Easy Chocolate Butterceam Frosting Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to buttercream frosting? ›

Beat the butter in a bowl until soft, then gradually beat in the icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract and beat again. Fold in the melted chocolate until completely incorporated (add a few drops of milk if the mixture is a little stiff). This icing can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

One common reason is using cold butter straight from the fridge, which can result in lumpy buttercream. To avoid this, it's best to use softened butter at room temperature, so it can easily mix with the other frosting ingredients.

If you are making a chocolate frosting, adding more cocoa powder is a great option for thickening it. The technique is basically the same as if you were thickening with powdered sugar, but you want to use a smaller quantity of cocoa powder than icing sugar. Try adding just 1 to 2 teaspoon at a time.

Simply by adding some liquors, flavor oils or emulsions, extracts or fruit purees. Whip the desired amount into the buttercream and off you go!!

When using vinegar for flavor purposes, less than a teaspoon is enough to counteract a frosting's sweetness, yielding a well-balanced final product that offsets the sugary sweetness of your cake.

Time is key. Time and low speed and using the paddle attachment. The combination of these is what knocks out the air bubbles giving you the smooth texture, makes the buttercream silky, light and fluffy and super easy to smooth and work with and most importantly not be too sweet and melt in your mouth.

An uncut frosted cake that's been frosted with buttercream, fondant, or ganache can last at room temperature for up to five days. Keep it covered with a cake keeper or a bowl to protect it from dust or other particles.

Yes, this is absolutely correct. The longer you beat, the more air you incorporate in your buttercream, thus, it will have lots of holes or air-pockets, it will also make the colour lighter. If you will use your buttercream primarily for filling or maybe as simple swirls, then this is ok.

This could be because the butter was too soft or you added too much milk if it is buttercream frosting or it could be that you have overbeaten it if you're making cream cheese frosting. Also, a hot kitchen can make frostings go runny, so be mindful of the temperature.

What can I add to buttercream to make it stiffer? ›

Do you want it sweeter or need a firmer consistency of buttercream? Add more powdered sugar. You can add as much powdered sugar as you like.

A buttercream that has separated is also sometimes referred to as “broken.” The buttercream will often have unattractive lumps and curds, an indication that the butter in your buttercream is too cold.

Beat together butter, shortening, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Blend in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk; continue mixing until icing is light and fluffy. Store icing covered until ready to use.

Gently press the tip of your piping bag against the side of your cake and squeeze so that a consistent stream of buttercream comes out. With the other hand, slowly rotate the turntable and keep piping until you have full coverage of the cake. I frost the top of my cake first, and then the sides.

Be sure to use the flat paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment will cause air bubbles to form. If your buttercream has been sitting for an extended period, you will need to re-mix on your mixer's lowest setting for a minute or two, or mix by hand with a rubber spatula for a few minutes.

If it's too stiff and sticks straight up, I suggest adding in more heavy cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If it's too thin and doesn't form a little peak at all, try adding a bit more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time). You can also chill it in the fridge for 10-minute intervals.