Basic chocolate butter icing

Those of you that bake may make your butter icing from scratch but if you are just starting out there are many brands out there that can be the perfect topping for your cupcake or cake.
I personal find these a time saver and they work well as a cake filler. However, I also find them a bit rich and sometimes the consistency is not what I am looking for.  

For a filling or a cake you can achieve this by using a whisk but if you want stiff icing for cupcakes it will take a long time by hand so I would invest in an electric hand mixer.

Ingredients: 

50g/1 3/4 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) it will state this on the back of the bar, don't be fooled it doesn't have to be cooking chocolate either.
100g/3 1/2 oz unsalted butter
200g/7oz icing sugar

As all ways I measure out my ingredients before I start and let the butter come to room temperature.
There are two ways to melt the chocolate in a bowl over a sauce pan or in the microwave. In this post I have used the microwave method.

Method:

•  Break up the chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl. 

• My microwave is 800W so I only put the chocolate in for 30 second intervals, siring every time. When you think it's almost ready, it's ready. There is not much time between it being ready and being burnt which makes the chocolate bitter.
• Place the butter in the bowl and whisk until smooth.

• Add the icing sugar a bit at a time. If you are using an electric whisk stir the icing sugar in a bit first before putting the power on other wise your kitchen will look like a crime scene looking for prints.  
• Once all the icing sugar is incorporated add the melted chocolate and whisk again.
• If you are using an electric mixer place it on the highest setting for 2-3 minuets. If you are using a manual whisk then use some elbow geese until your hand become tired.

• If the mix looks too thick you can loosen it with a splash of milk.  
• Decorate you cake using a palette knife (a butter knife will do the same job if you don't have a palette knife  :)

I've not had a good relationship with icing sugar since my first time baking. I all ways had to buy extra even when buying packet mixes. The rule I have found that works is that you have twice as much butter as chocolate and twice as much icing sugar as butter...e.g.

2g chocolate = 4g butter

4g butter = 8g icing sugar.

This is just an example as it would be a cake crime to use this little butter icing! So why not try making your very own basic chocolate butter icing to add to your basic chocolate sponge?

Happy baking,

Ms B 

xx