The Best Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe
One of the most delicious, richest, creamiest, fluffiest frostings out there is chocolate whipped cream frosting. Whipped ganache is a baker’s secret weapon. Mix up a batch of ganache to serve as a cake filling or a simple, indulgent coating, then whip up the rest to create the most gorgeous, light-as-a-cloud frosting you’ve ever tasted. Rich and complex thanks to the addition of a tiny bit of coffee to accentuate the flavor of the chocolate, this chocolate whipped cream frosting recipe is the chocolate lover’s chocolate frosting.
Let’s break it down:
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The Best Things About This Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe
It’s not too sweet: Thanks to the dark chocolate and a bit of coffee to balance the flavors, it’s not overly sweet—just richly chocolatey.
The texture: It’s silky smooth, fluffy, and so creamy. Pretty much the perfect frosting.
It pipes well: If you’re hoping to use this chocolate whipped cream frosting to decorate cakes and cupcakes, you’ll be happy to know that it pipes like a dream. Just transfer the finished frosting to a piping bag and start decorating.
It’s versatile: Whether you’re using it for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or cookies, this is one frosting that’s perfect for every occasion.
It's made with relatively simple ingredients: The main ingredient in this creamy frosting is good chocolate. Though the cream is also important (as are the other ingredients), the chocolate is really meant to shine here and, sure enough, the best chocolate flavor will come through.
Ingredients
325g 64% dark chocolate
120g powdered sugar
50g unsalted butter (does not have to be at room temperature)
15g corn syrup
2g instant coffee
800g heavy cream, divided in half
10g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
5g salt
Instructions
Divide the cream and measure the chocolate: Measure half the heavy cream into a large bowl or pitcher and set it aside. Place the dark chocolate into a separate large mixing bowl.
Heat the ingredients: Add the rest of the ingredients (powdered sugar, butter, corn syrup, instant coffee, half the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt) to a large saucepan and warm it over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is steaming. Make sure you don’t let it boil.
Make the ganache: Pour the warmed mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Stir with a rubber spatula, then blend with an immersion blender, starting on low speed. Add the rest of the cream and blend with the immersion blender for about 1 minute.
Chill the ganache: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a cake pan or large shallow bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the ganache (it's the best way to prevent a crust from forming), then place in the fridge and chill overnight.
Whip the ganache: The next day, place the ganache into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (you can also use an electric hand mixer if need be). Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip until thick and fluffy—the perfect consistency for frosting cakes. Scrape the sides of the bowl about halfway through, making sure you get down to the bottom of the bowl. For best results, don’t overmix or walk away from the bowl while you’re mixing.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
Use good chocolate: This is not the time for sad, waxy chocolate chips. Get the good stuff.
Chill the bowl before the last mix: A cold mixing bowl = the best whipped texture.
Don’t skimp on the salt: Like the coffee, it enhances the taste of the chocolate.
How to Use This Frosting
Slather it on cakes, cupcakes or brownies.
Pipe it into gorgeous swirls.
Use it as a filling for macarons, layer cakes, or crepes.
Sandwich it between cookies.
FAQs
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Yes. You’ll need to make it at least the day before you want to use it so that you give it time to chill, but if you want to make it sooner than that, make the ganache, then chill it in an airtight container in the fridge (with a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the ganache) for up to a few days. Then, before you’re ready to use it, do the final whip.
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It’s not ideal. If you find you’ve overmixed your whipped ganache, you can try to fold in a tablespoon or two of heavy whipping cream to help smooth it out, but otherwise, you may need to start over.
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Sure, but it’ll change the flavor of the frosting. Using milk chocolate or white chocolate will result in a sweeter frosting.
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Yes! It pipes really well! Just make sure you keep it cool—especially in warmer weather—to make sure that it doesn’t melt.
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Although this frosting is best when fresh, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to a month. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then re-whip it before using.
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There are so many cake flavors that go well with the rich chocolate flavor of this frosting. A traditional yellow cake would be great with this frosting, but if that's not the feel you're going for, consider a chocolate cake, caramel cake, vanilla cake, strawberry cake, or banana cake. Decadent chocolate is the perfect topping for any of those cake flavors.
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If you want to mix things up, fill the cake layers with a complementary flavor: vanilla pastry cream, raspberry jam, strawberry jam, strawberry frosting, salted caramel, peanut butter, and the like. You have so many great options!
Whether you’re making birthday cakes, decadent sandwich cookies, or cute little chocolate cupcakes, you need to keep this chocolate whipped cream frosting recipe in your back pocket. It’s so delicious, rich, and creamy, everyone is sure to love it.
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