Hi,
I'm making chocolate buttercream and it's just not dark enough. I'm aiming for it to be as dark as a ganache if possible. I've added melted unsweetened chocolate to the BC and it's nowhere near dark enough. I added some Betty Crocker canned chocolate frosting to it, not dark enough. I tried adding brown gel coloring...still not dark enough. What now?
Anyone have any suggestions? Do you think Wilton's dark candy melts might work? I haven't added cocoa powder but only because I used the unsweetened squares instead. It's going on chocolate overload and all I want is a darker color. I do not want to use canned frosting but that IS the right color....ugh!
Thank you for any help!
KimAZ
I know where you are coming from. I tried all you mentioned including adding black food color. I didn't like that result at all. What I did find that worked was using special dark cocoa that Hershey makes. I've also found different variations of it on different baking supply websites. I've been using a recipe by Baker's chocolate that has 4 squares of choc in it except I've used 3 and some of the dark cocoa. It turns out an awesome color and taste.
GL!
I followed the Wilton recipe for Chocolate buttercream, using cocoa powder and it worked great! I needed black icing, so I added the paste afterwards, but I did not need much at all. Plus, letting the buttercream sit for a while, or overnight or longer even, helped deepen/darken the color.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture when I used this icing. 
HTH!
Mirjana
I have used the whipped chocolate ganache buttercream off Baking 911 before and it yields a dark color. http://www.baking911.com/recipes/cakes/frosting_chocolate_buttercream.htm
Here's the recipe from Baker's Chocolate that I use. The modifications I do are 3 squares plus some dark cocoa powder (I have never measured this) and I use cream instead of milk. It turns out very thick and rich. I've gone forward and added a lot of cream and whipped it into a very light and fluffy filling as well.
Easy Chocolate Frosting
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: About 2-1/2 cups or 20 servings, 2 Tbsp. each
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk
MELT chocolate in saucepan on very low heat, stirring constantly; set aside.
BEAT butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add about half of the sugar, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended. Add chocolate and vanilla; mix well.
ADD remaining sugar alternately with the milk, beating until well blended after each addition. Use to frost your favorite cake or cupcake recipe.
Note
Recipe makes enough to frost tops and sides of 2 (8- or 9-inch) cake layers, top and sides of 13x9-inch cake, tops of 3 (8- or 9-inch) cake layers or 24 cupcakes.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/bakerschocolate/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&recipe_id=50273
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