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Shiny, rich, and versatile, this chocolate glaze is so simple to make, you’ll be tempted to cover everything in it. From cookies to cakes to brownies, the world is yours to glaze with chocolatey goodness.
Chocolate Glaze Recipe
Every cook needs an excellent chocolate glaze recipe in their back pocket and this is the one! The perfect glaze should be smooth as silk, go on as thick or thin as you like, and shiny as a mirror.
It’s intended to add a kiss of intense chocolate to the outside of a baked good that doesn’t need a pile of over-the-top frosting. It’s sophisticated in its understatement.
I poured the glaze over this Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake, and the combination was a huge hit with my family – judging by the fact that it disappeared almost as fast as I could slice it.
Chocolate Glaze for Cake
To make the ultimate cake glaze, you’ll need the following easy-to-source ingredients:
- cocoa powder
- butter
- sugar
- vanilla
- boiling water
Please be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Whether you use standard or Dutch process cocoa powder is up to you. Because there’s no leavening happening here, it’s a matter of personal preference.
Dutch process cocoa powder tends to have a richer flavor and darker color than standard unsweetened cocoa. Choose according to what you have on hand and the end result you’re seeking.
Chocolate Glaze
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow it to thicken for a few minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick and powdery.
SLOWLY add a tablespoon of boiling water and stir to combine. Continue whisking and adding water just a tablespoon or so at a time, until the glaze is as thick and smooth as you like.
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
If you love enjoy chocolate cake as much as we do, check out some of our favorite EASY cake recipes!
Gooey Chocolate Butter Cake is a favorite for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. With only about 10 minutes of effort, you can have this cake in the oven making your house smell incredible!
Buttery crunchy toffee and candy bar pieces are layered with cool whip atop a dessert so deliriously rich, this Heath Bar Cake should carry a warning label. Ho Ho Cake begins with a rich chocolate cake that is topped with a fluffy vanilla filling and a smooth chocolate frosting. Just like your favorite childhood treat!
Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons boiling hot water
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow it to thicken for a few minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick and powdery.
- SLOWLY add a tablespoon of boiling water and stir to combine. Continue whisking and adding water just a tablespoon or so at a time, until the glaze is as thick and smooth as you like.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The chocolates glaze recipe did not state whether to pour the chocolate glaze over the cake immediately after making!
Is it to poured over a totally cooled cake or a warm cake as soon as the glaze is made.
What’s a person to do?!
I pour the glaze over a cooled cake most of the time, Beverly. However, if you want to pour it over a warm cake, that will work too, but it will soak into the cake. Still delicious, different result. Enjoy!
great chocolate glaze! I baked the chocolate pudding bundt cake and frosted it with the chocolate glaze. The cake was moist and the glaze made it even better. I will make it again.
I’m so glad you like it!
Came out chunky completely ruined my cake 🙁
When you say it “came out chunky,” do you mean that the powdered sugar did not dissolve into the glaze? If the frosting cooled while you were stirring, it’s possible that an additional splash of boiling water might have smoothed it out again. Or an additional bit of melted butter.
How do you store this when on the chocolate Bundt cake? Can you leave it on the counter for a few days or does it need to be refrigerated? I want to make it the day before Thanksgiving but won’t have room in the fridge for it. Thank you!
This should hold alright at room temp, provided the house isn’t too warm.
Best chocolate glaze ever! Just made it today to cover a marble bundt cake I made for my coworkers birthday. So easy and delicious. Thank you so much for sharing it.
That’s awesome, Charlene! I’m so glad you love it.
I found it to be to bitter. I added an extra 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla to mixture & that helped. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Maybe a different unsweetened chocolate? I used Hersheys. Very easy to make.
Hmmm, I can’t say I’ve ever found it to be bitter, but a regular chocolate vs dark or just adding a bit more sugar should help too.
Could I use black cocoa?
This is so good. I even love it on waffles.
oh, wow. I bet that’s a decadent breakfast treat for sure. Happy waffle making, Mildred!