Hi guys :) 

I feel like I've gotten the hang of regular american buttercream but my chocolate buttercream just doesn't turn out well. It tastes grainy. Is there a way i can make it taste and feel similar to Betty Crocker chocolate icing? 

Not sure what the Betty Crocker Chocolate icing tastes like...

I can tell you that I put both cocoa powder and melted chocolate in mine...

I bloom the cocoa powder in a little bit of extra hot water (coffee if I'm in the mood) then add it when I am beating the butter at the beginning... 

I add the cooled melted chocolate in after I have already added at least 3/4 of the powdered sugar... I usually thin it a bit with some cream (not quite making ganache)...

I find this way it tastes more rich... I only use unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate... and have been known to use whatever cocoa powder I have on hand... natural, alkalized, double dark, black... 

I sift the cocoa with the powdered sugar and don't think I've ever felt it was grainy. I like the idea of mixing the cocoa with some water first as another idea to make it smooth. 

I always use cocoa, as well, and have never ended up with a grainy texture.  Are you reducing the amount of powdered sugar to compensate for the added cocoa powder?

I use melted chocolate chips (Hershey's).  I melt them on a double boiler and let them cool.  Then I add a stick of butter and powdered sugar and whip it into creamy icing. 

Like Sandra and others, I sift cocoa powder w/powdered sugar and never had it come out grainy.

Thank you for all the replies! 

I like the idea of hydrating the cocoa powder first! 

I've tried it with both coco powder and melted chocolate. I just feel like it's not rich enough in chocolate so when I add chocolate it tastes bitter so then I add more icing sugar

i dearly love the ratio on the hershey cocoa can for the icing -- nostalgic favorite for moi --

https://www.hersheys.com/kitchens/en_us/recipes/perfectly-chocolate-chocolate-frosting.html

i sub in some coffee for some of the liquid and a little salt -- and i sift the powdered sugar --

if your icing is grainy it could be the powdered sugar -- you want to use cane sugar not beet sugar -- if it doesn't specify i don't buy it -- domino is cane sugar -- it makes a difference --

also on the icing -- it is ok to melt the butter as it states -- but i like it best when the butter is simply soft -- combine it all and voila -- 

Yes, K8 we all missed the possiblilty of the sugar being a problem.