Chocolate Heritage Frosting is now one of my new favorite frosting recipes. It goes perfectly with my Chocolate Velvet Cake and with so many other cake and cupcake recipes.
Mind you that Heritage Frosting is different from other frosting recipes as it begins with cooking flour and milk and then allowing to cool before creaming together with the remaining ingredients.
Heritage frosting is the frosting my mother always topped our red velvet cakes with growing up and would use on her chocolate cupcakes. I just knew a chocolate version would quickly become a favorite for my family with its signature light and creamy texture.
Here’s my Chocolate Heritage Frosting Recipe.
Chocolate Heritage Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (45 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (454 g) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (396 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (32 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cook flour and milk over medium high heat until thickened, approximately three minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. After flour and milk mixture has cooled, cream together butter, sugar, and cocoa until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
- Add flour and milk mixture to butter mixture and beat until it has reached a whipped cream consistency. Add vanilla and beat one additional minute.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Can this be made with gluten free flour?
Yes, Brenda, you can use gluten free flour. Hope you enjoy!
This was a great recipe. I used only about 3/4 cup of sugar and it was wonderful! Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks, Susan.
what kind of a flour ? any flour is fine?
You will use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Shilpa. Hope you enjoy!
I’ve never met another person who uses this type of frosting for red velvet cake! I’m so happy to find someone that does! Vanilla heritage frosting is how my family has topped red velvet cake for generations. I’ve been looking around for a good way to make it chocolate, so thank you!
It’s a delicious frosting on Red Velvet Cake, isn’t it Malia? 😉 Thanks! xo
Not sure why, but my frosting came out very thin. I heated and stirred the milk/ flour mixture for about 15 minutes over Ned/high heat too! It was about as thick as a white sauce. I cooled the mixture completely too as directed. After adding a bunch of 10x Surat, and beating itnlike crazy, it finally became thick enough to frost a cake ( barely). I am going to refrigerated it to see if that helps. Not sure what I did wrong. I added the correct amounts of every ingredient.
Hi Nicoke,
I think your frosting wasn’t thick enough before you cooled it…mine always is thicker than a white sauce. I hope this helps. Thanks!
The basic cooked buttercream frosting is the recipe that was included in the original recipe for Red Velvet Cake that was printed in the San Diego Union Tribune in the 1960’s. As I remember reading the article… an woman had gone to a restaurant in New York, had the Red Velvet cake and asked the Chef for the recipe. He gave it to her and then billed her for $250. She paid, and then sent the recipe to the San Diego paper to be published, in revenge for having to pay.
I have never liked cream cheese frosting with the Red Velvet cake, since having it with the Cooked Buttercream version.
I have had frosting left over… and instead of throwing it away.. I froze it..and when I needed a little frosting for cup cakes I used it.. it was a little grain-ier after defrosting.. but tasted just fine..
I like this frosting because it is not as overly sweet as other frostings
What an interesting history of Heritage Frosting, Marty! I’ve never heard that before – thanks so much for sharing it!
It is a delicious frosting – we’ve loved my Mama’s Red Velvet Cakes (and this Chocolate Velvet cake too) with that amazing Heritage frosting for years! She uses Cream Cheese Frosting too at times for those that prefer that frosting, but this is certainly a very delicious, special frosting!
I’m glad you like this frosting – and appreciate you sharing this with me! 🙂
I heard the same story – only it was a chocolate chip cookie recipe she requested….
Absolutely fabulous frosting! Its my new go to frosting. I stumbled on your website while making a cake and due to the popularity of it, I ended up making the recipes once a month for a whole year! My electric stove is fussy so I usually bring the heat up to medium for a tuny bit just to get the milk and flour popping, then I turn the heat down to medium low. The key is to keep stirring and the lumps will dissipate. I have always just used regular unbleached flour and regular sugar – not fine or powedered. Its a great recipe. Thank you!
Wow, Heather! I’m so glad you stumbled my way! 😉
I’m so happy you enjoy the cake – and so honored you liked it so much to bake it every month for a year!!! Thank you so much! xo
Does the cake need to be kept refrigerated due to the Chocolate Heritage Frosting?
If I made tihs frosting, how long can I can I keep it fridge?
Hi Elizabeth,
This frosting can be refrigerated for up to a week in an airtight container. Must bring frosting to room temperature after removing from refrigerator, then beat again until fluffy and ready to spread. I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks so much!
which flour to be used
Hi – I use All Purpose Flour in this frosting recipe. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much!