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.
Whitney says
I used salted kerrygold and dark chocolate morsels (Enjoy Life red bag) that are 69% cacao and the recipe worked great as is. My kids and I added some peppermint extract for fun and a couple drops of glycerite stevia to bring it up from bitter for them.
Thank you!
Elana says
Whitney, so glad you and your children enjoyed this!
brite says
This might be obvious, but does this frosting on your chocolate cake need to be refrigerated?
Elana says
Brite, thanks for your question. I spread it on the cake when it is soft and at room temperature, then store the frosted cake in the fridge :-)
Bill says
Your photo looks alot like Sandra Bullock.
Elana says
Thanks Bill :-)
Abbey says
Exactly what I was thinking!
Frances Cromwell says
Yes please post the paleo marble cupcake recipe!
Ana Robin says
I made this recipe with 72% dark chocolate, as that was all I had in my pantry. I added an additional 1/4 cup of butter to make it the right consistency. It turned out lovely!
Elana says
Hi Ana, so glad you enjoyed the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting!
Terri says
For anyone with celiac ,do not use Chocolove chocolate bars. They state on their package if may contain wheat. Don’t risk it.
Michele says
I am making this frosting this saturday to go with your chocolate cake, but don’t have a hand mixer… Do you know if a kitchen aid mixer or food processor would work as well??
Elana says
Hi Michele, I don’t own a stand mixer, and haven’t made this in my food processor so I don’t know if that would work. If you experiment I hope you’ll let us know how it goes.
Sandra says
Hi Elana – I look forward to trying this frosting with the paleo birthday cake recipe. But I am concerned about the endorsement for Chocolove chocolate. There are other chocolates that are certified gluten free which would make a better recommendation for your followers. Apparently Chocolove even has pretzels in some of their chocolate bars!
jane says
Love the new gluten-free almond flour cookbook. My problem is that I cannot have agave or honey. Because of dietary restrictions, I can have just plain raw sugar in small quantities.. Can I substitute sugar for the agave in these recipes? Thanks.
Elana says
Hi Jane, so glad you like the cookbook! I haven’t cooked with sugar in over a decade so I’m afraid I don’t know what the conversions would be for it. If you do figure it out I hope you’ll stop back by and let us all know. There are so many people with so many different dietary dilemmas and the more we all help each other the healthier we’ll all be!
Kathryn Sellers says
I would LOVE the Paleo Marble Cupcakes recipe! Please share! I LOVE LOVE all of your recipes…as do my friends.
Kathryn S