Have you been dreaming about baking a decadent chocolate cake or fudgy cookies? Pick up TCHO cocoa powder and double down with rich chocolate icing! We’ll show you how to make chocolate icing at home with a few simple steps and a short list of ingredients. Sub some items and you can make it 100% plant-based. Follow our guide, and you’ll discover how perfect homemade icing is for your next dessert.
Chocolate Icing vs. Chocolate Frosting
Sometimes, you’ll hear chocolate icing and chocolate frosting used interchangeably. They both serve as decorative dessert toppings, but they’re two different treats. The main ingredient in icing is sugar, so it tastes irresistibly sweet. Frosting is mostly made up of butter or cream with a satisfying, buttery flavor.
How else are icings and frostings different? Icing is thinner and more translucent than frosting, but it’s not quite a glaze. It becomes thicker and smoother when it cools on a cake or cookie. Gooey, fluffy frosting stays put on your dessert and looks thick and opaque from the moment you put it on with a knife or spatula. You can’t go wrong with icing or frosting, but one may be better suited for your next recipe. Try frosting for layer cakes and cupcakes. Icing is the perfect companion for cookies of any size and shape. Chocolate icing is a fun alternative to vanilla icing on cinnamon rolls. It also makes a beautiful drizzle for a plant-based chocolate Bundt cake.
Browse All of Our Chocolate RecipesIngredients in Chocolate Icing
Now you know that sugar is what makes chocolate icing unique. To make your own chocolate icing in your kitchen, you will need the following ingredients:
Confectioners’ Sugar
Confectioners’ sugar is also known as powdered sugar. It’s important to use it instead of granulated sugar or brown sugar because it dissolves into your mixture without adding grittiness. If you don’t have time to get to the store, you can make it at home. Take granulated sugar from your pantry and pour it into a food processor. Blend until it becomes a fine, fluffy mixture.
Milk
Milk is what helps to give icing its thinner consistency. You can swap out dairy milk entirely by using a plant-based milk made from oats, almonds, coconut, hemp or soy, among others. Some recipes call for water instead of plant-based milk or dairy.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
With powdered sugar as the main ingredient, your cocoa doesn’t have to be sweet. We recommend an unsweetened and high-fat cocoa powder like our TCHO Super Powder as a delicious and natural addition to your rich and decadent chocolate icing.
Vanilla Extract
Pure vanilla extract adds depth of flavor to your chocolate icing. Avoid “imitation vanilla” and “vanilla essence.” Some of the tastiest vanilla extracts include Tahitian vanilla or Madagascar vanilla.
It’s really that simple to make chocolate icing at home! Take time to choose quality ingredients, and your icing will taste out of this world. Create frosting instead of icing by adding cream or butter.
Steps to Make Chocolate Icing
It takes just a moment to make icing. Whip it up while you’re waiting for your cake or cookies to cool. Find a medium bowl and a big wooden spoon. Grab your simple list of ingredients, and you’re ready to begin!
In a medium bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. Slowly add milk or water until you reach your ideal consistency. Drizzle the icing over your cake or place it in a piping bag for decorating.
Making Delicious, Decadent Chocolate Icing
If you’re searching for a delicious, simple chocolate icing for your next recipe, look no further. With our rich and tasty TCHO Super Powder and a few more ingredients, you can make unforgettable icing for your favorite desserts and treats. Pick up our Super Powder with our other TCHO baking essentials, like our vegan chocolate discs for baking. We even have roasted cacao nibs and rich, fudgy drinking chocolate.
Serve up your chocolate icing treat, and you will get plenty of compliments. Should you have any dessert rolls or cookies left, be sure to follow our chocolate storage tips. Keeping your treats at the right temperature and out of extreme conditions will make them last longer. It will also keep your chocolate icing at the right consistency. Knowing how to make icing will elevate your baking game. It is also sure to impress whoever eats your snacks!