Magnolia's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

*

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
9 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1.  Melt chocolate in microwave in 1-minute increments at half power, stirring at each minute until smoothly melted.  Let cool 5-15 minutes or until lukewarm.
2.  Beat the softened butter using an electric mixer on MEDIUM speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy.
3  Add the milk carefully and beat on MEDIUM until smooth.
4  Add the melted chocolate and beat well on MEDIUM for 2 minutes.
5  Add the vanilla and beat on MEDIUM for 3 minutes.
6  Gradually add in the sugar and beat on LOW speed until creamy and of desired consistency.
(For icing a 3-layer cake use the following measurements: 2 cups unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 cups sifted powdered sugar.)

*This frosting turns out so beautifully it's poetic. I took lots of pictures.  However, this photo is not mine - my kitchen lighting makes everything look yellow, and my shots of yellowish chocolate frosting were appalling.  So I completely lifted this shot from cupcakeblog.com, but will swear by it for accuracy.