Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

This whipped chocolate ganache frosting is decadent, smooth, and creamy. It only requires two ingredients and whips up in just a few minutes. Perfect for cakes, cookies, layered desserts, and even as a snack to eat by itself. This is a great alternative for those who prefer their frosting not too sweet.

Pair this frosting with our Chocolate Whoopie Pies.

Why We Love Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

I have noticed that, more often than not, most grown-ups and even children tend to leave out the frosting on birthday cakes. While butter and icing sugar make for the most visually stunning ‘insta-worthy’ visuals, they just get too sweet to enjoy.

But this ganache frosting feels creamy and smooth with just the right amount of sweetness. It comes together with just two ingredients: cream and chocolate, which are readily available in supermarkets. No dry icing sugar flying around, and no mess to clean. It is significantly cheaper than buying readymade frostings, which are often too sweet. The cream is lower in calories than butter, so that’s a plus as well.

Ganache frosting is versatile enough to pair with chocolate cakes, cupcakes, cookie sandwiches, whoopie pies, chocolate tarts, or even as a dipping sauce for fruits and stick biscuits.

What Is Chocolate Ganache?

Chocolate Ganache is a mixture made by warming chocolate and heavy cream. Here are some ways to use ganache.

Ways to use warm, unwipped ganache

Filling for chocolate tarts

Pour over chocolate cake as icing

Create a chocolate fondue platter featuring strawberries, banana pieces, pretzels, cake bites, assorted biscuits, cookies, wafer biscuits, and more.

Pour some into tall glasses and roll the glasses to form a chocolate coating inside. Then pour a vanilla milkshake.

For topping ice cream to make easy ice cream sundaes.

Use as a dipping sauce for churros.

Ways to use whipped ganache chocolate frosting

As a frosting for cupcakes

Frosting for a layered chocolate cake. Drips for cake decoration.

Use it as a filling for cookie sandwiches or whoopie pies.

Cool the ganache in the fridge, and roll it into chocolate truffles. A box of truffles rolled in some cocoa powder can be one of the most indulgent and easiest handmade gifts for a special occasion.

NOTE: Ratios for cream and chocolate vary depending on the type of chocolate and its intended use. I have used the ratio suitable for dark chocolate ganache frosting.

What ingredients are needed to make Whipped Ganache Frosting?

The best part about this frosting is a short list of just two ingredients – Cream and Chocolate

What cream is best suited for making whipped ganache frosting?

The following are the creams that are most commonly available

Fresh Cream – The fat content of this is between 25% and 30%, making it unsuitable for whipping. Fresh cream is suitable for coffee, soups, creamy gravies, and also as a topping for fruit salads. Not ideal for this recipe.

Whipping Cream: The fat content of whipping cream is between 30% and 35%, allowing it to be whipped into fluffy, airy whipped cream that is perfect as a topping for waffles, pancakes, and for dipping fruits like strawberries. Another lovely pairing is with jam and scones for an English High Tea. As you have guessed by now, whipping cream is light and airy, and may not hold its shape for too long. Not suitable for this recipe.

Heavy Cream (Thickened Cream): The fat content of heavy cream is more than 36%- 38%. It’s smooth and dense due to its fat content and can be whipped into a stable form. Heavy cream is perfect for making ganache.

Double Cream: With a fat content of about 48%, double cream is the richest in terms of flavor and mouthfeel. Due to its fat content, it is easily overwhipped and turned into butter. It is versatile enough to add to many recipes, including desserts like Trifle, etc. Not used for this recipe.

What chocolate can be used for making Ganache Chocolate Frosting?

Cooking chocolate is most suitable for the ganache. It can be purchased as bars or chocolate chips.

Chocolate Bars: The key fat ingredient in cooking chocolate bars is cocoa butter. This makes them easier to melt and smoother in texture. The downside is having to chop them up into small enough pieces before melting.

Chocolate Chips: These tend to have cocoa butter with other fats that have a higher melting point, as well as stabilizers. These fats and stabilizers help them retain their shape when baking. They are ready to be used; no chopping is required. However, it will take 30 seconds to a minute longer in the microwave to melt.

Coverture Chocolate: This is the highest quality chocolate for cooking with. However, it is expensive, not commonly available in supermarkets, and somewhat challenging to work with.

Both bars and chips will yield a decadent, smooth ganache – I have used dark chocolate chips for this recipe to keep it simple.

Ratio of chocolate chips and heavy cream for making ganache

	Cream	Dark Chocolate
Ratio	1	1.2
By Weight	8 oz	10 oz
By Weight (g)	240 g	300 g

	Cream	Dark Chocolate
Ratio	1	1.2
By Volume	1 cup	1 3/4 cup

Please note: 8 oz cream is 1 cup, but 8 oz chocolate chips are 1 1/4 cup (not 1 cup)

How to make Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. Microwave – Pour cream into a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until hot (about 60-90 seconds). On the stovetop – Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat it until it almost simmers. Do not allow the cream to boil over. High temperatures can split the chocolate.

2. Add chocolate chips to this cream and push the chocolates around so they are all covered by the cream. Leave the cream chocolate mixture for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt into the cream. Do not cover the bowl. The condensation from the hot cream can drip back into the ganache, causing it to split.

3. After 5 minutes, check if the chocolate has melted. If chocolate chips are still semi-solid, heat further for 30 seconds.

4. The completely melted chocolate cream mixture should look smooth, glossy, and dark brown, with no chocolate lumps. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature. If left in the fridge, set an alarm for 30 minutes. Do not leave the mix in the fridge for much longer. The fats will start to harden and look grainy.

5. Start whisking with a hand mixer or stand mixer on low. The ganache should start to turn a lighter brown.

6. Whip for about 30 seconds till you get a fluffier frosting. Your frosting is now ready for use.

What if the ganache looks too grainy?

Sugar and fats can crystallize at a lower temperature. If this happens, you can warm the ganache in two ways.

Heating ganache in a microwave: Microwave for 20 minutes at a time, stir, and check for a smooth texture. Cool and whip again.

Heating ganache in a metal bowl: The Bain-Marie Method – This bowl will be placed over simmering water in a saucepan. Pour water into a saucepan till the level reaches the bottom of the ganache bowl. Keep the heat on medium. Stir and fold the ganache as the bowl gets warmer with the hot water underneath. Take off the heat when it looks smooth again. Cool and whip again.

How do I store Chocolate Ganache?

Ganache can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Does whipped chocolate ganache set hard?

Refrigerating ganache can cause the fats and sugars in the ganache to crystallize, making it slightly more hard. Before using, bring it back to room temperature, and whip it again if required.

All this ganache talk is making you crave some decadent cake? Check this delightful black forest cake recipe!

For more sweet treats, check out these decadent King’s Hawaiian Rolls Sticky Buns by Call Me PMC.

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Try these Quick Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls by Call Me PMC

For conversions, here is an easy online calculator

Disclaimer:

Information given here is for general purposes only. The Spoonacular API calculates our nutritional values. While we strive to ensure these values are accurate, please verify them independently.