March 4, 2008

Buttercream, Icing, Fillings, Frostings, Glazes, Dessert Sauces

Isabel Sullivan's Frosted Chocolate Easy Birthday Cake 

Great-aunt Isabel's family loved the chocolate birthday cakes she made them.
This was her secret recipe, told to my mother:
  1. Bake a two-layer chocolate cake from a mix, slice each layer horizontally into 2 layers when cooled, for a 4-layer cake. 
  2. Whip 2 tins of store-bought chocolate icing in a mixer.
  3. Beat in 4 Tbsp softened unsalted butter.
  4. Fill and frost the cooled cake with the icing mixture.

How to Make Perfect Buttercream Frosting

Traditional Buttercream Frosting uses eggs and is cooked.
Modern "buttercream" refers to a whipped mixture of unsalted butter, icing sugar, a small amount of milk or cream, and flavoring.
"American Buttercream" is made from vegetable shortening and sugar or a combination of vegetable shortening, butter and sugar.
 
Modern uncooked buttercreams are simple to make but here are tips for perfect results:
  • Use unsalted butter. Some brands of salted butter are saltier than others, so even if a recipe calls for salted butter, use unsalted and add 1/8 tsp. salt per 1-1/2 cup butter for a consistent result.
  • If granulated sugar is specified for use in an icing recipe it's heated in liquid to dissolve the sharp sugar granules. If the recipe doesn't specify heating the sugar, it probably means you use confectioner's sugar (aka icing or powdered sugar.)
  • Powdered (icing or confectionary) sugar is whipped in a mixer with softened butter or shortening to make uncooked frosting and icing.
  • Superfine granulated sugar can be made by adding a little corn starch to granulated sugar and processing it in a blender or food processor. In an "emergency" this can be used instead of powdered confectionary (icing) sugar but it will not have the soft, fine consistency expected. Be careful when processing granulated sugar as it can overheat on the blender blades and taste burnt.
  • Sift dry ingredients like icing sugar and cocoa powder.
  • All ingredients should be at room temperature or the icing may turn out grainy or gritty in texture. Butter should be taken out of the fridge to soften overnight, or at least hours before.
  • All-butter icings will have a softer consistency, a creamy-yellow color, and will be more prone to melt when being hand-squeezed from an icing bag. If the icing will be piped, a recipe that's half butter, half shortening might work better. Otherwise, if you have hot hands, you might try wearing food-grade prep gloves that have been chilled a while in the freezer when piping icing.
  • A pure white icing can be achieved by using only white shortening for the fat, and adding only clear liquids. Use clear imitation vanilla extract plus 1/2 tsp. clear butter flavoring.
  • Cut the sweetness of a recipe that requires a lot of sugar by using salted butter in the frosting, or by adding a pinch of salt to the liquid in the icing recipe.
  • Don't soften butter in the microwave, which can leave parts of the butter hard and parts melted.
  • When using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment instead of the whisk, to avoid getting air bubbles in the mixture.
  • If butter is too cold and clumps on the beaters when mixed with icing sugar, place the entire bowl in another bowl of hot water just till butter softens.
  • Cream butter in the mixer 5 minutes until very smooth, before adding sugar. After adding the sugar beat another 5 minutes. Light, fluffy buttercream is the result of 10 minutes beating time with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer.
  • If the icing is grainy or gritty: all ingredients weren't at room temperature, or the sugar wasn't beaten into the butter enough. Always beat butter and sugar together until the mixture turns from grainy to creamy, increases in volume and lightens in colour, which takes at least 5 minutes and often longer.
  • Grainy icing can sometimes be rescued by adding 4-5 drops of white vinegar to icing while beating. Add a drop at a time, beat, add another drop if necessary.
  • Flavorings like vanilla extract and fruit essences are concentrated. If a recipe doesn't specify, start with a fraction of a teaspoon, beat in, taste. A teaspoon of extract or essence is usually enough to flavor icing for an average-size layer cake.
  • Tint icing using a drop or two of food coloring gel which changes icing consistency less than a liquid would.
  • Measure extract or flavourings carefully, not over the mixer bowl, so excess flavoring doesn't splash into the buttercream.
  • The liquid used in the recipe can be water, milk or cream. The fat in milk or cream will give the icing a richer, creamier taste. Liqueurs or fruit purees can also be used.
  • Only frost a cake when it is completely cool. If necessary, refrigerate layers first. Bakeries have blast freezers to save time, home bakers have to plan and leave time for cakes to cool. Plan to bake your cake the day before you will ice it, just in case.
  • When decorating with icing, cover the icing that's sitting in the bowl with plastic wrap so it doesn't start to dry out and harden.
  • Icing made ahead and refrigerated might harden. Try leaving the icing on the counter to reach room temperature, then add a little lemon juice and beat again.
  • Frost a cake on an even surface. Many plates are not completely flat. Disposable cake boards come in different sizes and are convenient if you have to transport the cake.
  • Frosting the sides of a cake evenly is best done with the cake on a cake board, on a cake turntable that can be rotated with one hand while evenly applying icing with an icing spatula with the other hand. The cake board should be larger than the cake to easily transfer to a serving plate when frosted.
  • Iced cake should be kept covered with a cake dome in a cool place indoors, out of the sun. An iced cake kept in the fridge will be harder to cut and should be removed from the fridge at least half an hour before serving.
  • A whipped cream covered cake should be refrigerated. 
  • Protect the cake! Our dog Rex once managed to lick half the frosting off an uncovered cake my mom left on the dining room table, while she was cooking dinner in the kitchen before guests arrived. Another time a decorated birthday cake placed on a table in a screened porch instigated an ant invasion. Always cover cake and keep it in a safe place.

American Bakeshop Icing

Works well for piping because it has no butter.
  • 4 cups icing sugar
  • 1 cup shortening at room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp water or milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  1. Beat shortening and icing sugar on low to combine, adding milk and vanilla.
  2. Increase speed to medium and beat 5 more minutes.
  3. To soften icing (to frost a cake) add up to 3 Tbsp more liquid.

Make-Ahead Slab Cake Icing

Makes enough to ice two 9x13 inch slab cakes. Of course this can be used on other cakes too.
Made from shortening and margarine this icing tastes store-bought. Use 1/2 butter instead of 1/2 cup margarine for a more homemade flavour.

This icing, made with shortening and margarine, freezes well in an airtight container. Seal the top closely with plastic wrap. Icing stays fresh refrigerated in an air-tight container up to 1 month.
If refrigerated, take icing container out of the fridge at least 1 hour before using. Let come to room temperature on the counter, do not microwave. Re-whip if necessary.
  • 1/2 cup softened margarine
  • 1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • drops of food colouring as needed
  1. In a mixer, cream margarine and Crisco until smooth.
  2. Beat in icing sugar, water and lemon juice.
  3. Add vanilla and beat again.
  4. Add a few drops of food colouring if desired and beat, add more drops until desired colour is obtained.

Classic Traditional Cooked Buttercream

Makes 4 cups, to frost two 9 inch by 1-1/2" layers or three 9-inch by 1" layers.
Buttercream should be soft, silky, buttery and go on smoothly.
If it looks curdled, try heating it or chilling it.
Heat slightly if it is stiff.
Use a candy thermometer when making the sugar syrup for best results.
Use a handheld mixer if possible, so sugar syrup doesn't fall directly on the beaters and get spun on the sides of the bowl.
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups softened unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp liqueur or up to 4 Tbsp other flavouring 
  1. Grease a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup.
  2. Take 6 eggs from the fridge. While eggs are still cold, separate the yolks from the whites. Refrigerate the whites for another use. 
  3. Beat the 6 egg yolks in a bowl with an electric hand mixer until colour lightens.
  4. In a non-stick saucepan, combine water and sugar and, stirring constantly, heat just until it becomes a boiling syrup.
  5. Stop stirring! Don't stir after syrup comes to a boil or the sugar syrup will form crystals.
  6. Let boil without stirring until mixture reaches 238 degrees F then immediately pour into the greased measuring cup to stop the cooking.
  7. Add the syrup slowly to to the beaten eggs while beating constantly with a hand mixer, being careful not to pour the syrup onto the beaters. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of syrup over the beaten egg yolks with the mixer turned off, then beat at high speed 5 seconds. Stop the mixer, add more syrup. Continue to beat 5 seconds and stop to add more until done. 
  8. Use a rubber spatula to remove any syrup left on the glass measuring cup.
  9. Continue beating the syrup and eggs until the mixture has completely cooled.
  10. Gradually beat in butter and any flavoring.
  11. Remove beaters and cover with plastic wrap, airtight.
  12. Buttercream may be refrigerated until used but must be allowed to return to room temperature on the counter before using, or it may curdle.
Keeps 6 hours at room temperature.
Keeps 1 week refrigerated.
Keeps 8 months in the freezer if airtight.

Easier Classic Cooked Buttercream

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 2 cups softened unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp liqueur or up to 4 Tbsp other flavoring
  1. Grease a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup and have it ready.
  2. Beat egg yolks with electric mixer until light in colour.
  3. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a non-stick saucepan and heat, stirring constantly.
  4. When sugar dissolves and entire surface is covered with big bubbles, immediately pour the syrup into a greased 1-cup measure to stop the cooking.
  5. With hand mixer, beat syrup into yolks in a steady stream (avoid the beaters!)
  6. If using stand mixer, pour small amount of syrup over yolks, turn on high for 5 seconds, turn off, repeat until done. Scrape remaining syrup from measuring cup into the bowl and keep beating until mixture is cool.
  7. Gradually beat in butter and any additional flavouring.
  8. Cover so it's airtight. Use at room temperature. Do not reheat buttercream until it has reached room temperature to prevent curdling.

Classic Buttercream Flavoring

Always beat in the flavouring.

Add no more than 2 tsp. alcohol-based imitation flavouring, 1 tsp is usually sufficient.

Apricot: use strained, cooled apricot preserves at room temperature.
Berry: use up to 4 Tbsp strawberry or raspberry puree.
Chocolate:  6 oz. melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate.
Caramel:    1/4 cup powdered caramel
Coffee:       2 Tbsp Kahlua liqueur OR 2 Tbsp espresso powder dissolved in 1 tsp boiling water
Mocha:       6 oz. melted and cooled chocolate AND 2-4 Tbsp Kahlua or "Coffee" flavouring as above.

Easy Uncooked Buttercream

Flavour as you wish for filling or frosting. Suggestions follow the recipe.
Makes enough to frost a two-layer cake, or filling for three layers.
Double the recipe to frost and fill a two-layer cake.
  • 1/2 cup soft butter
  • 2 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1 egg white, stiffly beaten
  1. Cream butter with icing sugar, 5 minutes.
  2. Add stiffly beaten egg white and flavoring, beat until smooth.
  3. Beat in extra icing sugar 1 Tbsp at a time if you wish a thicker frosting.

Vanilla:  Add 1 tsp vanilla.
Chocolate: Add 2 squares melted unsweetened chocolate.
Chocolate Rum: Add 1 square melted unsweetened chocolate and 1 Tbsp dark rum.
Coffee:  Add 1 tsp instant coffee powder.
Mocha: Add 1 square melted unsweetened chocolate and 1 tsp instant coffee powder.
Other: Add flavoring of your choice: peppermint, almond, creme de menthe, kirsch, orange liqueur, brandy, rum, orange, lemon. 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup soft butter
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 4 Tbsp. warm (not hot) cream or milk
  • 1-1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
  1. Cream butter.
  2. Add cocoa and sugar alternately with 4 tbsp. warm milk or cream.
  3. Beat in vanilla, beat until fluffy.

American Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (or 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted)
  • 4 cups (about 1 lb) sifted confectioner's sugar (icing or powdered sugar)
  • 3-4 Tbsp milk
  1. In a stand mixer bowl with whipping attachment, beat shortening and butter together 5 minutes.
  2. Sift cocoa powder with confectioner's sugar, add 1/2 cup at a time mixing after each addition. (OR add melted chocolate after adding sugar.)
  3. Mix in 1 Tbsp milk at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Glossy Chocolate Frosting

Rich chocolate color. Frosting stays soft and creamy.
Halve the recipe for a small cake. Makes enough to fill and frost an 8 or 9 inch layer cake.
  • 4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
  • 4 Tbsp shortening
  • 3 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup cream or milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  1. Melt chocolate with shortening over low heat. Remove from heat.
  2. Add remaining ingredients.
  3. If kitchen is very warm, place mixing bowl in a larger bowl of ice water or chill briefly in refrigerator.
  4. Beat until frosting is of smooth spreading consistency.

Fluffy Pure White Frosting

Using corn syrup as a sweetener and clear artificial vanilla extract will make a pure white frosting.
Maple syrup or honey may be substituted for the corn syrup but the icing won't be pure white.
Almond, peppermint, maple, orange or lemon flavorings may be used instead of vanilla.
The frosting may be tinted with food coloring.
For a small cake, halve the recipe. This quantity makes enough to fill and frost an 8 or 9-inch layer cake.
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 2 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla flavoring
  1. In a small saucepan, bring corn syrup to a full boil.
  2. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with cream of tartar to stiff moist peaks.
  3. Beating constantly at high speed on electric mixer, gradually add the hot syrup in a thin stream.
  4. Continue beating until frosting will hold stiff shiny peaks.
  5. Beat in vanilla.

Vanilla Cream Buttercream

  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (40% fat, whipping cream)
  • 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  1. In electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and salt till combined.
  2. Increase speed to medium.
  3. Beat till fluffy (3 minutes).
  4. With  mixer running, slowly add cream.
  5. Beat till fluffy (3 minutes).
  6. Beat in vanilla.
  7. Spread frosting over cooked cake.
  8. Decorate as desired.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 6 cups (1.5L) icing sugar
  • 4 tsp (2 ML) vanilla
  • 6-8 Tbsp (75 to 125 mL) milk
  • food colouring (optional)
  • sprinkles (optional)
  1. Using whipping attachment, beat butter till fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add 4 cups of the sugar, a cup at a time, beating after each addition and scraping bowl.
  3. Beat in vanilla, 3 Tbsp of the milk, and remaining sugar.
  4. Gradually beat in remaining milk until icing is smooth and desired consistency. A fluffy buttercream will usually need 10 minutes total beating time.
  5. Tint with a few drops of food colouring if desired.
  6. Spread over cupcakes, decorate with sprinkles.

Stiffer Buttercream for Flower Petals and 3-Dimensional Piped Decorations: Add additional powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached.

To thin some of this buttercream for frosting a cake or piping a border: Add 2 tsp of milk or water for each cup of frosting. Add up to 4 Tbsp if it's all-shortening pure white frosting.

To thin some of this buttercream for "writing" letters or words: Add 2 tsp of light corn syrup to each cup of this frosting. If it's pure white all-shortening frosting, add up to 4 Tbsp of light corn syrup.

Vanilla Buttercream Cupcake Icing

Frosts 18-20 cupcakes.
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 6 cups (1.5L) icing sugar
  • 4 tsp (2 ML) vanilla
  • 6-8 Tbsp (75 to 125 mL) milk
  • food colouring (optional)
  • sprinkles (optional)
  1. Using paddle attachment, beat butter till fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add 4 cups of the sugar, a cup at a time, beating after each addition and scraping bowl.
  3. Beat in vanilla, 3 Tbsp of the milk, and remaining sugar.
  4. Gradually beat in remaining milk until icing is smooth and desired consistency.
  5. A fluffy buttercream will usually need 10 minutes total beating time.
  6. Tint with a few drops of food colouring if desired.
  7. Spread over cupcakes, decorate with sprinkles.

Vanilla or Chocolate Buttercream Icing

  • 1 lb. confectioner's (icing) sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp heavy (whipping) cream
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 6 oz. melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate (for chocolate icing)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  1. Sift 1 lb confectioner's sugar into bowl.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup unsalted butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Reduce mixer speed to low.
  4. Gradually add sifted sugar, alternating with 2 Tbsp cream.
  5. Mix in 2 tsp pure vanilla extract , 1/4 tsp salt, (and chocolate if making chocolate icing).
  6. Increase speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes more.

High Humidity Piped Icing (Cupcake Roses Recipe)

Makes about 3 cups.

This is a Wilton icing recipe that worked for me when I made cupcakes iced like roses for a summer bridal shower. The pale pink piped rose icing stayed fresh and pretty even outside on a hot day.

I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to ice each cupcake top with a rose and a Wilton #67 leaf piping tip to add a leaf.

To make a rose:
  1. Spoon the prepared icing into a disposable piping bag with the 1 M piping tip inserted into the bag. Score where you need to cut the tip of the bag with scissors, cut, then push the end of the piping tip out the narrow end.
  2. Hold the top of the piping bag with one hand, the other hand squeezes the piping bag with even pressure. Start from the exterior of the cupcake and decrease pressure a little as you swirl the icing onto the cupcake in a clockwise motion, so that the outer edges of the "rose" are higher than the center.
  3. After all the cupcakes are transformed into roses, mix and tint extra icing to pipe a pale green leaf on each with the #67 piping tip (practise squeezing a leaf first on parchment paper.)

Icing ingredients should be at room temperature.
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla extract*
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners' (icing) sugar
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • 2 drops food colouring (optional--use red for pink icing)
*Regular vanilla extract will give your icing a "warmer" cream-coloured tone. Using artificial vanilla flavour colorless or clear flavoring is the way to get pure white icing. I used my usual pure vanilla extract and 2 drops of red food colouring to make a creamy rose-colored icing.

  1. In a large electric mixer bowl, beat shortening and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add vanilla, mix well.
  3. Sift then measure the sugar.
  4. Add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well at medium speed.
  5. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
  6. When all sugar mixture has been mixed, icing will appear dry.
  7. In a small separate bowl, whisk together milk, cornstarch, food colouring (if using).
  8. When smooth, add to icing mixture. 
  9. Beat at medium speed another 5 minutes, until light and fluffy, adding more drops of food colouring if necessary.
  10. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use, or it will harden.
  11. For best results, while you are piping the icing, keep the remaining icing covered in the bowl in the refrigerator until you need to refill the piping bag.
  12. Icing can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  13. Re-whip the icing before using.

Viennese Chocolate Buttercream

Makes sufficient frosting to ice the top and sides of an 8" square cake.
If frosting and filling a two-layer cake, double or triple the recipe.
Recipe requires a hand mixer.
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 1/3 cup softened butter
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  1. Measure 1 cup white granular sugar and 3 Tbsp water into the top of a double boiler. Bottom pot should be half-filled with water.
  2. Separate eggs. Refrigerate yolks to use in another recipe.
  3. Add 2 egg whites to the sugar water mixture.
  4. Stir well to dissolve the sugar as much as possible, while bringing water in the bottom pot of the double boiler to a boil.
  5. Beat the mixture constantly with an electric hand mixer, while it cooks over the boiling water, about 7 minutes or until the egg whites form peaks. If after 7 minutes the mixture doesn't form peaks, add a pinch of baking soda and continue beating with mixer until peaks form.
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Cover with a clean tea towel that has been wrung out with cold water.
  8. Cool completely. When meringue has cooled...
  9. In a separate bowl, with electric mixer, cream 1/3 cup butter until very soft (about 5 minutes).
  10. Melt 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate in a dish over boiling water or in the microwave.
  11. Beat melted chocolate into the butter.
  12. Beat in 1/2 tsp vanilla.
  13. Add the cold meringue in 4 parts, beating well after each addition.

Lemon Buttercream

Recipe makes enough to fill and frost a 9" 2-layer cake and pipe a few roses on top. This icing is so delicious, very sweet but with the tang of fresh lemon juice and zest. Use real lemons for this. Press toasted almond flakes into the sides of the cake to add texture and a contrasting nutty flavour.

Spread icing on 24 cupcakes or pipe icing on 16-18 cupcakes depending on the size.

Icing will be an elegant, creamy color that I prefer over a less natural yellow tint, but if you want it more yellow, beat in a drop of yellow food coloring gel after adding sugar.
  • 2 medium-sized lemons (1 Tbsp zest, 1/4 cup fresh juice)
  • 1 cup softened salted butter
  • 5 cups icing sugar
  1. Wash, then dry and zest the lemons to get 1 Tbsp zest.
  2. Juice and strain the lemon juice to get 1/4 cup juice without seeds or pulp.
  3. Cream the softened butter in the mixer until fluffy and light in colour, at least 5 minutes.
  4. Mix in half the lemon juice.
  5. Add 2 cups icing sugar half a cup at a time, beating after each addition.
  6. Mix in the remaining lemon juice.
  7. Add 3 cups icing sugar half a cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
  8. The frosting should be an easy consistency for icing a cake and soft but firm enough to pipe.
  9. To pipe icing flowers, add  up to 1/2 cup more icing (powdered) sugar if necessary for a firmer texture.

Coconut Buttercream with Toasted Coconut

  • 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
  • 2-1/2 cups icing sugar
  • 3 Tbsp coconut cream (the cream from a can of coconut milk)
  • 1/2 tsp coconut extract OR pure vanilla extract
  • flaked toasted coconut to sprinkle on top
  1. Cream butter 5 minutes, add sugar, beat 5 minutes.
  2. Add coconut cream and flavouring, beat.
  3. Frost cooled cake.
  4. To toast coconut: stir coconut on medium-low heat in frying pan till toasted.
  5. Or place coconut on parchment paper in 325 degree oven, toast 3 minutes, stir, continue to toast until starting to turn golden, about 3-5 more minutes (watch carefully!)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting with Coconut option

  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp real vanilla extract 
  • 1-1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut (optional)
  1. Cream butter and sugar.
  2. Add vanilla, whip.
  3. Ice cake or cupcakes.
  4. Coarsely shredded coconut should be processed to a fine consistency in a blender or food processor.
  5. Sprinkle shredded coconut over icing. 

Coconut Cream Frosting for a big cake

  • 1-1/2 cups softened, unsalted butter
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 5 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 6 Tbsp coconut cream (from a can of coconut milk)
  • 1 tsp real vanilla extract or coconut extract (optional)
  1. Cream butter with salt till smooth (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition
  3. Add coconut cream 1 Tbsp at a time.
  4. Taste. To add more flavor, add vanilla or coconut extract.

Cream Cheese Icing

Cream together in mixer until smooth:
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp real vanilla extract
  • 1 lb. sifted icing sugar

Creamy American Buttercream Cake Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
  • 6 Tbsp shortening
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup room temperature milk
  1. Beat butter and shortening in mixer.
  2. Sift together icing sugar and cornstarch.
  3. Add sugar to butter mixture at low speed. Mix.
  4. Still at low speed, add vanilla and warm milk, mix.
  5. Increase speed to medium and mix until creamy.

Mocha Frosting

  • 2 tsp. instant coffee
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • 1/3 cup softened butter
  • 4 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 tsp. real vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts OR coconut (optional)

  1. Dissolve instant coffee in just-boiled water from the kettle.
  2. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, add icing sugar gradually, mix in cocoa and vanilla.
  3. Gradually add enough coffee liquid to make a spreadable icing. Beat until icing is fluffy.
  4. Stir in nuts or coconut if desired.

Brown Sugar Frosting

Has a caramel flavour.
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 cup icing sugar

  1. In a saucepan, heat melted butter and brown sugar while stirring continuously.
  2. Add milk, bring back to a boil, then remove from heat.
  3. Cool.
  4. Beat in icing sugar.

Hazelnut Frosting

Ice plain cake with vanilla or chocolate buttercream then sprinkle on:
  • ¼ cup roasted chopped hazelnuts
  • 2/3 cups hazelnut meal (finely ground hazelnuts)

Walnut Cake and Frosting

Stir  into any unbaked cake batter:
  • ½ cup ground walnuts 
When cake is cooled and iced, sprinkle icing with:
  •  ¼ cup chopped walnuts.

Patisserie Style Almond Cake Garnish

Adds a little crunch, texture and nutty flavor to an iced butter cake.
  1. Toast flaked almonds by stirring the nut flakes in a hot cast iron frying pan until flakes begin to brown.
  2. Remove from pan and cool.
  3. Press into sides of an iced cake. Sprinkle a few toasted almond flakes on top. 

Passionfruit Topping

Ice a plain cake with vanilla icing and drizzle the top with pureed passionfruit pulp.

Banana Icing

  • 1/3 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
  1. Cream butter till fluffy, add juice, gradually mix in sugar.
  2. Mash very ripe banana and add enough to the icing so that it's easy to spread.
  3. Cake frosted with banana icing must be eaten the same day.
  4. Refrigerate the cake if eating later in the day.

Butterscotch Icing

  • 1/4 cup hard butter
  • 2 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
  • about 2 Tbsp. cream

  1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and heat just till lightly browned.
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir in sugar, vanilla and enough cream to make the icing spreadable.

Pure White Icing

This icing is made with shortening and tastes more like the light, fluffy icing on a store-bought cake. Great when you want a very white icing (store-bought butter makes a cream-coloured icing.)

Requires the use of clear vanilla extract, an imitation vanilla flavoring that is colorless.

  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla extract 
  • 2 Tbsp water
Combine all ingredients and mix at high speed 5-10 minutes until fluffy.

Royal Icing for Decorating

Royal Icing Recipe #1

This recipe makes about 2 cups of royal icing to use in decorating gingerbread houses, cookies and cakes. Use an electric mixer. If you don't want to use real egg whites you can buy powdered meringue to use in making royal icing, or royal icing mix.

Beat together on medium high for 5 minutes:
  • 3-1/2 cups powdered (icing) sugar
  • 2 large egg whites OR 5 Tbsp meringue powder mixed with 1/3 cup water
  1. Beat until mixture is white, thickened and tripled in volume.
  2. Add water, one tablespoon at a time.
  3. Beat after each addition.
  4. When icing no longer holds a peak, stop.
  5. Divide icing into smaller bowls and colour with food coloring as desired.

Royal Icing Recipe #2

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 lb. sifted confectioners' sugar
  1. Use an electric mixer.
  2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until foamy.
  3. Reduce speed to low.
  4. Gradually add sugar, beating until just incorporated.
  5. Increae speed to high.
  6. Beat until medium-stiff glossy peaks form, 5-7 minutes.

Apricot Cake Filling

  • 11 oz. dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1-3/4 cups milk
  • 3/4 cups Bird's Custard Powder
  • 3 Tbp sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  1. Chop dried apricots. Place in a saucepan, cover with water.
  2. Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer.
  3. Cook until apricots are soft, adding more water if necessary.
  4. Reserve the liquid when you drain the apricots over a bowl.
  5. Mash the apricots, adding 1/4 cup of the reserved apricot liquid.
  6. Stir 1/2 cup sugar into the hot apricots and liquid to dissolve the sugar.
  7. Stir in 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp lemon juice.
  8. Let sit until cool.
Make a pudding:
  1. Stir 3 Tbsp custard powder with 3 Tbsp sugar in a small saucepan.
  2. Whisk in 1-3/4 cups homogenized milk.
  3. Cook, stirring constantly as it thickens, just until it bubbles.
  4. Take off heat.
  5. Let cool.
Combine Apricots and Pudding:
  1. Stir 1/2 cup of the apricot mixture into the custard pudding with 1 tsp vanilla. Reserve the rest of the apricot mixture.
  2. Cool and fold in 1/2 to 1 cup  whipped cream.
  3. Use this mixture as a filling between layers of cake, or to fill a cupcake.
  4. After filling is placed between layers of cake, use the reserved apricot mixture to make a circle of apricot puree on the top of the cake. Pipe stabilized whipped cream around it and then frost the sides of the cake with whipped cream as well.

Nutella Filling

  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
  • 3/4 cup Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  1. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into 1/2 cup whipping cream. 
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch mixture with remaining whipping cream.
  3. Whisk in Nutella and salt. 
  4. Keep whisking while cooking over medium heat, bring to a boil, boil 3 minutes till thickened.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Stir in vanilla.
  7. Allow to cool before using as cake filling. 

Honey Caramel Sauce

Drizzle this warm sauce over a plain cake.
Use a non-stick sauce pot if you have one.
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup clover or wildflower honey
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 3 Tbsp heavy (whipping) cream 35% fat
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  1. Stir sugar, honey and water together in heavy saucepan.
  2. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush or small spatula dipped in cold water.
  3. Cook about 8 minutes until mixture becomes a deep amber colour.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Carefully stir butter and cream into hot mixture.
  6. Let cool about 15 minutes or just until caramel has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Serve sauce warm over cake.

Butterscotch Sauce

Serve warm over plain cake, apple cake or apple crisp

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat till sugar is dissolved. Stir constantly to blend well.

Raspberry Sauce

Excellent drizzled over pound cake or slices of angel food cake.

  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 Tbsp white granulated sugar
  • 12 oz. raspberries
  1. In a pot, stir cornstarch into water.
  2. Add sugar and heat to a boil.
  3. Stir in raspberries and heat on low till thickened.

 

Mandarin Orange Glaze


Spread over Bundt or Pound Cake and scatter toasted hazelnuts on top.
  •  2 cups icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp mandarin orange zest
  • ¼ cup fresh mandarin orange juice

  1. Combine icing sugar and mandarin zest.
  2. Stir in mandarin juice till smooth.


Mandarin Orange Syrup

Drizzle over plain cake.
  • 2/3 cup freshly squeezed mandarin orange juice
  • 1/3 cup caster (superfine, instantly dissolving) sugar
  1. Heat both ingredients till sugar dissolves.

Fruit Jelly Glazes


To put a glaze on top of frosting and not have the frosting melt, the glaze should be barely warm and the frosting (buttercream) should be cool and  firm to the touch, so refrigerate the iced cake before glazing.

Make 1/2 cup glaze for a 9-inch cake, more than 3/4 cup for a 12-inch cake.
Refrigerated, glaze will last months and can dress up a plain cake for a grown-up dessert.

In a saucepan or the microwave, heat and stir together
  • 1/2 cup fruit jelly
  • 1 Tbsp fruit liqueur
Let cool to barely warm before glazing the cake with the mixture.

Suggested jelly and liqueur combinations:
  • Raspberry with Chambord
  • Apricot with apricot brandy
  • Currant jelly with Cassis
  • Apple jelly with Calvados or pear liqueur.

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