Ganache Fudge Frosting

So, having found a new chocolate cake recipe, I decided to try a new chocolate frosting recipe! I’d previously decided on this one as my go-to, but I think it may have been beaten (heh, baking joke) by this new one!

This recipe, from Serious Eats, starts off with a basic cocoa buttercream, but then adds a healthy dose of bittersweet chocolate ganache to really amp up the chocolate flavor. The reviews were excellent, and boy, did it deliver! This is officially my new favorite chocolate frosting, and you’ll see how I use it in my next post!

Sure, it takes a little extra time to make and cool the ganache, but the results are amazing. Smooth, creamy, and a nicely deep, dark, chocolate-y flavor. It does whip up just a little bit loose at first, but some time in the fridge will fix that if you stir it periodically to keep the chilling even.

This recipe made enough to frost the outside of a 3-layer 7″ cake, but not to fill the layers or do a crumb coat, so keep that in mind.

Ganche Fudge Frosting (from Serious Eats)

4 oz. heavy cream

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (not chips, please), chopped

12 oz. butter, softened to cool room temperature

9 oz. powdered sugar

3 oz. cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1. Heat your cream to just simmering, then pour over chopped chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute before stirring to make a ganache. Transfer to a wide bowl to cool it more quickly. You want it to be room temperature before using.

2. In the meantime, beat your butter in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, salt, and vanilla, and beat at low speed to combine.

3. Once your ingredients have moistened and are no longer sending up clouds of sugar into the air, increase the speed to medium and continue beating for about 4 minutes, until light and creamy.

4. Add your cooled ganache and continue to beat until completely smooth. Your frosting is usable now, though it’ll pipe better if you chill it in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes, stirring periodically. You can also whip it even further to make it paler and fluffier, though that’s a matter of taste.

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