Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

I am so excited to share that I made a new icing - and I can mark this one off my things-to-do before the end of the year list! I made chocolate butter cream icing, using a recipe from Baked Bree (a new favorite website for fun recipes). The texture was perfect for spreading and it actually tasted pretty good. And it’s so easy that I feel comfortable enough to make adjustments to the recipe so it lighter, less sweet and more. So fun!
And I also came to the realization that I can make amazing icing using my KitchenAid mixer. Last time I used it to make icing, it came out grainy and it did not spread well. The worst part is that I was making my standard cream cheese icing, which is super easy to make. A few ago, I bought the KitchenAid flex edge beater and so far, it has proved to be completely worth the $40 I spent on it (this was not a smart purchase; I realized I could buy this at Target for $30 afterwards – arg). At least I know I’ll be using it a lot!

Here’s the recipe for chocolate butter cream.

2 sticks of room temperature butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

Cream together the butter and sugar. Gradually add the cocoa powder. Add just enough cream to get the consistency for spreading (I used 2 tbs). Add the vanilla.
Try it, and let me know what you think!