Easy 2-Ingredient Chocolate Ganache Frosting

This pipeable Chocolate Ganache Frosting is extremely easy to make, using just 2 simple ingredients. If you’re looking for a simple chocolate frosting that delivers great chocolate flavor, you don’t need to look any further!

I used this exact chocolate ganache frosting for my super moist chocolate cupcakes and readers love these cupcakes! To keep it really really simple, my recipe doesn’t even call for whipping the chocolate ganache, you can just let it set until it is thickened but pipeable, and it’s ready to use.

Only two ingredients required

• Chocolate – I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers that are about 55% cocoa. I find that dark chocolate in this range or semisweet chocolate provides just the right amount of chocolate flavor with a balanced sweetness. I like using melting wafers or chocolate bars for ganache but chocolate chips will work too. I used semisweet chocolate chips for the ganache frosting on my olive oil chocolate cake, it does set harder compared to the melting wafers.  
• Heavy whipping cream – I used a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to heavy cream so this chocolate ganache frosting will set a little bit softer than a chocolate truffle center which usually has a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream.

To make this frosting even richer, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter. And to add more complexity to the flavor, a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla can also be added. You can customize your frosting to your heart’s desire but the base recipe really only requires 2 simple ingredients above.

Tips for making chocolate ganache frosting

Skip to the recipe card for detailed instructions on how to make chocolate ganache frosting with step-by-step photos. 

• Don’t boil the cream – a skin will form on the surface of the cream if you boil it. If your cream is too hot, you could end up with grainy or separated ganache. So make sure you watch the cream and pull it off the heat when it starts to simmer, you’ll see tiny bubbles forming at the edge of the pot. If you’re using the microwave, it can be harder to make sure it doesn’t boil over, you’ll need to watch it very carefully.

• Chop the chocolate – usually I don’t chop the chocolate when using wafers or chocolate chips, but chopping them finely will help them melt faster which will help them incorporate with the cream easier with less stirring.

• Let the mixture sit before stirring – make sure you let the hot cream and the chocolate sit undisturbed for a few minutes. This allows the chocolate to melt before you start stirring.

• Don’t over stir – over stirring can add too many bubbles to your ganache, or worse, it can split. 

• Whipped chocolate ganache frosting – whipped chocolate ganache is fluffier but it can go from fluffy to separated very easily so for this recipe, I keep it simple without any whipping. If you want to whip your ganache, I recommend whipping by hand for more control the way I made whipped white chocolate ganache for these peppermint chocolate brownies with white chocolate ganache frosting.

• More issues? For more troubleshooting tips, check out this guide on how to fix broken ganache.

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Ganache Frosting Recipe

By Trang Doan

This pipeable Chocolate Ganache Frosting is extremely easy to make, using just 2 simple ingredients. If you’re looking for a simple chocolate frosting that delivers great chocolate flavor, you don’t need to look any further!

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 minutes mins

Resting Time: 3 hours hrs

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Equipment

• Saucepan
• Pastry Bag
• Piping Tip

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 340 g
• ▢ 2 cup chocolate melting wafers, 340 g

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Instructions 

• Heat the cream – Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just simmering at the edge of the pot, but not boiling. You can microwave the cream in a heat proof vessel for about 90 seconds, but you must keep an eye on it during the last few seconds to ensure it doesn’t boil over.
  1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• Make the chocolate ganache – Add chocolate to a mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Allow the mixture to stand for a few minutes before stirring gently with a spatula until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth. Don’t use a whisk or stir too vigorously, you want to minimize bubbles in the mixture and avoid overmixing.
  2 cup chocolate melting wafers
  
• Let it cool and thicken – Let the chocolate ganache cool completely and thicken enough to pipe as a frosting, about 2 – 3 hours. You can spread the ganache on a baking sheet or refrigerate it in a shallow bowl to speed up this process. If you’re chilling it in the refrigerator, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t thicken too much to the point where you can’t pipe it.
  
• Use immediately – You can pipe the thickened chocolate ganache frosting on top of cupcakes using a pastry bag with a piping tip of your choice. Use it as filling between cake layers or spread it on top of a single layer chocolate cake as cake frosting.
  

Notes

• Type of chocolate: dark chocolate with 50-60% cocoa or semisweet chocolate works best. I like using chocolate melting wafers, chocolate bars and even chocolate chips will work too.
• To avoid split ganache: there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid split ganache. First, don’t use cream that is too hot. Second, don’t over-stir the ganache. You can chop the chocolate finely to help it melt faster and make sure to let the mixture sit before stirring, this way you don’t have to stir as much to get a smooth ganache.
• Yield: this chocolate ganache frosting recipe is enough to pipe for a dozen cupcakes, but should be enough for 16-18 cupcakes if spread by spatula. It should also be enough to pour over a 9”x13” sheet cake.
• Storage: chocolate ganache can be kept refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp, and warm it up using a baine marie (double boiler), if needed. You’ll need to bring it back to spreadable consistency before using it as a frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 57g, Calories: 252kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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More chocolate frosting

• Another easy chocolate frosting that’s super fluffy you can try is my not-to-sweet American style chocolate buttercream frosting.
• My favorite chocolate frosting is actually a Swiss meringue chocolate buttercream, the recipe is more complex but it’s so silky and velvety, totally worth the effort.