Chocolate buttercream frosting is a popular frosting made with butter and chocolate. Variations can include different types of chocolate or added flavors like coffee or flavored oils. It is commonly used on cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and cookies.
Chocolate buttercream frosting is a popular type of frosting most often used for cakes and cupcakes. Its main ingredients include butter and chocolate. Bakers making variations on this recipe may alter the type of chocolate used or add flavorings that complement the taste of the chocolate to further enhance the glaze.
The simplest version of chocolate buttercream frosting uses butter, unsweetened or semisweet melted chocolate, vanilla extract, milk, and powdered sugar. Some bakers mix in the shortening, but the amount of shortening used should not exceed the amount of butter used. A buttercream frosting must be butter based. Using an electric mixer, the baker blends the ingredients together until combined and fluffy. The finished product must remain refrigerated to allow for frosting and maintain freshness.
Changing the type or amount of chocolate used in the recipe creates different frosting variations. A dark chocolate buttercream frosting, for example, uses more unsweetened melted chocolate to intensify the bittersweet chocolate flavor. White chocolate buttercream frosting substitutes melted white baking chocolate in place of unsweetened chocolate. Bakers typically don’t use sweetened milk chocolate in their recipes, however, because the sweetness of this type of chocolate would likely make the frosting too sweet to appeal to the average person’s sense of taste.
Instead of changing the type of chocolate used, a baker may also choose to modify the basic recipe for chocolate buttercream frosting by adding other flavors that complement the chocolate. For example, coffee is a common addition. If a small amount of instant coffee powder or espresso is used, this enhances the flavor of the chocolate without tasting too much like coffee. Bakers who want to specifically include the flavor of the coffee along with that of the chocolate can add more ground coffee or substitute strong brewed coffee in place of the milk they might otherwise use.
Flavored oils, such as those used to add flavor to chocolate candies, can also be added to icing to change up the taste. The baker only needs to include a few drops of peppermint, orange or raspberry oil to get that added flavor. Fans of the chocolate and peanut butter combination can create a peanut butter buttercream by swirling creamy peanut butter to taste. Peanut butter should be added in small amounts, however, as adding too much will make the frosting too soft.
While white, yellow, and chocolate cake is the most common dessert to icing with chocolate buttercream frosting, this type of frosting works well with other options as well. A baker may instead use a unique cake flavor, such as banana or almond. He or she can also use the frosting on other types of desserts, including cupcakes, brownies and cookies.
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