Chocolate lovers: this is the recipe for you! Rich & silky chocolate ganache whipped ’til light, fluffy, & spreadable. Great on cakes, cupcakes, & cookies.

Whisk attachment from a stand mixer with stiffly whipped chocolate ganache.

I’m here today with another fabulous frosting recipe for you!

I love sharing icing recipes because they can really take your cake, cupcake, and cookie recipes to another level! There are lots of choices here on Baking a Moment, including this Swiss meringue buttercream, this royal icing, and this whipped cream frosting.

But this whipped chocolate ganache might be my favorite one yet! The texture is so silky and light, and it’s got the most incredibly deep, dark, and intense chocolate flavor. If you are a true chocoholic, you are going to love this recipe!

Stand mixer with whisk attachment and whipped chocolate ganache, with a text overlay reading "whipped chocolate ganache."

WHAT IS GANACHE?

“Ganache” is just a fancy word for chocolate and cream that have been melted together. It’s got a silky-smooth texture and it totally melts in your mouth.

The addition of cream makes it softer at room temperature than just regular chocolate.

It can be used in a lot of different ways. While it’s melted it can be used to create a drip edge on a cake, or you can just pour it all over the cake to enrobe it. Once it’s cooled and solidified, you can roll it into balls to make truffles.

Or, you can do like I’ve done here and whip it up, to create a luscious frosting or filling.

WHY USE GANACHE INSTEAD OF BUTTERCREAM?

I love a good buttercream, but if you are really going for the maximum chocolate flavor, this is your best bet. It’s got the same fluffy texture as buttercream, but with TONS more rich chocolate flavor.

Because it’s only got 2 ingredients, the chocolate flavor really shines. There is nothing to get in its way!

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Making ganache is super-simple, and you only need 2 ingredients: chocolate and cream.

Ingredients for making ganache, with text labels.

I like to use semi-sweet chocolate because the flavor is deep and rich. But you can make ganache with milk chocolate, white chocolate, or bittersweet chocolate too.

Chopping chocolate on a wooden cutting board.

Start by chopping the chocolate into small pieces.

It’s best to use chocolate bars (rather than chocolate chips) when it comes to melting chocolate. They will melt smoother and they have less of a chance of seizing up, curdling, or splitting.

Chopped chocolate in a bowl with a striped kitchen towel.

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and heat the cream. You can heat the cream on the stove or in the microwave, just be sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t boil over!

Pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow it to stand for about 5 minutes.

Whisking cream and chocolate together to make ganache.

After 5 minutes or so, the chocolate should be melted and you can whisk the ganache smooth.

Chocolate ganache left to cool.

Look at how good it looks! It’s so glossy and dark.

Let the ganache cool until it reaches the perfect consistency. Honestly, this is the trickiest part of the whole thing. You want it to be solid, but still soft.

Cooled ganache on a rose gold spoon.

To speed things up, you can put the bowl of ganache in the fridge for 10 minute intervals, whisking after each. In my fridge, this took a total of 30 minutes. I just gave it a good whisk every 10 minutes, and it was perfect after 3 10-minute intervals.

Once you have a nice solid but soft consistency, whip it up on high speed until it’s doubled in volume, a little paler, and fluffy.

Whipped ganache in a metal mixing bowl with a whisk attachment from a mixer.

You can whip it in a stand mixer OR with a hand mixer.

Know that at first, the color will look light (from all the air you whipped in), but as it sits it will become much darker.

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD?

It’s a good idea to make this ahead, since waiting for the ganache to reach the perfect consistency can be a bit of a pain.

Yellow cupcake topped with whipped chocolate ganache frosting, on a striped cloth with a piping bag.

HOW TO STORE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Ganache is fine at room temperature for a couple of days. But any longer than that, and it should probably go into the fridge.

It will stiffen up and harden quite a bit when kept cold. If it becomes too stiff, just allow it to come to room temperature. It may need to be re-whipped, just to get it fluffy again.

You can also freeze ganache. It will keep in the freezer for around 3 months, and in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

Vanilla cupcake topped with a swirl of whipped chocolate ganache, with a whisk in the background.

This whipped chocolate ganache is so great on cakes and cupcakes, and it would work for frosted cookies too! It also works really well under fondant, especially once it’s been chilled.

Here are some of my favorite cake recipes, to pair with this incredible filling:

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Whisk attachment from a stand mixer with stiffly whipped chocolate ganache.
5 stars (4 ratings)

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

Servings: 24
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Chocolate lovers: this is the recipe for you! Rich & silky chocolate ganache whipped 'til light, fluffy, & spreadable. Great on cakes, cupcakes, & cookies.

Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Chop the chocolate and place it in a medium bowl.
  • Heat the cream steamy, and until small bubbles start to form around the outer edges (this can be done in a small pot on the stove, or in the microwave). Be careful it doesn't boil over!
  • Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, and allow it to stand for about 5 minutes.
  • Whisk the ganache until smooth, then allow it to set. (This can be done at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Whisk it every 10 minutes to keep it smooth and lump-free.)
  • When the ganache is firm but still soft, transfer it to a mixing bowl and whip it on high speed until fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).

Notes

Makes enough to frost one 6-inch diameter, triple layer cake, one 8 or 9-inch diameter, double layer cake, 24 cupcakes, or 24 cookies.  
Calories: 116kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 88mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 155IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 0.9mg
Cuisine: American, French
Course: Dessert, Topping
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