Cream Cheese Fluff Frosting

Pin It

Cream cheese frosting is probably my favorite type of frosting, so I was excited to hear about this new recipe from my friend, Laura. My typical frosting is a simple mixture of cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. It's easy, but it takes a tad bit more time and is a little more delicate to make than this glorious mixture. Seriously: two ingredients! Cream cheese and MARSHMALLOW FLUFF!! That's all you need. The result is a fluffy cream cheese frosting that will get everybody's mouth watering. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Frosts 12 cupcakes

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow fluff

Using a hand blender, blend cream cheese and fluff in a large bowl until combined. Use to frost your favorite cupcakes! Keep refrigerated.

Source: Friend

Quick Chocolate Frosting

Pin It

Here's a super quick and easy Chocolate Frosting recipe for your recipe collection. My usual go-to recipe is Quick Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, and this is basically the same concept. I didn't have any chocolate on hand, so I decided to use cocoa powder instead and it turned out just as delicious. Depending on how you like you frosting, you can add more milk to make the consistency thicker or thinner. This is a great option if you don't have time to run to the store and grab a jar of the pre-made stuff. Enjoy! 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (16 tbsp.) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• 4 tbsp. reduced-fat milk, plus more if desired

In a large bowl, mix butter and cocoa powder with a hand mixer over medium speed. The mixture will be chunky, but will eventually get smooth after a minute or two.

Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and a dash of salt. Beat with hand mixer until combined. Slowly pour in milk while mixing. If you want a thinner consistency, continue to add milk until it reaches the texture you want.

Source: SK Original

Lavender Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

Pin It

I really enjoy making birthday treats for family and friends, especially if I have a good idea of something new they might like. For example, my mother-in-law is a lover of lavender, so I knew I wanted to try to make a dessert with lavender for her birthday celebration the other weekend.

I had never cooked with lavender before, so it was a new experience for me. I allowed the buds to sit in the milk for a few hours to soften up and flavor the milk. The aroma coming from the oven while these were baking was delightful, and the lavender flavor in the cupcakes afterwards was mild, yet noticeable. My favorite part was probably the frosting. Using a fresh vanilla bean gave it a strong vanilla flavor, while the buttercream practically melted in our mouths. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp. dried edible lavender
• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. agave nectar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. blue food coloring
• 1/4 tsp. red food coloring

Vanilla Bean Frosting:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine milk and lavender and pulse about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes until lavender is well chopped, scrapping down inside of processor once during processing. Pour into liquid measuring cup (be sure to scrape out all of milk and lavender from sides and lid), and allow to sit for at least one hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Blend in agave nectar. Add eggs one at a time and mix just until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Working in 3 separate batches beginning and ending with flour mixture, add dry ingredients alternating with milk mixture, mixing just until combined after each addition. Mix in the blue and red food coloring just until combined.

Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full and bake in preheated oven 19 - 21 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool several minutes in muffin tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with Vanilla Bean Frosting. Store in an airtight container.

For the Vanilla Bean Frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and vanilla bean seeds on medium-high speed until nearly white and very fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes, frequently scrapping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until blended, then increase speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes, frequently scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Pipe or spread over cupcakes. For best results use the day prepared.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Classy

Quick Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Pin It

Here's the recipe for the frosting I used when I made my brother's chocolate birthday cake. Like I said, this was a perfect recipe. Many times when I try chocolate frosting, they are way too sweet or not sweet enough. This was a perfect balance and the consistency was perfect. It was thick, but melted in my mouth.

Oh, and I trick I found while spreading icings like this (ones that are a little thicker) is to run your knife under hot water before spreading. It makes the icing spread smooth and it doesn't take up chunks of cake along the way. It really works and makes my life so much easier!

OH, and one more trick. Don't you love these? Before you put your cake on the serving dish to ice it, lay two pieces of parchment paper (side by side) underneath. That way, when you're spreading the icing and any gets on the bottom you don't have to worry about cleaning it up. Just pull the parchment paper from either side of the cake and your clean-up is done! So simple! Enjoy :)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 6 Tbs. milk, plus more, if needed
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Put the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler set over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, the 6 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Source: Williams-Sonoma