JoJo's fast &easy choc frosting

When a cake needs frosting and you’re short on time, this cocoa-based version skips melting chocolate entirely. You build it straight from pantry staples, cocoa powder, sugar, a knob of margarine, and a splash of boiling water, which makes it both quick and naturally dairy-free.

The boiling water is doing real work here. Poured over the sugar and cocoa, it dissolves the sugar and blooms the cocoa, drawing out a deeper chocolate flavor and helping the frosting beat up smooth and creamy. A good few minutes with the mixer is what takes it from gritty to glossy.

One thing to expect: the frosting is loose and pourable while warm and firms up to a spreadable consistency as it cools. Let it sit and thicken before you frost, and beat it well so the sugar fully dissolves. Then swirl it over a cooled cake and let it set.

Pro Tips

• Beat the frosting thoroughly, a few full minutes, so the sugar dissolves and it turns smooth and creamy rather than gritty.
• Let it cool and firm up to a spreadable consistency before frosting; it’s too loose while warm.
• Frost only a completely cooled cake, or the frosting will slide right off.

Variations

• For the silkiest texture, use powdered (icing) sugar in place of the superfine sugar.
• Use butter instead of margarine for a richer, dairy version.
• Stir in a spoonful of espresso powder or a pinch of cinnamon to deepen the chocolate.