Seasonal Ontario Food

This recipe came from Epicurious. I did find that I needed to add more milk than called for in the recipe, but other than that it combined the flavours of chocolate and whipped cream to very good effect. This is not the icing for a cake when you think there will be leftovers, but if you expect that the wolves will fall upon your cake and dispatch it with speed and efficiency, give this a try. It has a light, creamy flavour lacking in most frostings and is not excessively sweet as many icings can be, although - alas - I'm pretty sure it has all the usual calories and more.

Makes enough for the outside of an 8" or 9" layer cake
20 minutes prep time - plus 1 to 4 hours chilling


1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8th teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

2 cups whipping cream

Sift the icing sugar, cocoa and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk, until you have achieved a smooth flowing mixture, about the texture of mayonnaise. Cover and chill thoroughly, about 1 hour (or up to 4 hours).

Shortly before you wish to serve the cake, gradually beat the cream into the chocolate mixture. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Use at once to frost your cake. It can be then kept in the fridge for half an hour or so.

I don't think this would do well as a middle layer in a cake, as it is quite soft, and as already noted, I can't imagine that it would keep at all well.






Last year at this time I made Pasta Salad with Tomato, Zucchini & Corn, and Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Salad.