Chocolate Icing Recipes
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, Mocha Icing and More!
The right frosting can be the difference between a good cake and a great one. Here are a variety of chocolate icing recipes to tempt the tastebuds.
Chocolate icing can range from simple to almost unbearably decadent. Choosing the right icing depends on the cake and the occasion. A light, fluffy morning tea chocolate cake needs a light, sweet frosting while a heavy, rich chocolate mud cake is generally needs only a simple coating of icing.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 250g (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. This should produce enough frosting to decorate the top of the cake and provide a layer of chocolate ‘cream’ through the centre.
To only decorate the top of the cake, halve the ingredient amounts.
Chocolate Frosting
- 60g dark or milk chocolate, chopped
- 125g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
Melt chocolate over hot water or in a microwave, then allow to cool to room temperature. In a separate small bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate and then add icing sugar until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Chocolate Cream Frosting
- 2½ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
- 60g semi-sweet chocolate
- 125mL thickened cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the chocolate and 50 mL thickened cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 50% in 20 – 30 second bursts until melted (should take 2 – 3 minutes), stirring every 60 seconds. Once melted, add remaining cream and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Transfer mixture to a larger bowl and add the icing sugar, stirring until the mixture is smooth and spreadable.
Chocolate Icing
- 1½ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon butter (softened) or margarine
- ¼ cup hot water
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add butter and hot water and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Mocha Icing
- 1½ cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 60g butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons dry instant coffee
- 1½ tablespoons boiling water
Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add butter and combined coffee and boiling water. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Chocolate Honey Frosting
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 125g cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup honey
- 30g dark or milk chocolate, grated
Place butter and cream cheese in a small bowl and mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add honey and grated chocolate and gently fold into mixture until well combined.
Create variations with a favourite icing recipe
Chocolate goes well with so many other flavours. Experiment with a favourite frosting recipe adding other ingredients such as orange juice, dry instant coffee, honey or peanut butter. Remember to keep the liquids balanced, as most icings and frostings require only a small amount of fluid. Add grated chocolate to the icing or sprinkle over the top of the iced cake.
With the right frosting, even a plain chocolate cake can become a tempting delight.
