Tags: dessert - chocolate - buttercream - vegetarian - GF - GF Vegetarian -
GF buttercream - GF chocolate - GF dessert
Active Time: 30 minutes
Passive Time: N/A
Serves: N/A

American buttercream, perfect for frosting a chocolate cake

• Chocolate chips: 1/4 cup, semisweet or dark
  
  
• Unsalted butter: 1 stick, softened
  
  
• Confectioner's sugar: 4 cups
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• Kosher salt: 1 pinch
• Espresso powder: 4 tsp
  
  
• Cream: 7 tbsp

• The initial recipe called for only 1 tsp of espresso powder, but I found this wasn't enough. To be safe, maybe add 1 tsp at a time until the taste is to your liking
• Can also use half and half or whole milk instead of cream

1. Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler and cool
2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter. Blend in half the sugar, the cooled melted chocolate, vanilla, salt, and espresso powder
3. Alternately add remaining two cups of confectioner's sugar with cream until it reaches the deisred sweetness and consistency