chocolate peanut flour cake!

It is possible to enjoy a low-carb diet - especially when you get to eat desserts like cupcakes with chocolate frosting! It's amazing all the things you can make with some whipped cream, chocolate, butter, and sugar-free sweetener.

The frosting isn't essential, and many people who eat low-carb choose to eat cakes without it. However, I find that the icing really dresses things up and is expected when sharing cake or cupcakes with others.

Plus, it's a great way to convince others that you really can have your cake and eat it too!

Ingredients Needed For Keto Chocolate Frosting

If you have ever made buttercream frosting before, then you'll be able to make this one too. There are only a few simple ingredients in it.

Butter

You can't really make buttercream without any butter!

Always make sure to use real butter instead of margarine. It is healthier for you because it has the fats your body needs. Salted or unsalted doesn't matter for this recipe.

Sugar-Free Sweetener

To get authentic buttercream frosting, you really need to use a bulk low-carb sweetener in powdered form. I like to use either Swerve Confectioners or Sukrin Melis.

I've also used a regular granular sweetener like Lakanto in the past with good results.

Cocoa Powder

For this recipe, I used unsweetened cocoa powder. If you want it to have a deeper flavor, you can use dark chocolate powder too. Just make sure always to use unsweetened varieties!

Milk

Do not use dairy milk to make this keto chocolate frosting. Instead, use either almond or coconut milk. It has fewer carbs and more protein. You can also use a blend of half heavy cream and half water.

Vanilla

I prefer real vanilla extract when I make my keto desserts. The vanilla flavoring doesn't give it as deep of a flavor as the authentic extract does.

Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.

Quick Tips:

• Use an electric mixer. You can probably whip it up by hand, but it will take so much longer. Using an electric mixer speeds up the process and keeps you from wearing out.
• Add the milk slowly. Don't just add all the milk at once. Add it into the frosting slowly until it is completely incorporated into the frosting.
• Keep it refrigerated. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How To Make Keto Chocolate Frosting

It's super easy to whip up a batch of frosting. All of the instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, here are some more tips:

Whip Air Into The Frosting

You can do this by hand, but it will take so much longer than if you use an electric mixer.

I like to use a stand mixer, but a handheld one works well too. You'll just want to be able to whip air into the frosting to make it fluffy.

Add Dry Ingredients

After you cream the butter, then add the powdered sweetener and the cocoa powder. Mix this until it is really well combined.

Mix Milk In Slowly

Finally, add the milk, vanilla, and stevia in slowly. When you get the desired consistency, you are finished!

What To Serve With Sugar-Free Chocolate Frosting

Need a cake recipe to go with the frosting? You could try it with my low-carb yellow cake recipe or my chocolate cupcakes!

With this chocolate buttercream frosting recipe, you should have enough to frost a standard two-layer 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes.

I used the frosting to top off a 9x13-inch cake and ended up with a thick layer of icing. My daughter happily licked the beaters after I was done whipping it up.

I also like to have some in the fridge when I make some vanilla mug cakes in the microwave!

You may want to make extra frosting if you are decorating with piped edges or piping it onto cupcakes. For me, it's plenty of icing to top the standard-sized cake.

Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Before we get to the recipe at the end of the post, here are some questions people often ask about keto frosting:

How do you hide the taste of erythritol?

There is a slight cooling effect coming from the erythritol. The chocolate flavor helps hide it. I've been able to lessen the cooling of the erythritol by using cream cheese.

Mascarpone cheese is similar, so it might work too!

Can you freeze buttercream frosting?

Yes, you can freeze this buttercream frosting. The best way to do this is to put it in a plastic freezer bag and lay it flat on a baking sheet. After it freezes solid, you can remove the baking sheet and keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

When you want to use it again, just let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

How much frosting should I make to frost an 8x8 cake?

For those who don't want a lot of leftovers, a single-layer 8x8-inch or 9-inch round cake could be made. For these smaller sizes, you'd just have to half the amounts used to make the keto chocolate frosting.

Overall, this is a terrific low-carb chocolate buttercream frosting for any cake, especially my moist low-carb, gluten-free chocolate cake made with coconut flour. It could easily pass as a real sugar frosting.

More Low-Carb Dessert Ideas

If you enjoyed this keto chocolate frosting recipe, here are some more low-carb dessert ideas you'll enjoy next.

• Keto Cinnamon Rolls are made with coconut flour fathead dough and have a delicious vanilla frosting.
• Keto Carrot Cake has two layers and the most amazing cream cheese frosting.
• Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake tastes so sweet that you will swear it isn't keto-friendly - but it is!
• Keto Birthday Cake In A Mug comes out looking like a cute little double-layer cake for one person.
• Keto Chocolate Molten Lava Cake has a rich, fudgy inside that pours out when you slice into it.

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Recipe

First published on August 3, 2016. Updated April 8, 2021, with new images and additional information.