Frosting Recipes

We were thinking about our pink frosting options for Valentine’s Day cake frosting.  On one hand, we’re cool with natural colorings like beet juice to pinkify a vanilla frosting.  But we decided on a grenadine frosting for both its color and flavor. Grenadine is a syrup traditionally made from pomegranate juice.  Not only does grenadine add a sweet, red tinge to cocktails, it can also be added to frosting recipes.

You can make your own grenadine by simmering pomegranate juice until it thickens and then adding granulated sugar.  This is a more pure alternative than many commercially available grenadine products that have high fructose corn syrup; some don’t even list pomegranate juice as an ingredient.

You may add 2 tablespoons of grenadine to a buttercream recipe, or add 2-3 tablespoons of grenadine to a cream cheese frosting recipe. It’s tastier and has a more natural look than many food colorings.

Here’s one cream cheese version of grenadine frosting from the Food Network served on rose petal cupcakes.  A perfect Valentine’s day treat!

Pink Cream Cheese Grenadine Cake Frosting Recipe

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons grenadine

Put the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a mixer and, using the paddle attachment on high, beat until the two are incorporated. Add the sugar and beat one minute more. Add the vanilla and grenadine and beat until a uniform pink. Refrigerate until ready to use. Let come to room temperature before using.

This Oreo Cookie Buttercream Frosting Recipe is sure to delight anyone who encounters it.  My Food Affair based her Oreo frosting recipe on a buttercream frosting recipe by Nick Malgieri, a world renowned pastry chef who happens to run the baking program at the culinary school I attended.  So it must be good, right?

Solid vegetable shortening can be substituted for a portion of the butter if you feel like the frosting is going to be too heavy.  However, this Oreo icing recipe looks delicious as is, so we probably wouldn’t mess with it.  It may be destined to top a dark chocolate cake or cupcakes, but if you’re feeling a bit wild, a banana cake would be scrumptious as well.

From myfoodaffair.blogspot.com
Oreo buttercream frosting (see note)
adapted from Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes

2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
12 tbsp of unsalted butter, softened
6 oreo cookies, crushed
6 oreo cookies, halved for decoration (optional)

1. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over simmering water and whisk gently until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot (approximately 160 degrees).

2. Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk on medium speed until cooled. Switch to the paddle and beat in the softened butter and continue beating until the buttercream is smooth. Dissolve the instant coffee in the liquor and beat into the buttercream.

Note:
This recipe barely made enough for 12 cupcakes. As you can see, there’s not a lot of frosting on the cupcakes. If you are a frosting person, you might want to double the recipe. Frosting is normally not my favorite part, so this was just enough for me.

Oreo buttercream frosting | My Food Affair.

This o range buttercream frosting recipe can work beautifully with chocolate or vanilla cake.  Or, you may think about it with berry-lemon flavored cupcakes, yogurt cake, or even an orange caramel combination.  It’s beautiful garnished with chopped nuts, chocolate shavings, chocolate sprinkles, or left just as they are with the fluffy frosting piled high.

Here’s yet another delicious recipe from the Cupcake Project.  Check out pics and more after the jump.

• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3 oz (about 1/3 C) orange marmalade (try to find one with orange bits in it)
• 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1 T heavy cream
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t orange extract

1. Beat butter until creamy.
2. Beat in marmalade.
3. Beat in powdered sugar.
4. Add heavy cream and extracts.
5. Taste and smile. It should frost about 12 cupcakes, depending on how much you use.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe – Orange Frosting ~ Cupcake Project.

We were recently discussing the advantages and disadvantages of using different fats in frosting.  Sometimes I find a buttercream frosting to taste so much like sweetened butter that it’s just not enjoyable.  (I eat it, but don’t enjoy it).

We liked this lemon cake frosting recipe designed to top a gorgeous lemon cake.   The frosting includes a combination of heavy cream and butter which we think makes an ideal blend of fluffy and rich.  The lemon juice and lemon zest also freshen it up.

Lemon Frosting Recipe

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk (optional)
1 pound confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the butter and egg yolk at medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in the sugar at low speed. Beat in the cream, vanilla and salt, then beat at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes longer. Beat in the lemon zest and juice.

Lemon cake recipe after the jump.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting Recipe | Food & Wine.

What a refreshing end to a meal!  We came across Born to Entertain’s recipe for Margarita Cupcakes with Lime Frosting and they look gorgeous.  We also love the pale green food coloring that supports the lime frosting flavor.

Lime Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. lime juice
green food coloring (optional)

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low until combined. Turn the speed to medium-high until the icing is light and fluffy. Use water to thin the frosting if necessary (I used about 2 tbsp). Add the icing to a pastry bag or use a spatula/knife to frost the cupcakes.

Be sure to check out the cupcake recipe after the jump that features a touch of Grand Marnier and lime zest.  Lovely!

Margarita Cupcakes « Born to Entertain.

Note: If you’d like a vegan version of margarita frosting, check out the Mucho Margarita Cupcakes in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  We made these awhile back and loved ‘em.