Is It The Chocolate Or What?
Decorating By domesticgoddess Updated 20 Jan 2006 , 3:51pm by crisseyann
I made my first cake today. I posted the other day about my kahlua filling that was thick.I added a tad more kahlua and it was spreadable. Tasted good so I just used it. No sense in wasting. Thanks to all those who responded. Anyway, i had a horrible time getting this icing to spread smoothly. I used the Wilton chocolate buttercream icing recipe and it was so hard to use. I added more corn syrup and got it to where I could spread but not too great. I had trouble, as you can see, getting it smooth. Any suggestions for next time? Thanks!
Heather
The recipe I use for my chocolate BC is:
1 cup softened butter
1 cup Crisco shortening
2 Tblsp. milk
7 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
***The powdered sugar and cocoa powder measurements are guesstimates. I start with the sugar and add some cocoa powder, then add more of either one as needed.
Sorry, I am a "till it feels and looks right" kind of person when it comes to frosting.
BTW--the cake looks great and you have very neat handwriting.
Well it surely looks very nice! Did you use cocoa powder or melted chocolate when you made the Wilton recipe?
Hugs Squirrelly
I used melted chocolate in the recipe. Was that it?
Heather
Hi kiddo,
I asked because usually the addition of cocoa means you need to add more liquid. I didn't find the Wilton buttercream with the melted chocolate hard to make, what I did find was that it didn't get dark enough. I usually use a heated chocolate icing which isn't meant to smooth.
Not sure how long you beat this, I tend to use the paddle attachment and mix on low until combined, to avoid incorporating a lot of air into the icing which makes it hard to spread smoothly. Sometimes by ltting it rest a half hour and then using a spoon or spatula, stirring it, breaks up some of the air problems.
Not sure why you added corn syrup, I would have added way more milk if needed, or cream or water for those that use water as their liquid. The amount of liquid called for is usually just the bare minimum, you add more to thin to make it spreadable.
A lot of people really like this recipe from Jeanne G on the Wilton site. I just copied and pasted her post, it is a nice dark shiny icing. You might like to try it.
Jeanne G's Post:
This recipe works in a 4.5 quart KitchenAid stand mixer.
First, about the ingredients
Butter: I use unsalted because I really prefer its taste on bread and in many recipes. (I dont know whether I could tell the difference in this recipe because Ive never had salted on hand when Ive made it.) I keep butter refrigerated until Im ready to use it. In my microwave 15 seconds on full power is just right to soften a pat for my morning toast or a stick and half for this recipe.
Powdered sugar: To avoid sifting and measuring, all my frosting recipes use a 2 pound bag. I buy what is on sale, without regard to whether the sugar started life in canes or in beets.
Cocoa: I have made many successful batches of this recipe using Hersheys cocoa. One of my sons worked in Chicago a couple of years, where he fell in love with Chicago-style pizza, blues, and Bloomers chocolate supply store. Whenever he is back in Chicago he has pizza, visits a blues bar, and makes a chocolate run. Last time he brought me back 2-pound bags of each of the three kinds of cocoa they carry. Oh my! Each is wonderful and has its own flavor and color nuances. If you dont have someone to make chocolate runs for you and youd like to venture beyond Hersheys, try the web site: www.blommerstore.com. I measure cocoa first and then put it through a sieve into my mixing bowl, to eliminate any lumps.
Liquid: I make this with water, but you may use milk if you prefer. I start with ½ cup measured out, and add almost all of it. If necessary I add the remainder after mixing. Sometimes it takes more than the ½ cup total. I find that chocolate frosting takes more fiddling with the water content than white buttercream does.
Tip: It is hard to get the exact same shade of brown in different batches of frosting. If youll need more than one, make them all upfront and stir them together in some huge container (I use a stock pot) so the color is uniform.
Now, the simple recipe
3/4 cup Crisco
3/4 cup butter, softened (6 ounces, 1 & 1/2 American sticks)
1 1/4 cups cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar
about 1/2 cup of water, give or take a little
(If you have a splash guard for your bowl, this is a good recipe to use it with.)
Mix the Crisco and butter at a slow speed until creamy.
Add the cocoa. Mix again until the cocoa is all incorporated.
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and most of the water. Beat at medium speed for a few minutes.
Test the spreadability and add water if necessary.
I can attest to Jeanne G's chocOlate buttercream that Squirrelly posted. It makes such a lovely icing. It's the only chocolate icing I make anymore..
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