Whipped Chocolate Frosting (Chocolate Ermine Frosting)
Inside: The secret to making a whipped chocolate frosting that’s light and fluffy with a silky texture that’s less sweet than traditional buttercream. (The trick: it starts with a roux).
This whipped chocolate frosting is for people who want a velvety icing that’s not too sweet and melts in your mouth like a kiss. This chocolate ermine frosting is the perfect whipped icing for cakes and cupcakes and because it’s not overly sugary, you’ll probably want to eat it by the spoonful (I’m only half-joking).
My grandmother, Myne, was famous for her creamy, light and utterly delicious “whipped icing”, and I have lived most of my life thinking this was her secret recipe. It was only a few years ago that I discovered this method had been around since the 1800s and it’s a “thing”.
Ermine frosting (a.k.a. flour frosting) doesn’t use confectioners’ or powdered sugar. Instead, it’s a blend of butter and sugar creamed together, then whipped with a roux made of whole milk and flour. The combination is unlike any whipped icing you’ve ever tried–impossibly light and ethereal, not overly sweet and utterly swoon-worthy.
This recipe is a delicious chocolate version of classic ermine frosting. It’s embellished with espresso powder and cocoa for an intensely flavorful, whipped chocolate frosting.
Think of this as a cocoa whipped cream frosting without the heavy whipping cream. It spreads and pipes like a dream and is more stable than whipped cream frostings, lasting for days without falling or weeping. For my money, it’s the perfect crowning touch for cakes and cupcakes, elevating your home-baked confections to legendary status.
This whipped chocolate frosting is delicious on a simple yellow cake or a double decker chocolate cake and would be outstanding with this banana cake recipe.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It has a satiny, lighter-than-air quality that delicately melts on your tongue.
- Unlike most chocolate buttercream frosting, this one isn’t overly sweet or saccharine.
- You can make chocolate ermine frosting a day or two in advance.
- One recipe will frost two 9″ layer cakes, a 13 x 9″ sheet cake or a few dozen cupcakes.
- You can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Ingredients:
- Whole Milk–used to make the roux. Don’t substitute low-fat or skim milk.
- All-Purpose Flour–I used King Arthur’s unbleached all-purpose flour. Do not substitute gluten-free flour, as they won’t behave the same way in this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter–to give the whipped chocolate frosting its light texture and creamy mouthfeel.
- Granulated Sugar–for most icings you wouldn’t want to use granulated sugar, but this chocolate whipped frosting is beaten long enough for the sugar granules to dissolve, giving the texture a smooth creamy mouth feel. Do not substitute confectioners or powdered sugar.
- Instant Espresso Powder–this is optional, but just a bit of the instant espresso will deepen the flavor of the chocolate in the whipped frosting.
- Kosher Salt–you only need a pinch, but it helps to round out the flavors of the icing.
- Cocoa Powder–I used plain Hershey’s cocoa, but you can also use Dutch process cocoa or Special Dark for a deeper color and dark chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla Extract–enhances the icing’s flavor. I prefer Penzey’s double-strength vanilla.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Combine the milk and flour in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, whisking constantly.
2. Cook until the mixture thickens to a very stodgy consistency. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Combine the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, kosher salt and espresso powder in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until it’s well-creamed.
4. Beat in the cocoa powder starting on low speed and gradually working up to high. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times while whipping the frosting to ensure it’s well blended.
5. Add the cooled milk mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat on high for 5 minutes. Then add the vanilla and beat for one minute more. Transfer the frosting to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill.
6. Remove the frosting from the refrigerator and continue to beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes longer until very light and fluffy.
Pro-Tips:
- The flour and milk mixture should cook to a very thick paste or roux and be nearly stiff when it cools.
- Do not add the milk and flour mixture to the butter and sugar until it has completely cooled to room temperature; otherwise, the warm roux will melt the butter, and you won’t achieve the volume or light airiness this chocolate ermine frosting is known for.
- Ensure you’re using Instant espresso powder so that it dissolves into the whipped chocolate frosting mixture. You can skip it if you don’t have any, but don’t substitute regular ground espresso or coffee.
Swaps and Variations:
- Swap the vanilla for a teaspoon of almond extract for a chocolate almond flavor.
- Use orange extract for a chocolate orange flavor.
- Fans of chocolate and mint can substitute one teaspoon of mint extract for the vanilla, giving the chocolate frosting a holiday vibe.
FAQs
Using a turntable or lazy susan makes spreading the frosting around the sides and top of a cake evenly much easier as the cake turns rather than your hand.
Professional bakers advise using a crumb-coat; a very thin layer of icing that seals the crumbs to the cake.
I find that ensuring an ample amount of frosting between the cake and the spatula is the best method to ensure a smooth coating. When the icing starts to get too thin as it’s applied, it’s time to add more to the cake, leaving at least ½” of the creamy mix between the spatula and cake layer.
Storage:
- This chocolate ermine frosting can easily be made several days ahead of time and kept covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Before spreading on a cake, remove it from the fridge to come to room temperature and then use a hand mixer to re-whip the mixture to the optimal fluffy consistency.
Freezing:
- You can freeze the whipped chocolate frosting for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
- Fully defrost the chocolate icing and rewhip with a hand mixer to ensure the lightest texture.
This icing is often requested for birthdays and anniversary cakes because it has the perfect fluffy, light texture and just the right level of sweetness that makes guests WANT to eat the icing rather than leaving a glob on the side of the plate. I frosted my Aunt’s birthday cake (shown above) with it, and not even a smudge of icing was left on anyone’s plate.
More frosting recipes:
- Classic Cream Cheese Frosting
- Grandmother’s Whipped Icing (a.k.a. Ermine Frosting)
- Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Ermine Frosting
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks) softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
- In a small saucepan combine 1 cup whole milk, ⅓ cup all purpose flour and whisk constantly over medium to medium high heat until the mixture becomes very thick and pasty, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder, pinch kosher salt and beat on medium-high to high speed until smooth.
- Add ½ cup cocoa powder and mix it into butter mixture starting on slow speed (so it doesn't explode in a cloud), then raising the speed to high until thoroughly combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl a few times as you're beating the ermine frosting.
- Add the room temperature flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and beat for another minute.
- Transfer the frosting to the refrigerator and chill for 10 minutes, then remove and continue to beat for 2-3 minutes more until the mixture is extremely light, fluffy, creamy and smooth.
- You can use this to decorate baked and cooled cakes or cupcakes. It works very well as a piping frosting, too.
NOTES:
- When you use this frosting on a cake, it can be kept at room temperature the day you make it, but should be refrigerated after that.
- This chocolate ermine frosting can be made several days ahead of time in the refrigerator, but it needs to come to room temperature and be whipped again to get it back to the workable frosting consistency and texture.
- You can freeze chocolate ermine frosting for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Defrost at room temperature (never in the microwave) and rewhip to regain it’s original consistency.
NUTRITION:
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Your grandmother would be very proud!