Chocolate Buttercream Icing

I didn't have a real recipe to follow for the chocolate buttercream icing, so I went based off of what I know about buttercream and winged it.  I'm writing for future reference in the hope that I can "wing" it again.



Ingredients:



2 1/2 cups butter at room temperature

1/3 of a Hershey cocoa 16 oz container

2 bags of 2 lbs powdered sugar

2 1/2 cups of hi ratio shortening

splash of vanilla (1 tablespoon)

splash of chocolate extract (1 tablespoon)

splash of wedding flavor (2 tablespoons)

hot creamer mixed (1 cup boiling water, 1 cup coffee creamer) - use 9 tablespoons of this



Directions:



Cream butter and hi ratio shortening in mixer

Add vanilla, chocolate extract, wedding flavors and hot creamer in mixer

After those are all mixed together, add Hershey cocoa - mix at low speed - should mix into a dark chocolate - you want this to be dark because when you add the sugar, it will lighten in color and chocolate flavor.

Continue mixing at low speed and add in the powdered sugar.  If the mixer motor is struggling, add one teaspoon of hot cream mix in.

If you want the chocolate color to be darker, add more cocoa or add food coloring.



This is a crusting buttercream, but it typically will be a thick consistency depending on hot much hot cream you add in.



I made this recipe and had great reviews, but I should have thinned it out to make the rosettes smoother.