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FLUFFY CHOCOLATE FROSTING

ALSO KNOWN AS CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM, this is a great basic recipe that is hard to resist. You’ll use it on yellow and chocolate cakes—and cakes of all shades in between.

makes:

3 cups, enough to frost a 2-layer cake or 24 cupcakes

prep:

10 minutes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (see Notes)

3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more confectioners’ sugar if needed

1/3 cup milk, plus additional milk if needed (see Notes)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place the butter and cocoa powder in a medium-size bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture is soft and well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Beat with the mixer on low speed until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon at a time of more milk if the frosting is too thick or more confectioners’ sugar if the frosting is too thin.

Notes: I use regular cocoa powder in this recipe. Dutch-processed cocoa has a more intense chocolate flavor, but its color is too dark to my eye for this frosting.

Use whatever milk you have in your refrigerator. If you have whole milk it will make a slightly richer frosting.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

THIS OLD-FASHIONED FROSTING makes any layer cake memorable—especially the Classic Yellow Cake (page 67)—as well as any cupcakes, like the Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes (page 358).

makes:

3 cups, enough to frost a 2-layer cake or 24 cupcakes

prep:

10 to 12 minutes

2 cups granulated sugar

1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk

10 large marshmallows

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the granulated sugar, evaporated milk, and marshmallows in a large saucepan over medium heat and let come to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Continue stirring until the frosting is thick and smooth and the chocolate and butter have melted, about 5 minutes. Use the frosting immediately; it sets up quickly.

MARTHA’S CHOCOLATE ICING

MY FRIEND AND RECIPE TESTER extraordinaire, Martha Bowden, passed this terrific chocolate frosting recipe along to me several years ago and I shared it with you in the Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor. But since that book was published, we’ve improved the icing a bit, adding a little light corn syrup to make it creamier and easier to spread. We also added a little vanilla to enhance the chocolate.

makes:

1½ cups, enough to frost a 2-layer cake, 24 cupcakes, or a 13 by 9–inch cake

prep:

8 to 10 minutes

1 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the granulated sugar, butter, milk, and corn syrup in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil, 3 to 4 minutes. Still stirring, let the mixture boil until the granulated sugar dissolves, 1 minute longer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla. Continue stirring until the icing is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Use the icing immediately; it sets up quickly.

To frost a Bundt or tube cake, follow the steps but use:

½ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

MARTHA’S MILK CHOCOLATE ICING

SPOON THIS OVER the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes (page 348) or just about any cupcakes or Bundt cake you bake! This is a creamier and not so chocolaty version of Martha’s regular icing on page 480. Kids love it.

makes:

1½ cups, enough to frost 22 cupcakes or top a Bundt cake

prep:

15 minutes

¾ cup granulated