This is my Go-To Favorite Chocolate Frosting
Updated! I have a NEW favorite chocolate frosting. The old version (below) is good, but requires actual chocolate. This one is a cocoa based frosting, but the addition of heavy cream and sour cream makes it so much better. Here it is on a special chocolate cake called Double Fudge Fanciffill (I love that name). And you can see it again in the top picture which is a Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake.
Favorite Chocolate Frosting
The is my favorite frosting because it’s easy and tastes good. For the cocoa powder, I always use “natural” style like regular old Hershey’s or Scharffen Berger or Ghirardelli. Also, remember that frosting is a personal thing and that you should adjust the liquid and sugar to taste, so taste it as you go and use the recipe just as a guideline.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of sour cream room temperature
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar sift or aerate before using
- 3/4 cup natural style cocoa powder
- 1 tiny pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 to 6 tablespoons of half and half or a mixture of cream and whole milk
Instructions
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. The butter should not be too cold, nor should it be melted.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, mix the butter, sour cream, cocoa, salt and 2 tablespoons of the half and half until it all starts to come together as a thick sludge.
- When everything is sticking together, add the vanilla. Increase mixer speed and beat until smooth, scraping bowl and adding more half and half (or milk and cream) as needed until you get your desired texture consistency. Spread over the cake.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Old Favorite Chocolate Icing Recipe
This is my old favorite icing. It’s good too, but it practically solidifies in the refrigerator, so keep that in mind. It will soften as it sits at room temperature.
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 8 oz unsalted or salted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (3 1/2 cups unsifted) or about 1 pound
- 1/4 cup milk plus more if needed — can use buttermilk or half & half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch or two of salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
- Melt both chocolates in microwave or double boiler, then set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Beat the butter until creamy. Stir in the cocoa powder and a cup of the powdered sugar.
- Add the cooled melted chocolate, then scrape sides of bowl and beat well.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar, then add milk, vanilla and salt, beating and scraping until creamy and smooth.
Notes: Make sure ingredients aren’t too cool.
Sue
Thanks for linking to this from FB. It’s nice having both recipes in one spot depending on what ingredients you have on hand.
Anna
Glad you like it, Sandra! Thanks for saying so :).
Sandra
This frosting is awesome! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe 🙂
Anna
Hi Jennifer, this is a great frosting for that cake! I hope you like it. Email me and let me know, because this is one of my favorites. It makes a lot of frosting and you *should* have enough for that size cake.
Just remember to keep you ingredients at room temperature. If you had cool butter to the chocolate mixture, the chocolate might lump up a little bit.
Jennifer
Anna,
Hi. I’m going to make Shirley Corriher’s Magnificent Moist Golden Cake for Easter (decorated with yellow peeps to look like a sunflower.) And want to frost it with chocolate frosting. Do you think this recipe would be a good choice for that? I am going to make either 2 or 3 nine inch layers… Would I need to double the recipe?
Thanks,
Jennifer