This Chocolate Ganache Frosting uses one chocolate-to-cream ratio for three different finishes, without runny drips or frosting that's too thick to spread. I use the same recipe to pour over a cake for a glossy finish, spread between layers, or whip into a fluffy frosting that holds its shape on cupcakes.
Note from Erin
For years, I couldn't get ganache to stay on my cakes. I'd pour it over the top, only to watch most of it end up on the plate! I thought adding more chocolate would help, but then I'd end up with something so thick it was almost like fudge.
After a lot of trial and error I discovered that a 1.4:1 ratio of chocolate to cream, along with the right temperature, gave me the perfect ganache for all three ways that I like to use ganache.
Helpful Ingredient Tips
The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
- Semisweet baking chocolate: I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking bars. Bittersweet works fine for a glaze, but if you’re making chocolate ganache for icing a cake or cupcakes, semi-sweet melts more smoothly and brings the sweetness you want in a frosting you’re going to spread or whip.
- Heavy cream: Make sure it has at least 36% milkfat so that it sets properly.. When I tested with half-and-half the ganache was too thin to spread over a cake, even after it was fully cooled.
- Fine sea salt and vanilla: I used to only use chocolate and cream when making ganache, but found that just a little bit of salt and vanilla brings out the chocolate flavor and softens any bitterness.
Can I use Chocolate Chips for Ganache
You can use them, but they are stubborn. Mine left a few specks of unmelted chocolate behind, set thinner than the ganache made with baking bars, and the whipped batch tasted a little waxy, which I didn’t care for. If chocolate chips are all you have on hand, let them sit in the cream for an extra minute to help them melt fully.
Tips for Making Smooth Chocolate Ganache
Chop the Chocolate
- I use a serrated knife to shave the chocolate into thin slivers instead of chopping it into chunks. The smaller pieces melt more evenly, so there are fewer unmelted bits to deal with.
Heat the Cream
- I prefer the stovetop because I can control the temperature more easily. The microwave works, but cream heats unevenly, so give it a quick stir and then test that it has reached 175-180°F.
Stir Until Smooth
- The ganache may look streaky at first. It takes a few minutes of gentle stirring before it becomes smooth and thick, like chocolate pudding.
- If a few chocolate pieces remain, a quick 10 seconds at 50% microwave power can help melt them without overheating the ganache.
Cool
- Let the ganache cool at room temperature for 1–2 hours, with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Top Tip!
It will look too thin when it’s still warm, but the colder it gets the thicker it becomes. Resist the temptation to add more chocolate while it’s still warm, or you may end up with something closer to fudge instead of frosting.
Three Textures From One Batch
Can You Fix Grainy Chocolate Ganache?
I used to throw away ganache when it turned grainy because I thought I'd ruined it. But I've found that a little warm cream can often smooth it out again.
Whisk in one teaspoon of warm cream at a time until the ganache comes back together. Add just enough to smooth it out without making the frosting too thin.
How Much Chocolate Ganache Do You Need?
This recipe makes about 2 cups of ganache, enough for 12 cupcakes with generous swirls. Here's how much you'll need for different cakes and desserts:
- 12 cupcakes: 2 cups for generous swirls or 1¼ cups for a thin layer on top.
- 9-inch round cake: 1 cup to cover the top.
- Two-layer 8- or 9-inch cake: 3–4 cups to fill and frost the entire cake.
- 9×13-inch sheet cake: 2½ cups to cover the top.
- Bundt cake: 1 cup for pouring over the top.
- 8-inch cake: ½ cup for chocolate drips.
- 9-inch cheesecake: 1–1½ cups to cover the top.
For a two-layer 9-inch cake, one batch works for a thin coating. For thicker frosting between the layers and around the sides, plan on making 1½–2 batches.
Recipe
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Recipe by:Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put the chopped chocolate and salt in a medium heatproof bowl.12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it is just steaming and small bubbles form around the edges (about 4 to 5 minutes). A thermometer should read around about 180°F. Do not let it boil.1 cup heavy cream
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and press the chocolate down so it’s all under the surface. Let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring.
- Whisk in small circles starting in the center, working outward as it comes together, until the ganache is smooth and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and let it sit at room temperature.
- After 15 minutes (or the ganache has reached a temperature of 85-90°F) the ganache is ready to use if you want a pourable frosting or drips.
- Let it continue sitting for a total of 2 hours, for thick, spreadable frosting. It should feel like a soft peanut butter.
- At this point you can also whip the ganache into a fluffy frosting. Beat it with the whisk attachment on medium-high for 2 to 4 minutes until it lightens in color and holds a peak for piping.
Notes
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Equipment
- Saucepan
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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