Runny frosting. Again.

[Night Elf]

What did I do wrong with this recipe for chocolate frosting?

 

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup cocoa powder

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

I ended up adding another cup of powdered sugar to the recipe trying to thicken it up but it didn't work. I didn't know how much more I needed to add. I put it in the refrigerator and let it get cold and it was easier to put on the cupcakes but I have to leave the cupcakes in the refrigerator because the frosting is runny at room temperature. Is it too much milk? Surely I'm not really supposed to add 5-6 cups powdered sugar. That seems crazy.

 

So now I'm about to try a new recipe. Does this look right, or should I alter it? The only other frosting I've made is a cream cheese frosting that turns out runny too. I think I'm a frosting failure.

 

This recipe is for a white chocolate frosting and I worry it's too much wet ingredients.

 

1 cup butter

4 cups powdered sugar

4 oz. melted white chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

It says to fluff up butter by mixing, then add 1 cup powdered sugar. Then add in melted chocolate and vanilla. Then remaining powdered sugar.

[Farrar]

That looks like way too much milk to me.

 

I don't usually use a recipe. I often make cream cheese frosting because I usually have some on hand and it comes out reliably good - as in, I think of it as a foolproof recipe - just add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and a dash of vanilla and blend until it seems about right.

 

Your second recipe is radically different - you're worried it's too many "wet" ingredients, but there are no liquids at all. All of those things will firm up. I mean, make sure the chocolate doesn't melt the butter if you try it - that's the only pitfall I can see there. Once butter is melted, it can't do it's firm thing.

[wonderchica]

Was your butter too warm? It won't work if it's melty at all. Did you alternate adding sugar and milk or just dump all the milk in at the end? Alternating is best. 5-6 cups of powdered sugar really isn't too much, especially if your recipe if supposed to make enough to frost a cake or 24 cupcakes.

Edited July 3, 2017 by wonderchica

[tdbates78]

I always add the wet ingredients, which would be the milk in your first recipe, slowly. Often you don't need nearly as much as the recipe suggests. I would either add a tablespoon at a time, or pour it in slowly, until you reach your desired consistency. And you don't want melted butter unless it specifically asks for it. You want it at room temp.

Edited July 3, 2017 by tdbates78

[SebastianCat]

I would add the milk in the 1st recipe only 1 tablespoon at a time, and make sure your butter is softened, not melted.   You could use Crisco (or butter flavored Crisco) instead of butter, which would hold its texture a bit better.   Also, be careful not to add more vanilla than exactly what's called for.   Sometimes, when I bake, I pour my vanilla into a measuring spoon very sloppily and don't worry if a bit spills over, but too much vanilla can also make frosting runny.

[Guest]

Exactly. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, because they frosting will need more or less depending on the humidity or even the conditions the butter or sugar were stored at. Way too much milk just almost anywhere but a desert with frozen butter.

[AmandaVT]

I always start with sodtened butter. Mix mix mix until it's fluffy. Add in vanilla and sift in about half of sugar/cocoa. Then drizzle in milk (cold leftover coffee is great in chocolate frostings and I use that instead of milk) just a teaspoon or so at a time until the consistency looks right. 

 

 

[bettyandbob]

Echoing everyone else. I think it's the milk.

I usually only have a couple of tablespoons of milk.

[Night Elf]

For the second recipe, I figured the whole cup of butter and 4 oz. of melted chocolate chips would be too wet for only 4 cups of powdered sugar. That's what I meant by wet ingredients. I soften my butter in the microwave but it's never melted. 

I just want light fluffy frosting that will sit on the cupcake without going down its sides. I've never had frosting turn out the way I see it on cupcakes/cakes I see in the stores or a bakery.

[CinV]

You shouldn't put the butter in the microwave. Soften it by letting it sit out for a while, cut up into smaller pieces.

[AmandaVT]

For the second recipe, I figured the whole cup of butter and 4 oz. of melted chocolate chips would be too wet for only 4 cups of powdered sugar. That's what I meant by wet ingredients. I soften my butter in the microwave but it's never melted. 

I just want light fluffy frosting that will sit on the cupcake without going down its sides. I've never had frosting turn out the way I see it on cupcakes/cakes I see in the stores or a bakery.

 

For the second recipe, think about what the ingredients will do when they get back to room temp. They'll both firm up again. 

 

Here's a video that's pretty close to how I make frosting (I don't measure though, I eyeball) 

 

 

(also, I've microwaved butter and it works fine)

[catz]

Just add milk until it's the desired consistency and never melt your butter.  If you don't have time to soften fully try the microwave for maybe 10 seconds for a full stick.

Edited July 3, 2017 by WoolySocks

[JFSinIL]

My dd the pastry chef says double the butter and only add milk one T at a time. 1/3 cup may be too much. Honestly, her cupcakes look great all the time, the icing comes out in swirls etc (she uses fancy tips) and holds shape w/o refrigeration.  Secret is lots of butter and scant milk. 

Edited July 3, 2017 by JFSinIL

[solascriptura]

The recipe has way too much milk. Just to be sure, are you cooling the cupcakes completely before frosting them? If they're warm even a bit it will cause the frosting to soften and slide down.

[theelfqueen]

Add your milk a TBSP at a time and STOP when the consistency is right.

 

[Annie G]

Agree that the first has too much milk. And I think it needs more butter because of the amount of cocoa.  But that's just me.  Most recipes like that state that you add milk as needed to get the consistency you want, up to 1/3 cup. But I usually only use a tablespoon or two. 

 

The second recipe will firm up after it's made, and you can help that along by putting it in the fridge. You can set a timer and take it out and rewhip it after 15 minutes in the fridge, and again at 30 minutes. 

 

 

[Tanaqui]

Way too much milk. You should be adding it a tablespoon at a time, and stopping when you have your ideal consistency.

 

I've never had frosting turn out the way I see it on cupcakes/cakes I see in the stores or a bakery.

 

They don't use buttercream frostings at all. They use shelf-stable shortening, don't they?

 

[wonderchica]

Way too much milk. You should be adding it a tablespoon at a time, and stopping when you have your ideal consistency.

 

 

They don't use buttercream frostings at all. They use shelf-stable shortening, don't they?

Grocery stores are mostly shortening based. Bakeries will vary but likely most are using some version of buttercream. Maybe buttercream with some shortening mixed in, but not that awful canned grocery store stuff at WalMart.

[theelfqueen]

I do buttercream with both butter and crisco... it is better texture.

I don't really eat frosting, though everyone says it's really good.

This is the recipe I use most for chocolate:

http://www.wilton.com/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/WLRECIP-42.html

 

[tdbates78]

I'm not a huge fan of buttercream with crisco. I use this recipe for vanilla frosting from Magnolia Bakery and it works like a charm every time

 

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11467-magnolia-bakerys-buttercream-vanilla-icing

[Mergath]

That's a lot of milk. Are you sure it was a frosting recipe and not an icing recipe?