Chocolate Raspberry Frosting

I am about to tell you a secret that equivocates to treason in blogger bakingdom.

Seriously.  Don't throw rocks at me.


It is this:

I am a big believer in box cake mixes.  

(This is where I need a large black grandma to be like  "Oh No, she Dit-n't!)

 currently taking auditions for that part if you'd like to volunteer

Oh yes I did.

Let me explain. 

Except for specialties like coconut or carrot, box mixes are usually just as good as homemade and take about 1/8 the effort. In my opinion, it's really the frosting that makes that much of a taste difference.

Not to be a snob, but this is why canned frosting in my house just doesn't happen.  Homemade frosting typically takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and tastes a million times better.  It's kind of like a disguise for a cake mix.  Like the opposite of when Lindsay Lohan dresses up as a zombie for Halloween in Mean Girls.  Please tell me you remember that part.


I developed this recipe based on my favorite chocolate buttercream frosting by Williams Sonoma.  This chocolate raspberry version is really great on a plain old Duncan Hines chocolate cake.  It adds just enough raspberry and goes great with a glass of milk.

The candy oil can be found at baking stores or craft stores like Hobby Lobby.


A tip for using the LorAnn candy oils-  The bottles are hard to pour from. They will drip all over the place as you pour.  Just a drop or two makes a BIG difference in taste, so when you are pouring your oil into measuring spoons- do it over the sink and NOT over your recipe.  The last thing you want is to overwhelm your recipe with excess candy oil.  Not that I have experience in that area or anything.

(Seriously it's nasty... it will give you aversions for years)

If you're *really* smart you might want to use a dropper to measure the oil into your measuring spoon so you don't waste any. 

This recipe makes a LOT, so half it unless you are making a HUGE cake or want to decorate with huge swirls on 24 cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I just use a box of the Baker's unsweetened chocolate and snap each square in half)
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 6 Tbs. milk, plus more, if needed
• 1/2 tsp. raspberry candy flavoring oil (I used LorAnn brand)
• pinch salt

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely smooth.  It will probably take 3 minutes or so.  Do not overheat.  (You can also melt your chocolate over a double-boiler if desired.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, the 6 Tbsp. milk, 1/2 tsp raspberry oil, and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.

Using a clean spoon taste test some of the frosting.  If you'd like a stronger raspberry flavor add just a couple drops more.  You don't want the raspberry to overwhelm the chocolate so settle for less than you think you need.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.