We Tried 8 Chocolate Frostings. Here’s the One You Should Buy.

When it comes to desserts, we’ve all had a baking emergency or two. You forgot to soften the butter, you started a cake and are missing an ingredient or—my regular baking emergency—you’re out of confectioners’ sugar to make frosting. In cases like that, a can of store-bought frosting is a solid backup plan. That is if you have a good one!

You know we had to find the best canned chocolate frosting out there—you know just as a backup plan (not to dunk graham crackers and cookies into as a snack or anything….).

Here are the brands we tested:

• Baker’s Corner Chocolate Frosting, exclusively at Aldi
• Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting
• Duncan Hines Creamy, Home-Style Milk Chocolate Frosting
• Great Value Chocolate frosting, exclusively at Walmart
• Miss Jones Baking Co. Chocolate Frosting with Coconut Oil
• Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Chocolate Frosting
• Simple Mills Organic Chocolate Frosting with Coconut Oil
• Wholesome Organic Chocolate Frosting

Let’s see how these stacked up!

Honorable Mention: Simple Mills Organic Chocolate Frosting

Brianna Griepentrog/Taste of Home

Score: 6.5/10

If you’re looking for fluffy texture in your store-bought frosting, you’ll want to opt for Simple Mills. This organic brand offered a light and fluffy frosting with a nice cocoa flavor. This option was less sweet than the other frostings which was a big pro for some testers and a con for others. If you’ve got a super sweet cake, this might be the right frosting to top it all off. Here are several different ways to make store-bought frosting better.

$4.49 for a 10-ounce container; available at select grocers and big-box stores nationwide.

Runner-Up: Baker’s Corner Chocolate Frosting

Brianna Griepentrog/Taste of Home

Score: 6.8/10

It was no surprise to us that Aldi’s Baker’s Corner took a top spot in this test. We’re big fans of their yellow cake mix, too. This frosting—which would pair great with that mix for a quick dessert—was praised for its creamy consistency and textbook chocolate frosting flavor, though some testers found it a bit sweet. Of all the frostings we tried, we thought this one spread the most easily, making it a prime candidate for a DIY cupcake party. Here are a few decorating ideas to get you started.

$1.29 for a 16-ounce container; available exclusively at Aldi.

Best in Show: Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Brianna Griepentrog/Taste of Home

Score: 7.8/10

In our previous frosting test, Betty Crocker got high marks for its creamy consistency and pretty appearance. Same goes for Betty’s chocolate version! Testers really enjoyed the super smooth texture of this frosting. It was definitely sweet—what we’ve come to expect from these store-bought frostings—but it didn’t lack in taste. This frosting had a good amount of dark chocolate taste, though it wasn’t bitter.

$1.83 for a 16-ounce container; available at retailers nationwide.

The Bottom Line

Brianna Griepentrog/Taste of Home

We certainly appreciate a store-bought frosting for its practicality and strangely satisfying sticky sweetness. In this case, big names like Betty Crocker or fan-faves like Aldi are a safe bet when picking up a can to keep in the cupboard just in case. However, there’s no replacement for a good, homemade frosting! We recommend these recipes for starters.

Use your favorite frosting to top these cupcakes!

1 / 10

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a wonderful recipe I discovered and changed a bit to suit my taste. I love the flavor of pumpkin and the cinnamon makes ordinary cream cheese frosting extra special. When I made a batch for my husband to take to work, he said they disappeared in record time. —Debbie Wiggins, Longmont, Colorado

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Yellow CupcakesNothing is better than homemade cupcakes. They are so delicious and fluffy. Choose whatever frosting you want to top these treats. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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New to making homemade cupcakes from scratch, or just want a refresher? Check out our complete guide on how to make cupcakes.

Buttermilk Chocolate CupcakesGood any time of the year, a chocolate cupcake recipe make a great get-up-and-go treat on busy summer days. These buttermilk chocolate cupcakes have been a frosted favorite with family and friends for at least 35 years. They're really popular at bake sales. —Ellen Moore, Springfield, New Hampshire

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Key Lime Pie CupcakesI bake over 200 of these cupcakes for our church suppers, and we always run out. If you can't find Key lime juice, use lime juice. Just add a tad more sugar. —Julie Herrera-Lemler, Rochester, Minnesota

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Black Bottom CupcakesThis recipe's been in our family for years, but these cupcakes still go quick each time I make them. So I always double or triple the ingredients! You'll likely see what I mean if you make them at your place—I can't remember anyone who's tried them for the first time not asking for seconds. —Julie Briceland, Windsor, Pennsylvania

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Maple Carrot CupcakesI come from a line of family cooks and have liked to cook and bake since I was young. Mother and Grandmom were always in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. These carrot cupcakes were Grandmom's specialty, and we always have them at family gatherings. —Lisa Ann Panzino DiNunzio, Vineland, New Jersey

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Zucchini Cupcakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Zucchini CupcakesI asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont

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Boston Cream CupcakesBoston cream cupcakes have been my favorite bakery treat since I was a child, so I put together this easy-to-make version. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota

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Hummingbird CupcakesTurn the traditional hummingbird cake—flavored with pineapple, bananas and walnuts—into a bite-sized treat with these moist cupcakes. —Jessie Oleson, Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Irish Cream CupcakesIf you're looking for a grown-up cupcake, give these a try. You'll have a hard time limiting yourself to one! —Jenny Leighty, West Salem, Ohio

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