Pourable Fondant Icing

This recipe is great for all cupcakes and petit fours. You can make amazing Halloween cupcakes with this recipe. Try adding purple (bats), orange (pumpkins), or neon green (slime balls), black (spider webs), and white (ghosts) coloring to it. Once this icing is set you can decorate on top of it with buttercream!

6 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs light corn syrup
1 tsp clear almond extract
Icing Colors, if desired

Makes: About 2 1/2 cups of icing.



Cover cupcakes lightly with buttercream icing. Let set 15 minutes. (optional)

Place sugar in saucepan. Combine water and corn syrup; add to sugar and stir until well-mixed. Cook over low heat. Don't allow temperature of mixture to exceed 100°F. Remove from heat; stir in extract and icing color.

Place cooled cupcakes or mini cakes on cooling grid positioned over cookie sheet or pan to catch excess icing. Cupcakes which will be covered completely should be turned bottom side up. Pour icing on center of cupcake using pan or measuring cup. Or, pipe icing from a cut decorating bag. Cover the cupcake completely, or use your coating as a glaze to simply cover tops and drip over the sides. Touch up any bare spots with spatula. Let set.

Excess icing may be reheated just to pouring consistency. Don’t overheat the icing as it will lose its shiny finish.

Pictured: Ghost and Pumpkin were cut out of can baked on a jelly roll pan, using a cookie cutter. To make the spider web cut a cupcake in half, or use a whole cupcake.

White Chocolate Coffee Frosting

2 ounces white chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
5 teaspoons instant coffee granules
3 cups powdered sugar


Mix the instant coffee with the milk, and let it stand until coffee is dissolved.

Melt the butter and chocolate together, and beat until smooth, then add vanilla.

Beat in 1 cup of confectioners sugar. Add half the milk mixture, then 1 cup confectioners sugar, then the other half of the milk, then 1 cup confectioners sugar.

Brown Sugar 'How Come You Taste So Good' Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Pour the heavy cream into a medium bowl, and whip with an electric mixer. Add sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder; whip until stiff and spreadable. Refrigerate until needed.

Chocolate Glaze

This glaze is shiny!

8 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler. Add corn syrup and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Use immediately.

Roll Out Buttercream Fondant

This is a fondant that actually tastes good!

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds powdered sugar

In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt and vanilla flavoring, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick or thinner if you can. Drape over frosted and chilled cakes and smooth the sides down, or cut into strips to make bows and other decorations.

Mocha Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon boiling water


Beat whipping cream and sugar together in mixing bowl until stiff. Dissolve coffee granules in boiling water. Cool. Add to whipped cream and beat in. Makes enough to frost and fill one 8 or 9 inch 2 layer cake. Keep mocha whipped cream refrigerated.

Best Ever Chocolate Frosting!

1 cup of shortening
4 cups of powdered sugar
1 Tbs water
2 tsp vanilla flavoring or almond flavoring

Cream shortening water and flavoring, then add in powdered sugar. Add a little more vanilla until consistency is correct. (If thinning down a lot use water instead)

Halloween Layer Cake

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
3 egg whites
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp butter
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbs orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbs orange juice
2 tsp lemon juice


Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and white sugar.

Beat shortening until light and fluffy. Mix in dry ingredients. Add 3/4 cup of buttermilk and mix until all flour is dampened. Then beat with electric mixer. Add egg whites, melted chocolate, and remaining buttermilk, beat well and pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. When cake is cool frost between layer and over top and sides with Golden Orange Frosting. Mark outlines of Halloween cats and bats by lightly pressing cookie cutters into frosting. Melt 1 square unsweetened chocolate with 1 tsp. butter. Using a food safe brush, fill in the outlines with the chocolate mixture.

To Make Golden Orange Frosting: Cream together butter, orange zest, lemon zest, and salt. Add egg yolk and mix well. Add powdered sugar, alternately with orange juice and lemon juice, beating well after each addition. Makes 2 cups frosting, or enough to cover tops and sides of two 9 inch layers.

Coffee with a bit of Toffee Cake

Sorry it's been such a long while. But life sometimes gets to you like that. I thought I would restart with a rockin' cake recipe! Enjoy!


1/4 cup instant coffee granules or crystals
1/4 cup boiling water
1 box Moist white cake mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 container (1 lb) vanilla frosting
1/4 cup caramel topping
3 bars (1.4 oz each) chocolate-covered English toffee candy, coarsely chopped


Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, dissolve coffee granules in boiling water.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1 cup water, the oil, eggs and coffee mixture with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally (batter will be lumpy). Pour into pan.

Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In medium bowl, mix frosting and caramel topping. Frost cake with frosting mixture. Sprinkle with toffee candy. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 33 to 38 minutes.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts & Maple Icing

I saw this today on food tv. It rocks!

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cooked mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium potato) Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Maple Icing:
2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 Tbs milk
1/4 tsp maple extract

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, and sweet potato. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring to combine. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Knead in flour with hands as needed (dough will be sticky). Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out dough with a 2 1/4-inch round cutter. Cut out center of doughnuts with a 3/4-inch round cutter. Re-roll dough as needed.
In a Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat to 360°F. Cook doughnuts, in batches, in hot oil, 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Ice top of doughnuts with Maple Icing, and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Icing:
In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons milk; stir well. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. Stir in maple extract.

Paper Cup Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
24 paper cups (the bigger bathroom cups, not the tiny ones the next size up)

For the frosting:
2 egg whites
6 Tbs cold water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside. In a mixer with a whip attachment cream the butter until light and fluffy then add the sugars and continue mixing to cream them together. Add the eggs gradually and let them thoroughly mix in. Then add the melted unsweetened chocolate and mix in well. Add the vanilla and 1/3 of the buttermilk and mix, then add 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix in well. Repeat alternating wet and dry ending with wet.

Place un-waxed paper cups on a sheet pan and fill them 3/4 full. Bake until firm to the touch on the top of the cupcakes, 20 minutes.

Make the frosting: Off the heat, combine the egg whites, cold water, sugar, and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. Whisk until smooth. Place over boiling water and whisk constantly or beat with a hand mixer until the frosting is stiff and holds peaks (this will take about 10 to 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Let cool, whisking often.

Let cakes cool in the pan, and then frost while still in the cups.

Easy Poured Fondant for Petit Fours

6 cups powdered sugar, sifted (quick sift with a whisk)
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs light corn syrup
1 tsp almond extract (or one of your choosing)

In a saucepan, combine powdered sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a temperature of 92°F (33°C.) Mixture should be thin enough to pour, but thick enough to coat cake.

To petit fours: Frost petit fours smoothly with butter cream and place on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet or newspapers underneath. Pour fondant over iced cake, flowing from center and moving out in a circular motion. Touch up sides with a spatula.

Strawberries & Cream Cake

Cake
1 box white cake mix
1 1/4 c water
1/3 c vegetable oil
3 eggs (including yolks)
1 box (4-serving size) strawberry-flavored gelatin

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
2 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp milk
1 1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 c powdered sugar


Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray; lightly flour. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and gelatin with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In chilled large bowl, beat cream cheese and milk with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in whipping cream and powdered sugar on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until soft peaks form. Spread frosting over cake. Store covered in refrigerator.

Yummy Tres Leches Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 cup whole milk or evaporated milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 container Whipped fluffy white frosting


1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

3. Bake 29 to 35 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Poke top of hot cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking.

4. In large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and whipping cream. Carefully pour evenly over top of cake. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until mixture is absorbed into cake. Frost with frosting.

Cool Whip Frosting

I found this on all recipes tonight, and I'm gonna try it for the 4rth of July. If anyone else does I would love to hear your feedback.

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract


In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix with milk and vanilla.
Mix until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping until no streaks remain.
Spread evenly over cake.

This makes about 2 cups.