This followed the same principles as Extra-Light Banana Chocolate Cup Cakes – using electric gadgetry to beat as much air as possible into the icing. It was also a first experiment in using melted chocolate in a cream cheese icing as opposed to the more common cocoa powder – a force of nature as I’d already bought the cream cheese then found myself with some half quantities of chocolate in need of a home. General consensus was it worked a treat.

I made a large batch when I did this one hence using the stand mixer worked well. I’ve given the quantities here for what I think should top about 12 individual cakes. I can’t vouch for how well the icing would freeze, no harm in trying though.

A couple of tips – don’t be tempted to use low fat cream cheese. Past experience of this seems to leave an icing that will never firm up. Also, have ample icing sugar to hand. The cheese & butter mixture has a habit of soaking this up like no tomorrow – if you want to pipe shapes with your icing you’ll need it quite stiff.

Half of this batch ended up with customised rice paper toppers – I’ve used them a couple of times and am a big fan. I got mine from topyourcake.co.uk – a great service with next day delivery option, fits through the letter box.

Serves: Enough for about 12-ish Individual Cakes

Ingredients

1. 20g chocolate – dark, milk or mix
2. 70g butter, at room temperature
3. 75g icing sugar
4. 10g cocoa powder
5. 70g full-fat cream cheese
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/extract

Equipment

1. Heat-proof bowl (to fit chocolate & butter for melting)
2. If possible, electric beaters & whisk or stand mixer: this is the key to a fluffier icing!

Method

1. Break the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl with 20g of the butter.
2. Melt over hot water, taking care to ensure no water gets in contact with the chocolate (this makes it take on a grainy texture from which there is no going back!). You can speed things up by ensuring everything is broken into small pieces & stirring regularly but if time is not of the essence, just leave for the steam to work its magic.
3. Allow to cool to room temperature (the butter will prevent the chocolate going hard).
4. Place the remaining butter in your stand mixer or mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
5. Add the cream cheese & beat again until smooth.
6. Add the vanilla essence & beat briefly.
7. Sieve the icing sugar & cocoa powder through a fine sieve. Skipping this step means you are far more likely to have little stubborn lumps of sugar which will never beat into the butter, no matter how good your kitchen gadget.
8. Slowly pour in the cooled chocolate mixture, beating continuously.
9. Add the icing sugar & cocoa powder one tablespoon at a time, beating thoroughly between each to ensure it is incorporated.
10. Keep adding icing sugar until the mixture reaches your desired consistency – firmer if you plan to pipe shapes, softer if you plan to place other decorations into the icing. Remember it will firm up once cool or if refridgerated.
11. Top your cakes as you wish – piping or simply using the flattest spoon you have/short-handled pallette knife.