One of my favourite childhood memories is when my Mum would bake me a birthday cake. My sister and I would have spent weeks pouring over the Australian Women’s Weekly Birthday Cake Book to select our cake. When the time came to ice the cake it would be a fight over who got to lick the beaters!
This is my very favourite Chocolate Buttercream Icing/Frosting which always reminds me of my Mum’s. When I have made cakes for friends’ birthdays they always ask ‘How do you make this icing? It is amazing!’ Well, here it is. My secret recipe. Once you make this, you will never want to use another icing or frosting again!
Start by beating the butter for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Sift in icing sugar one cup at a time along with a third of the milk each time and then mix on low speed. Repeat until all icing sugar and milk has been combined.
Sift cocoa powder and then mix on low speed for thirty seconds or until well combined.
This is what it should look like after cocoa powder has been mixed in. Don’t worry if your icing/frosting is a bit stiff as the chocolate is yet to come.
My favourite part… adding melted chocolate! Mix until well combined on low speed. I always use dark chocolate as have found milk chocolate makes the icing sickly sweet. But, if you love all things sweet you can use dairy milk or for that matter any chocolate you like.
The finished product… it’s time to lick the beater! This recipe will make enough icing/frosting for approximately 12 to 18 cupcakes depending on size or one large round or square cake.
Happy Frosting!
- 250 grams (9 ounces) butter
- 600 grams (21 ounces) or 4 cups pure icing sugar
- 60 ml or ¼ cup full cream milk
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 300 grams (10.5 ounces) dark chocolate
- At least one hour prior to making icing remove butter from fridge. This will ensure butter is at room temperature and easy to work with
- Melt chocolate and set aside to cool
- Cube butter and place in bowl. Beat on high until light and fluffy
- Add sifted icing sugar one cup at a time along with a third of the milk and beat on high until well combined
- Add sifted cocoa powder and mix until well combined
- Mix in melted chocolate on a low speed