Dark Chocolate Silk Frosting

Makes enough to generously frost a dozen cupcakes. Recipe can be doubled easily!

Combine the cocoa (a little over 1/4 cup), instant espresso powder*, and the hot boiling water in a small prep bowl, stirring until cocoa has dissolved. Set aside.

To melt the chocolate chips mixture (I combine both 80% dark chocolate chips with semi-sweet chocolate chips to equal one and 1/4 cups), place a glass bowl over a simmering pot of water on the stove on medium-low setting. Pour chocolate chips into the glass bowl, and slowly melt the chocolate. Watching it carefully, so the water does not touch the bowl, stir the chocolate chips every so often until they are almost completely melted. Remove from the heat, and place glass bowl on counter. Stir until all chocolate chips have melted, and it appears smooth. Allow to come to room temperature, stirring every so often. Set aside.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, at medium-high speed, beat butter, and confectioners’ sugar until pale and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low. Add the melted and cooled chocolate, beating on low still until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as you need to. Beat in the cocoa mixture.

Using a pastry bag, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

(* If you don’t like the taste of coffee, feel free to omit the espresso powder).