Best Chocolate American Butter Cream Icing (Crusting)

Best Chocolate American Butter Cream Icing (Crusting)

This chocolate butter cream is absolutely lush and has a nice, rich brown color. It crusts well, so you can use the Viva method to smooth it. It also pipes beautifully. By far my favorite recipe for chocolate ABC when it comes to taste. Recipe doubles and triples well!

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 6 to 8 ounces unsweetened, bittersweet, or semi-sweet chocolate (or any combination)
• 2 tablespoons clear Karo (corn syrup)
• 16 ounces powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 3 or 4 tablespoons milk (skim, light, full, or heavy whipping cream) (I often use 3 skim and 1 heavy cream)

Directions
1. Cream butter on high.
2. While butter is creaming, slowly melt chocolate. When it cools a bit, add corn syrup.
3. Add chocolate mixture to whipped butter; mix well.
4. Add milk and sugar, alternately, while mixing on medium speed, until all is added and mixed well.
5. Avoid mixing on high to prevent air bubbles.
6. Add heavy whipping cream if richer or fluffier (lighter consistency) icing is desired.

Sky blue food color will give you a darker brown, if necessary. Yellow and red (after a bit of blue) will also change hues from cooler to warmer shades of brown.

This icing is fantastic as a filling, as a “smooth” icing, and for piping.

Here’s a cake that was filled and decorated with this icing:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=227259250644882&set=a.347662088604597.71128.159912697379538&type=3&theater

Good luck!