This is the perfect frosting for chocolate chip cupcakes, any vanilla cake or any chocolate cake or cupcake. It is thick, rich and fudgy. It is rich and chocolatey, but it is still whipped light. This way you can eat it by the bucket full and not be like, ugh, it’s too rich! LOL
The keys to making the perfect chocolate fudge frosting
First, always start with softened butter. This will give you a nice even mix and make your frosting creamier and more luscious.
Next, make sure you sift your ingredients. The powdered sugar and the cocoa powder can tend to clump on you. If you sift them, you will lightly aerate them and make sure they do not clump.
Also, make sure that you cool your melted chocolate slightly, at least to room temperature before adding it to the butter and the sugar. If you add it when the chocolate is too hot, it can bring down the entire structure of the frosting and give you an unstable frosting. It will not be rich and luscious like you want.
Lastly, make sure you use warm cream. Again, even just to room temp here. Yet, if you add cold cream, it does not incorporate as well and is harder to mix it. This will again help the final texture of your frosting.
To refrigerate or not?
Some people say that it is better to leave your frosting room temp or use it right away. I think it helps with the consistency and shape of your frosting if you refrigerate it. Even if just for a short time before use. This will help give the beautiful shape when you go to frost your cupcakes. It will help it hold its peaks.
With the cream cheese or buttercream frostings, I like to use those, pipe them and then refrigerate. I think that is what holds the best texture for that type of frosting. Different frostings have different textures and need to be treated differently.
Chocolate fudge frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder high quality
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup chocolate or chocolate chips melted
- 1/2 cup cream warm
Instructions
- In a bowl, add in the butter and sift in the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder.
- Whip this mixture using a hand mixer or a kitchen aid with the whisk attachment. You will whip on high speed until you get a fluffy and light mixture.
- Add in the vanilla and beat it until it is well incorporated. Once all of this is combined, warm the cream and mix that in as well. You will just bring it just up to the simmer and cut off the heat, you do not want it boiling hot. Just over room temp for the cream. This way it mixes in more easily but doesn't melt the chocolate too much.
- You will then melt the chocolate either using a double boiler or in the microwave. Make sure you let it cool slightly before using it. Get it back to about room temp as well.
- Once the melted chocolate is cooled down, whisk everything together until it is just combined. This is when you will see the frosting begin to thicken up for you. It will still be slightly on the thin side, but much thicker than prior.
- Refrigerate the frosting for 30-45 minutes before using so that the frosting can thicken and become the consistency you want to frost with.
- Use it as desired on whatever desserts you choose. ENJOY!
