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Remember last week when I said I wanted to find a frosting recipe that used lots less refined sugar????

I found the secret! And the answer is: Italian Buttercream Frosting!

It’s cooked. It’s merange. It only takes a 1/2 c. sugar, and it’s FANTASTIC.

But first, the cake! I tried a sour cream chocolate cake recipe that was not the dark fudgy thing I’m still on the hunt for, but WAS, light, cocoa-y, and while I can’t describe it, turns out to taste exactly like a fascinating chocolate cake I first had 13 years ago. It has melted unsweet chocolate in it…. I think it could still be a touch moister but what I had there was the best cake I’ve had in years and years. I used Turbinado sugar (will try brown next time), and cake flour. I might also add some buttermilk next time for moisture.
They became the base for the chocolate buttercream frosting I made, my first effort at a cooked version. It was egg white, sugar, and vanilla, beaten over a double boiler until frothy and soft-peak stage. Then, mixed with the stand mixer for 5 minutes until fluffy. Added to that was the melted chocolate and the butter, cut into little cubes. I should have known the Italians would have gotten this right!

The result? Chocolate clouds.

Chilled, these little cupcakes had my eyes closed and each bite slowly savored. No overwhelming sweet assault and somehow a nourished-comfort feeling of childhood was close by.

So, like my grandma used to say, are these, “Hang Your Head Over The Sink When You Eat That Cupcakes”? Or, like Mom thought, maybe, “Just Bought New Shoes That Fit And I’ve Got Somewhere To Wear Them Cupcakes”?, Or, “Best Eaten Alone After Day Is Done Cupcakes”?

We are undecided. We are glad though, that this batch is gone, so that our temptation is now lessened. For a Chocolate Cake/Chocolate Frosting combination, there will never be another.

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