I was wondering if anyone had some good tips for making chocolate buttercream?

I have buttercream already made and I want to make a portion of it chocolate. I've tried 2 different ways:

adding cocoa, I found it didn't taste like chocolate at all, just made the icing look a light chocolate color. Do I need to add like a boat load of cocoa?

adding melted chocolate, when I added melted chocolate to my buttercream icing it turned it almost rock hard.

Any ideas that aren't the ones above?

Thanks so much!!!

Heather

I like this recipe! Hope this helps!

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/7357/chocolate-buttercream-by-fchevel

Sorry it isn't going to help you this time, but I would recommend the Perfectly Chocolate Frosting recipe on the back of a can of Hershey's cocoa powder. I switched to it years ago because I never liked the taste of chocolate buttercream. I always found the chocolate flavor watered down by the shortening.

I have mixed this recipe with a little buttercream to use as a filling.

I've added both cocoa and melted chocolate before. Kind of like the best of both worlds. It was 3 parts melted chocolate and 1 part cocoa. Good chocolatey taste w/o the grainy texture.

When I already have plain buttercream, I add cocoa and Hershey's syrup. I find that I like the way it tastes better with the syrup in there too... Plus, it helps loosen it up after adding all of the cocoa (and it does take a bit - not just a Tbsp or two).

I take equal parts cocoa and boiling water (usually 1/2 cup), mix together and let cool. then mix the paste in with the buttercream. For an even chocolatier taste, I have grated some chocolate (whatever kind you like) and put that in with the cocoa...let the boiling water melt it, cool and add.

oh, and I forgot to add, if you have any leftover ganache, you can add that too.

why did it turn it rock hard after adding melted chocolate. i do that all the time.. cool melted chocolate.. yes, after making the buttercream chocolate. then add some ganache... toba garetts chocolate buttercream is so delicious. that is what she does.. hth

I'd like to know too..once i added a container of that ready made chocolate icing and i didn't like the results at all. Reallly sweet and the appearance looked off.