No-fail chocolate frosting
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This smooth, creamy, chocolate frosting is easy to make, with none of the potential pitfalls of fussy European buttercreams. It’s perfect for kids and adults, but if you want a super kid-friendly, milk chocolate version, substitute natural cocoa powder for the Dutch-processed in this recipe.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave or the top of a double boiler on the stove over low heat and let it cool slightly. Set aside.
Sift 4 cups of the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. (Don’t skip sifting. I want to skip sifting any chance I can, but this is not the place for that. You’ll end up with little lumps in your frosting. Trust me on this.)
Combine the butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy and no solid bits of butter remain (the time will vary depending on how warm your kitchen is and how soft your butter), scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle with a spatula as needed.
Turn off the mixer, add the sugar and cocoa powder, and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened enough so they won’t fly out of the bowl. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle, and add the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat on medium for about 1 minute, until light and creamy, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle.
Add the sour cream and beat just to combine. (If your frosting isn’t stiff enough to pipe or you want it sweeter, sift in the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar and beat just to combine.) Use immediately or, if you want a more structured frosting, refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before using. (If you refrigerate the frosting so long that it stiffens, let it soften at room temperature and whisk by hand to fluff it up.)
