Making this luxurious chocolate buttercream frosting is a pretty simple endeavor.
I love that this intense chocolate buttercream frosting is just that: all real chocolate and butter. No sugar. I’m pretty sure I like sugar as much as any sweet tooth, but what I like even more is enjoying a decadent dessert without feeling nauseated afterwords. A sugarless butter frosting provides the perfect balance with rich cakes that already have enough sugar on their own.
Buttercream frosting can be made in many ways. Traditionally made with eggs, this buttercream is made without, which keeps the chocolate taste pure and the recipe naturally simple to make.
3 Ingredients
- Chocolate – It goes without saying, the better the chocolate, the better the frosting!
- Butter – The real deal.
- Dark coffee – Espresso coffee is ideal. You could substitute this with another favorite flavoring like orange or rum, if you like. See recommendations in the recipe card.
You may want to use a little ice to help cool down the frosting as you whip, but you could get by with some very cold water in a pinch.
3 Steps
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- Melt chocolate.
- Stir in butter.
- Whip.
Below are tips for making the best chocolate buttercream frosting while keeping it quick and easy. Be sure to check out the recipe card for full instructions.
Melting Chocolate Tips
- Melting chocolate in a bain-marie or double boiler setup helps to keep the chocolate away from the direct heat source. If you don’t have one, you can easily make your own. (See Equipment Tip below.)
- Importance of low heat – We all know how fast chocolate melts right in our hands when trying to eat a chocolate bar in the summer. It also “burns” easily and quickly when trying to melt it at too high a temperature. We want gentle heat. The water in the pan below should be hot, not boiling. In fact, once it comes to a simmer, you can turn off the heat and let the chocolate melt on the residual hot steam coming from below.
- Keep the top pan from touching the hot water below – This keeps the chocolate from the harsh heat a little longer. I like to do this to avoid the heat getting too high in case I get distracted, or to avoid a chance encounter with splashing water (see points below).
- All liquids need to be heated at the same time as the chocolate -Adding a liquid to chocolate that is already melted, or melting, can cause it to seize up all grainy and stiff. Not fun! We don’t want that.
- Avoid letting any water, from the pan or otherwise, to splash onto the melted chocolate! (See point above.)
Equipment Tip
If you don’t have a bain-marie or double boiler to melt the chocolate, you can easily set a heatproof bowl or pan over another pan of hot water. (I prefer one with a long handle, like in the photo.)
Whipping Tips
- Take it easy on the quantity of ice. Too much ice in the ice water can cause the frosting to start freezing onto the bowl as you whip.
- FYI: It takes about the same time — a little over 5 minutes — to whip the chocolate into frosting with a hand whisk as it does with the electric beater (albeit with a little more muscle magic).
More Chocolate!
- This is the perfect icing for the Queen of Sheba chocolate almond cake, one of our long-standing favorite cakes.
- Chocolate Ganache – another great way to frost a cake!
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Recipe
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz semisweet chocolate (around 60-69% cacao), chopped or broken into small pieces
- 2 Tbsp espresso or strong coffee (or rum, or for orange flavour: Cointreau, Gran Marnier or 1 tsp orange extract)
- 1 stick (4oz) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ice cubes (around 6-8 large, or 10-15 small)
Instructions
- Heat the chocolate and coffee together over low heat using a double boiler or large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of shallow water. Stir occasionally with a long wooden spoon until the chocolate is just melted. Immediately remove heat and stir again until velvety smooth.
- Take the bowl of melted chocolate off the pan of hot water. With an electric mixer or whisk, beat the butter into the chocolate one tablespoon at a time.
- Submerge the bottom quarter of the bowl in icy cold water and beat the frosting at medium-high speed until of good spreading consistency. (After about 5 minutes it will lighten in color, signaling that it will be ready quickly.)
- Use immediately. Serve at room temperature.
Note
- Storing – Can be stored at room temperature for a few days, covered and kept away from sunlight and heat, or kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to a month. Let come to room temperature before using. Whip, whisk or stir to restore a smooth, fluffy texture.
Nutrition Info: Click to Expand
This longtime favorite frosting is adapted from Julia Child’s Glaçage au Chocolat.
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