I am trying to figure out what recipe will create the only chocolate frosting I like.
If you remember Sara Lee chocolate cake from the 80’s and earlier, THAT.
If you know Nemo cake, THAT.
It’s dark in appearance, but doesn’t taste “dark” (semisweet, I guess) It is not ganache, I know that for sure. It’s some kind of buttercream, I am 99% certain, but which, and how?
The taste is very rich, but the texture is very light and buttery (meaning it’s almost guaranteed not to be “american” buttercream: i.e. confectioners sugar and butter in some combination). The texture tells me it’s probably a Swiss meringue buttercream, especially since there is a marked difference between chilled/cool/warm (too warm and the frosting melts) but I can’t for the life of me figure out how to get that dark appearance and rich flavor. Most recipes end up being light in appearance and flavor, and when I try to just boost the chocolate, it ends up too “dark” in flavor. I don’t want it fudgy, thick or grainy, of course. Like satin…
So…unsweetened chocolate? Cocoa? A combo? Semisweet? bittersweet? Dutched? Swiss meringue, French? (whites vs. yolks) It’s maddening!
Do you know what I mean, and do you have a recipe?
(incidentally, Sara Lee evidently still makes that cake, but only for “food service” - damn shame. Also a shame they discontinued the chocolate pound cake, that stuff was amazing, especially slightly warmed with butter… sounds crazy until you consider the fact that frosting is butter, only with a boatload of sugar, so butter alone really isn’t that outrageous.)