This rich and shiny chocolate fudge frosting is just like hot fudge sauce in frosting form! It's easy to make in under 10 minutes without a mixer and is perfect piped on cupcakes, spread on cake layers, slathered on brownies, and more.
This decadent chocolate fudge frosting is rich, thick, chocolatey, and super glossy! It's made without a mixer and is perfect on layer cakes, cookies, brownies, or piped on chocolate fudge cupcakes.
Lots of recipes for fudge frosting you'll find are just chocolate American buttercream, but this frosting is made of REAL fudge! It's made the same way as hot fudge sauce but thickens into a beautiful, thick and shiny frosting as it cools.
For more chocolate frosting recipes, try whipped chocolate ganache, chocolate mascarpone frosting, Nutella frosting, and chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Real fudge frosting- This luscious, smooth chocolate fudge frosting is made by melting down powdered sugar, butter, chocolate, and sweetened condensed milk, which is the same way you make old-fashioned chocolate fudge! It's not your typical chocolate buttercream or ganache.
- Rich chocolate flavor- This recipe is made with chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder, making the chocolate flavor extra rich, fudgy, and indulgent.
- Easy recipe- You don't need a candy thermometer or even a mixer to make this frosting! It comes together in 10 minutes and has a beautifully pipeable consistency.
Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about some of the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Powdered sugar- I used powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar because it isn't grainy or gritty when it melts into the other ingredients.
- Unsalted butter- Butter makes the frosting shiny and rich. Use unsalted butter so the frosting doesn't end up too salty.
- Chocolate chips- I recommend semi-sweet or even dark chocolate chips so the frosting isn't too sweet. A chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar or melting wafers work too.
- Sweetened condensed milk- Sweetened condensed milk makes this chocolate fudge frosting super creamy with a pipeable consistency.
- Vanilla extract- Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor!
Ingredient Additions
- Flavor variations: You can add different extracts, like orange, almond, or maple, to customize the flavor. I recommend adding just ยผ teaspoon at first and adjusting to taste. Espresso powder is a great addition too!
- Add nuts: Once the frosting has cooled, you can fold in a handful of chopped nuts. I recommend pecans, walnuts, or pistachios.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: First, add all of the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Melt everything together over medium heat, stirring as the ingredients come together.
Step 2: Once the ingredients are fully cooked down and combined, transfer the hot fudge to a shallow bowl so it can cool down faster. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until it reaches room temperature.
Step 3: After 30 minutes or so, remove the plastic wrap and give the frosting a good mix. It should have a thick, flexible yet sturdy consistency. The longer you refrigerate the frosting, the firmer it'll get. It crusts as it cools.
Step 4: Use your frosting on cakes, cupcakes, and more! I used a piping bag fitted with the Wilton 1M piping tip to decorate chocolate cupcakes.
Expert Tips
- Use high quality ingredients for the best results. Use the best chocolate chips and butter you can find! Ghirardelli and Kerrygold are two of my favorite brands.
- Use a non-stick pan. As you can imagine, fudge is pretty sticky! Use a non-stick pan for easy cleanup.
- Don't overcook the frosting. Make sure the chocolate mixture gently melts. Don't let it get to a simmer or boil because it might burn!
- Stir constantly. Make sure to gently stir the chocolate mixture frequently as it melts so it doesn't harden or clump up in the pan.
How to Use Fudge Frosting
- Fill a piping bag with frosting and pipe on top of chocolate fudge cupcakes, chocolate banana cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes, or vanilla cupcakes.
- Slather it on a pan of white chocolate chip brownies, bourbon fudge brownies, or olive oil brownies.
- Use it to frost a classic red velvet cake, truffle chocolate cake, or small vanilla cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes enough to pipe on 12-24 cupcakes or frost a 9X13-inch sheet cake. It's plenty for an 8X8 or 9X9-inch snack cake or pan of brownies. I recommend doubling the recipe if you plan on using it for a layer cake, but it's enough for a small 2-layer 6-inch cake.
If your frosting is runny, it probably just needs some more time to cool! It may need more than 30 minutes in the refrigerator depending on how hot your kitchen is. If you pour the frosting in a deep bowl instead of a shallow one, it'll need more cooling time too.
If your frosting turns out grainy, it's probably because the heat was too high while melting the chocolate. High heat can make the chocolate seize, which results in a lumpy, grainy texture. Oil might start to separate from the chocolate too. If your chocolate seized, it's best to start over and keep the heat on a lower setting.
The longer you cool the fudge, the firmer and more fudgy it will get. To return it to a soft and pipeable consistency, microwave it at 10 second intervals, stirring between each until the desired consistency is reached.
More Frosting Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Easy Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 200 grams powdered sugar
- 198 grams unsalted butter ยฝ cup + 6 tbsp
- 250 grams chocolate chips semi-sweet
- 396 grams sweetened condensed milk 1 14oz can
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the powdered sugar, butter, chocolate chips, condensed milk, and vanilla to a medium sauce pan. Melt the ingredients together over medium heat stirring occasionally.200 grams powdered sugar, 198 grams unsalted butter, 250 grams chocolate chips, 396 grams sweetened condensed milk, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once fully melted and combined, transfer the fudge to a shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the frosting and let cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Remove the plastic wrap and give the frosting a good mix. It should have a thick, flexible yet sturdy consistency.
- Spread the frosting on cakes, pipe on cupcakes, or slather on brownies. Enjoy!
Kelly
I liked the flavor but maybe should have sifted my powdered sugar. I have small hard pieces of sugar in my smooth frosting. I hope it doesn't stand out when piped on cupcakes and eaten. I slowly melted all ingredients but couldn't get remaining sugar to dissolve.