Real Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting - Only 2 Ingredients

Easy chocolate whipped cream frosting made with only real chocolate and cream. It's delicious, rich and pipeable. Perfectly stabilized for cupcakes, layered cakes, cake rolls and desserts.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe is So Good!
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Why Use Couverture Chocolate in Whipped Cream Frosting Instead of Chocolate Chips
• Chocolate Callets Vs. Chips
• Why Is My Frosting Not Firming Up?
• Tips for the Best Chocolate Whipped Cream
• How to Adapt Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
• How to Store Chocolate Frosting
• Step By Step
• Recipe

This chocolate whipped cream is my go-to frosting for cupcakes and cakes. Mainly because it is absolutely rich and decadent, and surprisingly easy to put together with only 2 ingredients! Many chocolate whipped cream frostings are made with cocoa powder and sugar but I prefer using real chocolate because it is so much richer and complex. Even if your cupcake or cake base is super simple, this delicious and creamy frosting will bring your dessert or boxed cake mix to the next level. Structurally, it's very stable so it can be used between cake layers and Swiss rolls like this Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll without deflating.

Why This Recipe is So Good!

• Real Chocolate-y with a nice finish. Doesn't use cocoa powder or powdered sugar that can sometimes leave an unappetizing aftertaste.
• Easy to make with simple steps.
• Only 2 ingredients needed.
• Pipeable frosting that can be used to decorate cupcakes and cakes.
• Sturdy filling for layered cakes & cake rolls without need for stabilization.
• Adaptable for use with liqueurs and other flavors.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream has a milk fat content between 35-38%, this will be denoted on the carton with something like "M.F. 36%". Heavy cream can usually be found in well-stocked grocery stores and gourmet grocers. If you cannot find heavy cream, it can be substituted with whipping cream which has a milk fat content between 30-35%. Even though they differ by only a few percent, heavy cream will produce a whipped cream that is extra stable compared to using whipping cream (but whipping cream will work just fine too). Heavy cream cannot be substituted with half&half or milk as they do not contain enough fat for the cream to remain stable. Make sure the cream has not been frozen prior to whipping.
• Semi-sweet or Bitter-sweet Chocolate Couverture Blocks or Callets  - Use either semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate depending on desired taste and appropriate flavor pairing. Read explanation below on what is couverture chocolate and why it is recommended over chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips can be used in this recipe but couverture is ideal.
• Optional: Vanilla Extract - Depending on your brand of chocolate, you can add vanilla extract according to your own tastes to round out the flavors. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon at a time to the melted chocolate cream mixture and taste as you go along. I don't add it to mine as I find it unnecessary with the ingredients I'm using.

Why Use Couverture Chocolate in Whipped Cream Frosting Instead of Chocolate Chips

Since chocolate is an integral component in the structure and taste of this simple 2-ingredient frosting, it's important to focus on using the best possible ingredients like couverture chocolate. Couverture Chocolate  is a higher class of chocolate containing a higher percentage of cocoa butter than compound eating chocolate, giving baked goods a more complex flavor and better texture. You can find good quality brands (ex. Callebaut, Valrhona, Guittard, Ghiradelli) at gourmet food shops or online. The brands at your local grocery store usually label this class of chocolate as "baking chocolate". Some brands may even have a distinction between semi-sweet and bitter-sweet with the former being a little bit sweeter. If the brand you are using does not have this distinction, it may simply be denoted by the term "dark chocolate."

Chocolate Callets Vs. Chips

Callets are small bits of chocolate that are made for melting into recipes while chips are chocolate bits formulated for folding into baked goods without melting. Chips are great for using in recipes like chocolate chip cookies because they continue to retain their shape in the finished cookie after its baked. However, they contain stabilizers that helps make this possible so it's best to use chocolate couverture callets (or blocks) in this recipe to maintain the integrity of the structure.

Why Is My Frosting Not Firming Up?

Whipped cream is reliant on very cold ingredients to whip up properly. Make sure the melted chocolate/cream mixture is cold and firm before whipping. Chilling time usually takes 1-2 hours. Chilling the beaters beforehand and putting the mixing bowl over a bed of ice while whipping will also help to keep things nice and cool during the whipping process. If you find that the mixture is not firming up, you can place the mixture back into the fridge to chill before whipping again. If it looks like it has started to separate, just re-melt it using the same cooking process and chill again before attempting again.

Also, check that you are using the right ingredients like heavy cream with 35%+ milk fat content (or whipping cream with at least 30% M.F.) and chocolate couverture or "baking chocolate".

Tips for the Best Chocolate Whipped Cream

• Chill melted chocolate/cream mixture sufficiently before whipping. It should be firm and cold after 1-2 hours in the fridge.
• Chill beaters beforehand and place the mixing bowl over a bed of ice to keep everything cold while whipping.
• Use the right ingredients: heavy cream with 35%+ M.F. (or whipping cream 30%+ M.F.) and chocolate couverture or baking chocolate.
• Whip the mixture on medium speed then quickly increase to high in order to build volume without heating the mixture up with friction.
• Be careful not to overwhip mixture as it can separate.
• Use frosting immediately to frost cakes or pipe onto cupcakes.
• For a soft fluffy texture, bring desserts topped with chocolate whipped cream back to room temperature before serving, about 10 minutes.

How to Adapt Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

This chocolate whipped cream frosting can be adapted with a little bit of experimentation in your home kitchen. There are several ways to do this:

• Extract - adding a few drops of extract is the easiest way to add flavor to this chocolate whipped cream. This method allows for the addition of more extract if a more potent flavor is desired. Add it into the melted/cream mixture and stir. Just add more extract to taste as you go along. Flavor ideas: almond, peppermint, vanilla, coffee, liqueurs.
• Cream infusion - infusing flavors into the cream is another way to change up the flavor. Be prepared to prepare this the night before. To use this method, you may need to heat up the cream with the new additive like tea leaves, coffee, etc. to bring out the flavors. Then you will need to allow time for the mixture to chill in the fridge, cold enough to be whip-able.
• Dry ingredients - folding chopped up dry ingredients into the whipped cream at the end can help boost the flavors without changing the consistency of the whipped frosting. Flavor ideas include: nuts, dried fruits, orange zests.

How to Store Chocolate Frosting

It's best to use this frosting immediately to assemble cakes and pipe onto cupcakes. It will become firmer once it is completely chilled, making it harder to transfer into piping bags and pipe into designs. If you do end up over-chilling the frosting, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature until it is a bit more pliable and then whip it up to a fluffy consistency again. Do not overwhip it. To store unused frosting, keep in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days for maximum freshness.

HEADS UP: Try the following recipe if you like a white vanilla version of a sturdy stabilized whipped cream or stabilized mascarpone whipped cream. For a richer and sweeter chocolate frosting try American buttercream with real chocolate.

Step By Step

In a heat-proof mixing bowl, place chocolate and cream. Bring a pot of water to a boil, hang bowl over top, be careful to not let the boiling water touch the bowl. Let the cream and chocolate warm up, stirring occasionally.

Once the chocolate is fully melted, remove it from the heat. If desired, add vanilla extract to taste.

Let cool on the counter and place a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge to chill along with the beaters. Around 1-2 hours.

Once the mixture is cold and firm, whip it on medium and quickly increasing to high. Once the chocolate cream is light and fluffy, use it immediately to assemble desserts or frost cupcakes.