Photos by Sarah Phillips © Sarah Phillips
Super fudgy and easy-to-make, this is one of my favorite chocolate frostings. I use a hand-held mixer to mix it together in a medium size mixing bowl. I use it often to fill and frost my Ultimate Butter Cake or UBC or the Ultimate Chocolate Butter Cake or UCBC Recipes.
FROSTING, ICING, ETC RECIPE HELP
Zachsmom, Premium Member, baked the UBC, filled the layers with blackberry jam and frosted and decorated her cake with this icing!
INGREDIENTS
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 ounces (squares) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (more if needed), divided in half (sift after measuring)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon of orange zest (peel) or 1/4 teaspoon concentrated orange (candy) oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 (more or less) cup whole or 2% milk, room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Melt the chocolate and butter together under low heat or in the top of a double boiler. Stir constantly, until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from the pan from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate is fully melted. Stir in the salt.
Combine the chocolate squares and butter in a large mixing bowl. Place the chocolate on the bottom with the butter on top because the chocolate takes longer to melt than the butter and you want it closer to the heat source. Heat a small amount of water in the bottom of a saucepan until boiling.
In the meantime, combine the chocolate squares and butter in a large mixing bowl. Place the chocolate on the bottom with the butter on top because the chocolate takes longer to melt than the butter and you want it closer to the heat source.
Turn down the heat once the water starts to boil and place the bowl containing the chocolate and butter on top. Stir the mixture all the time, until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from the pan from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate is fully melted.
2. Let the chocolate/butter mixture cool until TEPID or 100 degrees F (body temperature) before proceeding.
After it cools, beat 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar into the melted chocolate and butter until creamy.
3. Add the vanilla extract with the salt dissolved in it. Beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar. The mixture will be clumpy and crumbly.
4. Then, add 1/8 cup milk and beat.
Slowly add 1 teaspoon at a time and beat after each addition until the icing becomes smooth and spreads easily. You may not need all of the milk called for in the recipe or you may need more depending on the consistency desired.
If the icing is too stiff, add more milk, a few drops at a time and beat after each addition. If too thin, correct with confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat after each addition before deciding to add more.
After adding all of the ingredients, beat the icing for 30 seconds to a minute on low speed to combine. For a fluffy icing, beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. NOTE: The more you beat the icing, the lighter in color and fluffier it will become.
STORAGE
The icing does not need refrigeration as the sugar in it acts as a preservative. Cover and store at room temperature. It will become stiff. Stir well before using.
