Chocolate Frosting
Also see HERSHEY'S Deep Dark Chocolate Cake which includes a chocolate frosting recipe that uses cocoa powder.
You can made chocolate frosting with either chocolate or cocoa powder. A chocolate frosting made with melted chocolate will generally have a richer, creamier flavor and texture compared to a frosting made with cocoa powder, which tends to have a more intense chocolate taste with a slightly drier mouthfeel; the chocolate also adds cocoa butter, contributing to the richness, while cocoa powder is primarily cocoa solids, making it less fatty.
Cocoa powder usually provides a more pronounced chocolate flavor due to its concentrated cocoa solids, while melted chocolate offers a more balanced, nuanced chocolate taste with the addition of cocoa butter. Frosting made with cocoa powder tends to be darker in color than one made with melted chocolate.
On one website that did a taste test, they found "The melted chocolate buttercream was so much lighter [in color. It] spread on the cake with very little effort and piped just as well. The interesting thing was the buttercream with the melted chocolate had a slightly gritty mouthfeel, so when we did the blind taste-test we were convinced that was the one with the cocoa powder in it and were shocked when we were wrong. . . The buttercream made with the cocoa powder had a much darker and more luxurious color. . . It piped ok, but definitely wasn’t the prettiest presentation we had ever seen. But the taste was so good. . . And the most surprising thing was the mouthfeel. The buttercream made with the cocoa powder looked a little grainy, but actually had a smoother and softer mouthfeel than the one made with melted chocolate. All in all, both were good. But we ultimately decided that the cocoa powder buttercream would make an excellent filling on a cake and the melted chocolate buttercream was ideal for the finish work."
For amount needed for your recipe, see Frosting: Amount Needed
Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting
from https://www.food.com/
The person who submitted this recipe said it was from Toll House, and the ingredients list Nestle chocolate morsels, but any brand would work.
FMM: I used this frosting on chocolate cupcakes. It was sweet, but not too sweet for me to eat it, although I wouldn't eat a spoonful of it (I often scrape off the frosting on store-bought cakes that people buy for birthdays and such.) It was not a light, soft and fluffy frosting you see piled on cupcakes. It was very creamy and light when I spread it on the cupcakes, then it hardened enough that I did not worry about packing them in a container. I made 1/2 recipe and there was more than enought for 14 cupcakes. The frosting on some was a tad thick as I wanted to use it all up. I threw out frosting when I only got 13 cupcakes, Be sure to not add too much sugar or the frosting can harden and break off the top of the cupcakes.
1/2 recipe in ( ).
1/3 cup butter [5.3 Tbsp.] (2.6 Tbsp.)
1 cup semisweet chocolate, mini-morsels (Nestles) [or Hershey's Special Dark semi-sweet chocolate chips] (1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1/8 tsp.)
1 teaspoon vanilla (1/2 tsp.)
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups)
5 tablespoons milk (2 1/2 Tbsp,)
In small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in mini-morsels until melted.
Add salt and vanilla.
Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar and milk until creamy and fluffy. I beat this for a good 10 minutes. The longer you beat it, the creamier it gets.
Makes enough to fill and frost 2 layers (about 2 1/4 cups of frosting).
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/
Chocolate buttercream frosting is a rich, smooth, and decadent frosting made with butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. It's often used to top cupcakes and cakes.
1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Beat in another pinch of salt if desired.
Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
Makes 2 1/2 cups
