These are some of my favorite recipes. Since I'm relatively new to
cake decorating, I continually experiment with recipes in my search
for "THE PERFECT" cake. So far, these are my favorites. I'm sure
they will be changing often. If you have any that you would like
to submit, please do! Email
them to me and I'll be happy to post
them (and try them out!!).
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Karen's Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
The bakery in which I work is famous in the area for their chocolate
cream cheese icing. In an attempt to "clone" the recipe and improve
upon it, I came up with this recipe. My husband says he likes it
better than the original.
4 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate, melted with 1 T. butter
1/2 cup butter
1 8-0z. pkg. cream cheese
2 lb. Powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Cream butter and cream cheese together until well mixed. Add
melted chocolate and mix well. Beat in sugar, cocoa powder,
milk and vanilla until smooth. Great as a "fudge" filling in chocolate
or white cake, and for icing cakes. Not too great for making roses
or other piped designs. Can be done, but not without much frustration!
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My Favorite Buttercream
This is my favorite all-around icing. It goes on the cake beautifully,
and tastes very good.
1 lb. butter
1 lb. shortening
3 lb. powdered sugar
1 T plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
Beat at low speed until smooth.
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Buttercream Icing
Another great one for icing cakes. A bit lighter than the first one.
1/2 lb shortening
1/2 lb butter
2 lb powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. almond extract
1/3 cup less 2 T water
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix for two minutes and then scrape bowl well.
Mix on LOWEST speed for 6-7 minutes.
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Quick-crusting Buttercream
Good for flowers!
1/3 cup water
3 T. meringue powder
1/2 cup shortening
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want a pure white icing)
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Beat water and meringue powder until stiff peaks form. Add shortening,
sugar, and extracts and whip for 3 minutes. Store well covered.
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Royal Icing
3 T. meringue powder
4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar
6 T. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (use clear vanilla if you want a pure white icing)
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Beat all ingredients together until stiff peaks form (about 10 minutes).
To vary the consistancy, add water to thin and add powdered sugar
to thicken. To thin the icing for a good base coat consistancy, add
water a few drops at a time and stir. Keep doing this until a drop of
the icing disappears into the rest of the icing at the count of ten. It
should be about the consistancy of sour cream.
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Cream Cheese Icing
This icing on a really good carrot cake...mmmmmmm. So good!
1 8-0z pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 lb. powdered sugar
Cream the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until very smooth and
well incorporated. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
You may want to add a little milk if it is too stiff.
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Pineapple Filling
3 T cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 T. butter
Combine cornstarch and sugar. Add pineapple and butter.
Cook over medium hear, stirring
constantly, until thick, clear, and bubbly.
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Rolled Fondant
2 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1 T. unflavored Knox gelatine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 T. glycerin
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Take out 1 cup of the powdered sugar, and combine it with
1/2 cup of cornstarch. Set aside. Put the rest of the sugar in
a large bowl and make a well in the center with a spoon.
Pour the water into a small saucepan. Srpinkle gelatine over
and let it soften for 5 minutes. Heat the gelatine mixture
slowly until it is dissolved and clear. DO NOT BOIL. Turn
off the heat and add the corn syrup and glycerine, stirring
with a small whisk unitil combined. Add flavorings. Pour
into the well in the powdered sugar, and mix until all the
sugar is blended. If necessary, add more powdered sugar
if mixture is too thin (but save your sugar/cornstarch mixture).
Using a fine seive, sprinkle your work surface with some of the
sugar/cornstarch mixture. Knead fondant, sifting in more powd.
sugar/ cornstarch as needed to prevent sticking, until it is
smooth and elastic. Add coloring at this point if desired.
Wrap in plastic wrap or seal in a plastic bag, and place in
airtight container. Let rest for 8 hours before rolling out.
This will cover a 10" round, two layer cake. Roll out fondant
on a cornstarch/sugar surface to 1/4" thick. Keep rolling pin
coated with the mixture as well. Don't turn the fondant over.
This will be the top of the cake coating.
Either slide the fondant onto a flat plate large enough to
hold it, or gently lift it onto your forarms. Creases can not
be removed once they occur. Lay onto cake and gently
smooth onto sides from the top down. Trim off any excess.
For some variation, substitute the almond extract with
lemon, orange, strawberry, cherry, pineapple, coconut,
or any other extract.
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Caramel coconut Pecan filling
(German chocolate cake frosting)
1 1/3 cups evaporated milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 1/3 cups chopped pecans
Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter in heavy saucepan.
Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes,
stirring constantly. Add vanilla, coconut and pecans. Stir
until frosting is cool and of spreading consistancy.
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Perfect Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Stir in boiling water (batter will be VERY thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake
30-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Bride's Cake
I've tried as many white cake recipes as I could get my hands on,
and this is the best. The great part is that it uses a mix, so it's
easy. This recipe comes from The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook
which is packed with fantastic recipes. I highly recommend it.
1 white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick butter, melted
3 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Mix on low for 30 seconds. Mix at medium speed for two minutes.
Bake according to cake mix package directions.
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Carrot Cake
This is a simple carrot cake to make, but I think it's the best I've ever
eaten. It is from a book called The Professional Pastry Chef. It makes
enough for 2 10" rounds.
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 lb. 12 oz. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. 2 oz. bread flour
3 T ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 lb. peeled carrots, shredded finely
5 oz. walnuts, chopped
Whip the eggs to a light and frothy conisistancy, then gradually add
the oil. Turn mixer speed to low and mix in sugar and salt. Sift
together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add to the egg mixture. Fold in the carrots and walnuts, evenly
distributing them in the batter. Bake at 375 for about 50 minutes.
This is a heavy sponge-type cake, and will bake a lot higher in the
middle. It's ok... just level with a serrated knife before stacking
and icing.
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Easy Almond Poppy Seed Cake
This is my own concoction, although I'm sure it's been done many
times before. Any cake mix can be used, and the amount of almond
flavoring and poppy seed is entirely a matter of taste. I like a lot of
almond.
1 box white cake mix (I prefer Betty Crocker) made according to
package directions. Add 2 tsp. almond extract and 2 T. poppy seed.
Bake according to package directions.
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Coconut Cream Cake
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream of coconut (Coco-Loco)
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
2 tsp. coconut flavoring or extract
3/4 cup flaked coconut
Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees
until done. (45 minutes for 6" round cakes)
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White Almond Sour Cream Cake
2 boxes white cake mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teas. salt
8 egg whites
2 2/3 cups water
4 Tbls. vegetable oil
2 cups (16oz carton) sour cream
2 teas. clear vanilla flavor
2 teas. almond extract
Mix all dry ingredients by hand using a
whisk in a very large mixing bowl. Add
the rest of the ingredients and beat
on low speed for 2 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees.
One recipe makes: one 14" round + one 6" round
or one 16" round
or one 12" round + one 10" round
or one 12x18" sheet cake
or one 12" round + one 8" round + one 6"
Half a recipe makes: two 8" rounds
or two 6" rounds + 6 cupcakes
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