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READY IN 35 mins

Caroline's Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Read Reviews (236)

"A good fudgy frosting for cake or cupcakes." — Carrie Reynolds

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 1 cake or 2 dozen cupcakes Change Servings

1/2 cup butter
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 pound confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk

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Directions

Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave, or in the top of a double boiler. In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the milk. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture. Add remaining milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Let stand until spreadable (frosting will thicken as it cools).

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PREP 20 mins
COOK 15 mins
READY IN 35 mins

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I have been using this frosting recipe for almost 50 years! If you want a "bittersweet" frosting, leave off the vanilla. I do not add it anymore, and we like it better. Can easily add another square of chocolate for even fudgier frosting. I often halve the sugar & butter and use 2 sqs. of chocolate for 13X9 cakes. Save a lot of fat gms. and calories, and my husband never knows the difference. If you make a layer cake, you must use the full recipe. I usually need only 1/3 C milk for the right consistency. Whip the frosting on high for a couple of mins. to make it fluffier.

—P.Pedd.

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Oct 11, 2006

This recipe is very close to the recipe printed on the Baker's unsweetened chocolate box. The Baker's recipe calls for an extra square of chocolate (4 oz. total) and 1/3 cup milk. When I saw the comments from other reviewers that it wasn't enough chocolate and too much milk I just went with the Baker's recipe.

—Valerie's Kitchen

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278 Ratings

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Sep 18, 2008

Wow...what an incredibly beautiful frosting! Smooth, shiny, spreadable, decadently fudgey and creamy, this is without a doubt one of the best chocolate fudge frostings ever. I used 4 ounces of fine quality chocolate and 1/2 cup milk and it was simply perfect, ready to spread after standing about 5-10 minutes. My only suggestion would be that while this is adequate for a 13x9" cake, my 2-layer cake could easily have used another half recipe, even a double recipe if decorated.

—naples34102

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Nov 06, 2006

Oh my goodness! This was the most phenomenal chocolate frosting I have ever made. Its the first one I made, not using cocoa powder, and I will never go back. I had to make a birthday cake for someone who loves chocolate - oh my, this one requires a big glass of milk alongside. I actually doubled the recipe to make sure I had enough to frost a layer cake, and I ended up only adding the first amount of milk because I thought it appeared too thin. As it began to set, it was just perfect. Once I had the layers frosted, I thinned out a portion to use for piping and decorating, because I was afraid it wouldn't come through the tip, and it was perfect. This is now my chocolate frosting recipe. And anyone who said it wasn't sweet enough is just crazy.

—MRSMUTT

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Jun 26, 2003

Very good fudgy frosting, easy to make. But definitely have to WAIT for it to set before spreading or it will spread too much

—BETTYCREW

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Aug 31, 2006

This is the perfect chocolate frosting recipe. It is so flexible. I made a yellow sheet cake, and punched holes in the cake while it was hot. I made the frosting exactly as the recipe...using 1/2 cup of the milk. I then separated one cup of the frosting, added more milk for a thinner consistency, and poured this over the hot cake. The frosting ran in the holes. After the cake cooled, I frosted with the thicker frosting. It was HEAVEN SENT! Thank you for sharing the recipe Carrie.

—Pam S

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Jul 24, 2003

Overall, this recipe is very good, the frosting tasted wonderful on chocolate cake. The only bad thing I noticed was that it was a little bit thin and runny, even after it had cooled.

—ALLYRELLIA

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Feb 20, 2003

Oh, this is good! Much better than the buttercream frostings I hear referred to so often. I used a double dose of this recipe to frost my first cake ever, a 4-layer devil's food cake, and it turned out very well. Everyone that had a piece absolutely adored it. I loved the frosting, especially. Even when the cake itself became dry, the frosting was still moist and delicious.

—Nick

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Nutrition

Calories
258 kcal
13%

Carbohydrates
40.5 g
13%

Cholesterol
22 mg
7%

Fat
11.7 g
18%

Fiber
1.2 g
5%

Protein
1.5 g
3%

Sodium
63 mg
3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Caroline's Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 258
Calories from Fat: 105

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11.7g 18 %
Saturated Fat 7.3g 37 %
Cholesterol 22mg 7 %
Sodium 63mg 3 %
Potassium 84mg 2 %
Total Carbohydrates 40.5g 13 %
Dietary Fiber 1.2g 5 %
Protein 1.5g 3 %
Sugars 37.8g
Vitamin A 5 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 3 %
Iron 12 %
Thiamin 1 %
Niacin 3 %
Vitamin B6 < 1 %
Magnesium 9 %
Folate 2 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.