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Favorite Fudge Frosting

fudge frosting in bowl
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Yes! That is deep, rich fudge about to be spread on top of our family’s favorite chocolate cake. If you didn’t realize it was possible to pour fudge over cake, you’re about to enter a whole new level of “the chocolate experience”. lol Guys, seriously, this is SO good!

fudge frosting on cake slice

A big thank you to Divine Chocolate, another of our wonderful #Choctoberfest sponsors. Divine Chocolate provided the cocoa powder for me to complete this fabulous fudge frosting recipe! You’ll want to check out their excellent recipes and products on their website. Be sure to get more great tips and recipes by following them on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, too!

P.S. If you haven’t done it, yet, don’t forget to enter our fabulous #Choctoberfest Giveaway with a wonderful chocolate prize package worth more than $400!

Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing the dense fudgy chocolate cake recipe that my family loves the most, but today, you’re about to become an expert at creating the best chocolate fudge frosting to top it with.

Simple Ingredients for Making Fudge Frosting

fudge frosting ingredients

You only need five ingredients to make this delicious icing: butter, sugar cocoa powder (I used Divine Cocoa.), milk and vanilla.

How to Make Fudge Frosting

Start by melting the butter in a saucepan on your stove.

melting butter

Next, turn off the heat and add the cocoa powder to the melted butter and whisk them until they are completely combined.

cocoa powder added to melted butter

Your mixture will resemble thick, chocolate paste. Use a *spatula to scrape the mixture into a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer.

chocolate paste in mixing bowl

To the chocolate paste, add the milk, vanilla and powdered sugar. (Start with only 1/2 cup milk. Mix it all together and then decide if you need more. If you think you do, add a Tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.)

powdered sugar, milk and vanilla added to mixing bowl

If you’re mixing this by hand, I recommend adding only half the powdered sugar to begin with. Mix that thoroughly and then mix in the rest. The preferred method would certainly be a stand mixer with a splatter guard, or like mine, a lid to keep powdered sugar from creating a cloud in your kitchen.

I pour everything in the bowl of my stand mixer and beat it together until it’s completely blended and creamy, fudgy frosting is the result.

Perfection! Frosting will be thick, but seem looser than you might expect.  (See how it still drips from the beaters in long thick strands?) You can add more powdered sugar to get your desired consistency, but this frosting will get firmer as it sits in the fridge, so resist the urge to add more than you need.  The pictures above are a good gauge of the consistency we like; and it gets quite firm and solid, like fudge, as it sets up. Spread the frosting over your cake and put the whole thing in the fridge for about 30 minutes. You’ll be delighted with the fudgy results! I promise.

fudge frosting on cake
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fudge frosting

Fudge Frosting


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  • Author: Glenda Embree
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x

Description

This recipe makes enough icing to make a generous layer over a 9×13 cake, if you’re leaving it in the pan.  If you plan to make a layer cake, I would recommend making a double batch.


Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups cocoa
  • 2 lbs powdered sugar
  • 2/31 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a 3 quart saucepan.
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Add the cocoa powder to melted butter and stir to form a thick paste.
  4. You can transfer the cocoa/butter mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer if you don’t own a hand mixer.  I actually use my hand mixer and do it all in the same 3 quart sauce pan.
  5. Add milk, vanilla and powdered sugar. (Start with only 2/3 cup milk. Mix it all together and then decide if you need more . If you think you do, add a Tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.)
  6. Beat with your mixer until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  7. The frosting will be thick.  But you do want it spreadable.  You can add more powdered sugar or extra milk to get your desired consistency, keeping in mind that this frosting will get firmer as it sits in the fridge.  Resist the urge to add more than you need.  Start with a teaspoon at a time of extra milk to thin it or a Tablespoon at a time of powdered sugar.  A little will go a long way.  The pictures above are a good gauge of the consistency we like.
  8. Spread frosting over a 9×13 cake and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Frosting, Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Check out these other fabulous #Choctoberfest recipes, from my chocolate-inspired blogging friends, too. You’re gonna love them!

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glenda embree

About Glenda

I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...

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