I have been watching a lot of Ina Garten’s show, Barefoot Contessa, on the Food Network lately.  She makes really good, simple food, and I love her kitchen! It’s lovely.  I was salivating when she made a birthday cake on her show the other day, and knew I had to try it.  Well, the icing, anyway. It was perfect, so I had to share it with you.  No powdered sugar involved!

(If you want to be really authentically like Ina when you’re making it, make sure you wear a button-up shirt and pop the collar up.  It seems to help Ina cook better.  😉 )

 

 

 

Favorite Chocolate Frosting

By Ina Garten

• 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips  (if you’re not a fan of semi-sweet, try milk chocolate chips)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Ina & I agree that one should only use REAL vanilla extract)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature (very important that it be room temp)

Method:

First,  place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of gently simmering (not boiling) water, stirring, until the chips are completely melted.  The more you stir, the shinier the icing will be.  Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it’s thickened.  Spread on a completely cooled cake.  This made enough icing to cover the 9×13″ sheet cake I made with 3/4  inch of icing.

(disclaimer about the pictures, below: They were all taken with my iPhone, as my camera was with my son and the cake was going to be finished off before I got it back, so I had to hurry. They give you the idea, anyway!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ina had the idea of decorating the top of the sheet cake with cut-out and decorated cookies.  It was very cute. She also suggested using M&Ms to decorate with.  However, I’d probably keep it traditional and use the candles, personally, as this frosting is so very rich that the idea of M&Ms added to it doesn’t sound great to me.  Make it your own, though!  Have any other ideas?  Tell me in the comments,  below.  🙂

 

 

(Chocolate Sign pic above by Victoria Pickering on Flickr. Love it!)