While most people might, somewhat accurately, think that any chocolate cake topping is the “right” topping, there is actually much more to it than that. For example, it might sound good to pair a dark chocolate cake with a bittersweet chocolate buttercream because the two flavors are so similar, but in reality these types of combination could end Simply the best chocolate cake in Auckland up being nauseatingly sweet and rich. The way to select the right topping for a chocolate cake is to first determine if the frosting really “works” with the type and flavor of the cake selected.
What does that mean? The type of cake indicates the type of “crumb” and texture that the cake has, and the flavor simply means the actual variety of cake. Is it to be a yellow cake, vanilla, chocolate? Is it to be a moist cake, a dense cake, a cake made with fruit and walnuts? All of these factors have a tremendous relation to the type of frosting or topping used. For instance, is the topping to be deep and light? Is it to be more of a glaze? Perhaps a chocolate fondant is the solution? It takes some thought and even a bit of experimentation to select the ideal partnering.
Luckily, the large number of recipes for icings using chocolate as the main flavor makes it somewhat easy to manufacture a winning combination. There is then the need to really gauge the outcome before investing in the recipe, because there is always the issue of the weight of the cake and the topping too. This means that think about if the cake can actually “stand up” under the weight of the frosting.
Need an example? For this model we will say that you are trying to select the right topping for a batch of cupcakes that are to be served at a party. You want to decorate these cupcakes with symbols and designs that match the overall theme of the party. You know that the cupcake batter is based on a golden cake and that it has the type of texture that is similar to a cloth or sponge cake recipe. This means that the cake can easily resist heavier icings, and would in fact be more fitted to them. This means you can scout out a good ganache, fondant, or chocolate glaze recipe to use on this sturdier type of cake. Had you opted for a lighter batter, such as a cake mix that boasted of its moist and deep texture, you would have been better served by a chocolate buttercream or a whipped frosting that didn’t put any type of weight on the cake.
We have considered the various factors that you must use when selecting a frosting recipe, and they include the weight of the cake and the topping, the balance of sweetness and flavor, and the ability for the chocolate frosting to truly work with the actual cake itself. When you make a habit of considering these factors before selecting a recipe, you can usually anticipate really excellent results.