When I shared my Paleo Birthday Cake recipe with y’all a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had also created a Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. So many of you asked for that recipe that I had to oblige! This 2-ingredient Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe is amazing in many ways. First, and foremost, it tastes incredible. Second, it is super easy to make. Finally, because it’s made with 77% dark chocolate, it is very low in sugar.
This Paleo chocolate frosting is very ganache-like in that it can harden quickly when it cools off. If you are finding it challenging to work with, simply heat it very gently and re-blend. If your frosting mixture does not soften at all, it means your chocolate has “seized.” Dark chocolate seizes when it is heated to temperatures above 118 degrees. At that point it goes from a gorgeous shiny velvet texture to a dull clumpy rock-like mess. I don’t think chocolate is salvageable once it seizes. If you know otherwise please leave a comment and tell us your trick!
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
- 6 ounces chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring constantly
- Place mixture in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to chill
- Remove from refrigerator and whip with a hand blender until thick and fluffy
- Frost over Paleo Birthday Cake
I used 77% dark chocolate for this recipe from an incredible local company called Chocolove, but I’ve linked to a different product in the recipe above to give you another option. If you decide to substitute a lighter or darker chocolate this frosting recipe may fail as you will be altering the ratio of fat to sugar. Although seemingly insignificant this change will require steps to adapt to a new, and substantially different ingredient. If you do swap ingredients please leave a comment to let us know how your substitution goes.
I photographed this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe on top of my Paleo Marble Cupcakes. These cupcakes are made with butter and maple syrup so the vanilla part looks a bit dark. If you’d like me to share this Paleo cupcake recipe let me know and I’d be happy to do so in the next few weeks.
If you are using this frosting to spread over my Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes one batch will be sufficient. If you’re making it for Paleo Birthday Cake you’ll need a double batch of Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. And by the way, my Paleo Birthday Cake recipe is not just a gluten-free, grain-free dessert, it is also nut-free! I have hundreds of nut-free recipes, for those of you with nut-allergies.
Emma says
Would love to see the marble cupcake recipe too!
Debbie Hill says
Hi Elana my granddaughter has gluten allergies. And we recently found our she I
Also has cids. We are having a very hard time finding gluten free sugar free recipes she can eat. She has lost eleven pounds in one month. She is only nine years old. My daughter is working with a nutrition ist but so far we are not having much luck, she’s still having stomach aches. And still losing weight. Can you help?
Michelle monk says
Hey Debbie, you should consider having your granddaughter see a naturopathic doctor. Not just a nutritionist.
More specifically though, I suggest she go on the intense elimination diet that I’m on, link below, possibly mixed with other elimination diet items like no chicken eggs. specifically though, i have felt like gluten free was not enough for me for quite some time. Now I know that its because i dont tolerate tapioca, potato, garbanzo bean, sweet potato, coconut flours, (and nut flours) which are in all all purpose gluten free flours. I have lyme disease and the disease has triggered my body to have latex fruit allergy syndrome. If anything I think it’s a nice, hypoallergenic diet to follow that allows the body to rest for awhile.
http://michellebeetslyme.blogspot.com/2015/08/latex-fruit-syndrome-part-2-yesno-foods.html?m=1
And Elana, I as well love your blog and all your recipes. Thanks for doing what you do.
Debbie says
Thanks I’ll check it out.
Elana says
Hi Debbie, so sorry to hear about your granddaughter. I like the ideas stated above, i.e., naturopathic doctor and elimination diet. I also recommend a functional medicine doctor. I wish you and yours all the best, I know how difficult this is!
Monica says
Thank you thank you, Elana!!
Do you have a link to the butter you used?
I will definitely add this to my Paleo recipes.
xoxoxo
Elana says
Hi Monica, I used Organic Valley salted butter in this recipe. I’ve linked to the exact product above :-)
Dorinda says
This looks great !! I will have to try it. I am wondering would this work with Coco-butter as well for a vanilla favor?
Laura Beth says
This looks delicious! I have a birthday for a family member coming up and I’m going to give it a try. Heading over to check out the Paleo birthday cake :)
Thank you!
Laura Beth
Sarah Egar says
I made your delicious birthday cake last weekend, it came out perfectly and was amazing! You are an inspiration ( I have been following you for years ) and I appreciate all it takes to deliver a perfect recipe for all to enjoy!
Amber Petiprin says
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes, stories, and resources, Elena. I’d love to try your Paleo Marble Cupcake recipe. They look delicious.
Ann T. Sheedy says
I love your cookbooks and your reciepts and all the work you have done for us who try to follow the gluten free diet—-thank you
Tabitha Larcom says
This looks great! I have a birthday coming up in October and would love to see the recipe for the paleo marbled cupcakes! Is this recipe in your paleo cookbook, because I do have the book.
Elana says
Hi Tabitha, thanks for your comment! The Marble Cupcake recipe is not in my latest book Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry. Hope you are enjoying the book :-)
James Makinen says
I know your birthday is over but I just wanted to say that you deserve everything you wish for always and forever!
Laurie Pevnick says
How about using coconut oil instead of butter?
Elana says
Hi Laurie, here’s a link to my Paleo Chocolate Frosting recipe it’s dairy-free and made with only 3 ingredients –chocolate, coconut oil, and vanilla :-)
QueenJellyBean says
Elana, its so sweet to see you replying posts. Thanks for helping ‘your people’ work through your lovely recipes.