Good enough to eat by the spoon. This creamy chocolate frosting is perfect for your cakes, cookies, or even just eating straight out of the bowl.
We are continuing our frosting series with another classic. The one frosting that I never scrape off my cupcake. Chocolate buttercream frosting. Deeply chocolaty and velvety smooth. We are going to get into how to make the best chocolate American buttercream you've ever had.
How to Make Chocolate Frosting
There are so many ways to make chocolate frosting, but I will go over two of the most common ways to make chocolate icing.
Chocolate Frosting with Cocoa Powder
Perhaps the easiest way to make your frosting is with cocoa powder. You simply beat in the cocoa powder when you beat in the powdered sugar. To make sure you don't end up with lumpy frosting, I recommend sifting your cocoa powder and adding it just before you add your powdered sugar, or after you've added a cup of powdered sugar.
If you want your frosting to be more chocolaty, you can slowly add more cocoa powder 1 - 2 tablespoons at a time. If you've added too much cocoa powder, add more powdered sugar to prevent it from being bitter.
Frosting with Chocolate Bars or Chocolate Chips
My favorite way to make chocolate frosting is with chocolate bars or chips melted down. The melted chocolate gives the frosting a fudgy, creamy texture.
Start by melting your chocolate and set it aside to cool slightly. Too hot and it will melt your butter.
Make your frosting as if you were making a vanilla buttercream, then, while beating the frosting, drizzle in the melted chocolate. Mix until well-combined.
Since chocolate bars and chips have a bit of sugar in them already. I add a pinch of salt to my frosting so it is not too sweet.
My Secret to the Best Chocolate Buttercream
I always, always add both vanilla and chocolate extract to my frosting. The vanilla adds nice roundness to the frosting, while the chocolate extract brings back the top floral notes chocolate has before it is processed.
On top of the extracts, a pinch of salt brings out all the flavors, and heavy cream instead of milk or water adds a luscious creaminess that can't be beaten.
How to Make Chocolate Icing Without Butter
We are talking about American buttercream frosting here, so butter is an essential ingredient. However, if you are in the middle of baking and realize you are low on butter, you can use shortening in place of the butter. It won't have the same depth of flavor and might have a slightly different mouthfeel, but it will do the trick. Shortening will also help prevent the frosting from melting so easily in warmer temperatures.
What Goes Well With Chocolate Buttercream
In my opinion, chocolate American buttercream makes just about everything taste amazing. I love it with chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, sugar cookies, chocolate mug cake, vanilla mug cake, cookies and cream cookies, and old fashioned chocolate cake.
Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup unsalted butter [room temperature]
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons chocolate frosting optional
- pinch of salt
- 3 - 4 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Use a double boiler to melt your chocolate, set aside to cool.
- Beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the butter one cup at a time, mixing until just combined. The powdered sugar and butter will look clumpy, that is normal.
- Continue beating and drizzle in the chocolate.
- Mix in the extracts and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Add in the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until it reached a creamy consistency.
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