Easy Chocolate Frosting (5 ingredients)
Super easy and super delicious, this chocolate frosting is sweet but not cloying, develops an outer layer but is still moist inside, has a great flavor, and comes together in minutes. It can be used as a filling too. A fantastic recipe!
Servings 2 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- ½ cup regular sour cream at room temperature
- Additional extracts optional (I add coffee extract and sometimes pure almond extract)
- Pinch of sea salt optional
Instructions
- Melt butter and chocolate (as for brownies) in the microwave (short 5-second spurts and mixing well each time) or on top of a saucepan with hot water being careful not to let it touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Add sifted cocoa powder and powdered sugar in 2 parts and mix well until creamy.
- Add vanilla, salt, and other extracts if using.
- Add sour cream and mix very well. The final mixture should be creamy with no lumps.
- Use directly as a frosting and/or filling.
- Keep refrigerated, covered.
Notes
Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate for this recipe.
Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened. And, in my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade oreo cookies known as dark cocoa powder).
Powdered sugar: there's no substitution for it. Regular sugar doesn't work. Also called confectioners' sugar or icing sugar.
Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
Refrigeration: this is the way to store it IMO as it keeps well for weeks in a tightly covered container. Whip it again before using it to achieve the best consistency.
Freezing: you can freeze this chocolate frosting in a container that has a lid. I like to first put it in the refrigerator the night before so it defrosts gradually. Then take it out, bring it to room t° and whip it again. It usually comes back together easily.