Chocolate Frosting Recipe

A few years ago I began to teach myself how to bake. I was inspired by the rising popularity of cupcakes and boutique bakeries in Seattle, such as Trophy Cupcakes and Cupcake Royale. I prefer to bake from scratch using an array of cookbooks and recipes from the web. I have found that I no longer like to use boxed cake mixes or store bought frostings. They tend to be very sugary, which can overpower the taste of a great cake.

When I make frosting, the texture needs to form peaks on its own yet remain soft enough to flow smoothly through a pastry bag. I am always looking for a frosting recipe that does not use an excessive amount of confectioner's sugar or butter. I tend to make butter-cream frosting more than any other type of frosting. However, this recipe for "Quick, Creamy Chocolate Frosting" from Carla Emery's The Encyclopedia of Country Living looks too tempting not to try.

Whipping cream is a very flexible ingredient. The longer you whip or whisk the whipping cream, the thicker and denser it becomes. This recipe includes only two ingredients: fresh whipping cream and cocoa powder. If you can avoid butter in your frosting, I suggest you do so. In my experience, frostings with a butter base do not have as long a shelf life as other frostings. They typically have a lifespan of 2-3 days depending on the room temperature before the butter begins to separate from the rest of the ingredients. They may continue to taste amazing, but the overall aesthetic of the cupcake is ruined.

Quick, Creamy Chocolate Frosting:

1. Whip 1 cup of cream.

2. Gently stir in 1/4 cup of cocoa powder or chocolate milk drink power.