Let’s face it, nothing finishes off a cake like a thick layer of moist chocolate icing. It might not be great for the waistline, but it sure pleases the taste buds! Below you’ll find several great chocolate icing recipes – one for simple chocolate icing, one for fluffy chocolate frosting and one for chocolate cream topping.

Simple Chocolate Icing Recipe

This is a great icing recipe when the kitchen cupboards are a bit bare or you don’t have much time

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of icing sugar
• 1/4 cup of cocoa (not hot chocolate powder)
• 25 grams of butter

Method:

1. Sieve the cocoa and icing sugar into a bowl.
2. Chop the butter and add to the bowl.
3. Add one tablespoon of hot water and mix all the ingredients until they form a smooth, glossy paste of a uniform colour.

Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Chocolate frosting takes just a little longer than simple chocolate icing, but it’s well worth the extra time. Fluffy, decadent and utterly delicious! An electric mixer is useful for this recipe, but you can also make it by hand using a wooden spoon and a little elbow grease.

Ingredients:

• 120 grams of butter
• 2 ½ cups of icing sugar
• ½ cup of cocoa
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Method:

1. Chop the butter, place it in a bowl and cream it using an electric mixer or wooden spoon.
2. Add the cocoa and the icing sugar a little at a time and beat into the butter.
3. Add the milk and vanilla essence, mix until smooth and light.

Chocolate Cream Cake Topping

This is a sumptuous topping that adds a creamy moistness to any cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of single cream
• 150 grams of dark chocolate

Method:

1. Place the chocolate in a bain marie and melt over a low heat. If you don’t have a bain marie pour a few inches of water into a large saucepan and place a smaller saucepan so that it’s base sits in the water. Put the chocolate in the smaller saucepan and bring the water to a low boil. If you are tempted to just melt the chocolate in a saucepan over direct heat – don’t. The chocolate will melt, but it will also become stiff and coagulated and its flavour will be impaired.
2. Once the chocolate is melted remove from the heat and stir in the cream.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool.
4. Stirring occasionally during the cooling process will help to keep the topping consistent.
5. When the mixture has reached room temperature apply to your cake.

Chocolate Heaven

A fresh-baked cake is a treat at anytime, but why not go that extra mile? Use one of the chocolate icing recipes above and take your friends and family to chocolate heaven.