Recipe: Honey Mocha Icing

Since trying to clean up the quality of the food we eat, everything has come under scrutiny. We still like our treats, though. Don’t you?

So I set out to create a mocha icing sweetened with honey rather than icing sugar. The problem is that the icing sugar also acts as a binder—a thickener, if you will. Honey has a different texture. I know I’m stating the obvious here…

However, cocoa is a powder, like icing sugar, so this recipe was fairly easy to come up with. It’s also easy to find cake recipes that go well with mocha! I’ve tried it on peanut butter cake (may I just say, yum?) and on my daughter-in-law’s birthday cake last week. I found the recipe for Strawberry Cake on Pinterest. I also found the recipe on the website rather confusing but did, in the end, make a delicious cake after adapting it a bit and guessing at some of the directions.

And a delicious icing, if I do say so myself.

Honey Mocha Icing
3 tbsp butter (room temperature)
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp cocoa (sifted)

Blend these together thoroughly, then add just enough coffee to make a good spreading consistency.

1-2 tbsp strong coffee

This makes enough for the top only of a 9″ round cake, as you can see from the photo. Double it if you want the sides covered, as well. I figure there’s enough sweetness in the cake (and the strawberry filling between layers) that it was fine having it just on top, but your mileage may vary.

Either way, with our homegrown honey, clean butter, and organic fairtrade coffee and cocoa, I’m happy about this icing. Unlike a traditional icing, this one stays a little soft. I don’t see that as a problem, but if you do? Be warned!

Now to figure out how to make a non-cocoa-based icing just in case we ever want a different flavor. What to use for a binder? Hmmm. I have some ideas…