Frosting

Basic Buttercream Frosting with Options
2 cubes butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk

Beat butter until creamy. Add half the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until creamy. Add remaining powdered sugar and whip until it's of a spreadable consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Adjust milk VERY CAREFULLY SINCE A LITTLE DOES A LOT if the frosting is too thick or too thin.

OPTIONS:
Add 1/4 cup cocoa to make a chocolate buttercream. With the chocolate buttercream I like to add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Something about the almond makes the chocolate very rich!

Add 1 teaspoon mint to make a wonderful buttermint.

Exchange one cube of butter for one 8 oz. block of cream cheese to make a great cream cheese frosting. You can do this for either chocolate or vanilla  buttercream. For something like cinnamon rolls, sometimes I add 1/2  teaspoon or so of lemon juice to make it taste more like cheesecake. I adore cream cheese frosting for so many things!


Whipped Cream Frosting
1 small box instant pudding (you choose the flavor)
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together pudding and milk until smooth. Set aside. Refrigerate while you whip the cream. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to cream and whip until soft set. Blend the two mixtures then pipe onto cupcake tops. (frosts about 12 cupcakes)


Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
1  stick butter, softened
2/3 cup  cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup  sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
milk as needed

Blend together till smooth. Start with two tablespoons of milk and go from there.


Life Changing (Mousse Frosting)
This frosting takes some time (mostly for cooling) so plan well in advance if you want to use it!

1 1/4 cup  sugar
1/4 cup  flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2  cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cubes butter, cut into tablespoons

In bowl, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt; sift through a mesh strainer into a saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk until mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and becomes kind of hard to whisk (5-10 minutes). Transfer mixture to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator to speed things up or just on the counter if you have a while. The mixture must come to room temperature with no presence of heat. Once the frosting is cool, blend in the vanilla and almond, about 30 seconds. Then turn the speed up to medium-high and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. This should take about 2 minutes. When butter is in, turn the speed to medium-high and let the mixer work its magic - FOR 5 MINUTES!

TO MAKE A CHOCOLATE VERSION OF THIS - WHICH I REALLY LIKE - add 1/4  cup cocoa to the sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt mixture at the very beginning.



Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1 cube butter, softened
1  tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 2 pound bag powdered sugar

Beat together until smooth and creamy.


Grandpa Blakesley's Caramel Frosting
1 cube butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat then cool slightly. Use a blender to beat powdered sugar and vanilla into butter mixture until the frosting is smooth.


Grandpa Blakesley's German Chocolate Cake Frosting
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat then add the flaked coconut and pecans. Keep stirring until somewhat cool and of a spreading consistency. Fill between layers and the top of cake only, Use a German chocolate cake mix if you really want it to be consistent with traditional flavoring.


Brooke's Chocolate Glaze for Chocolate Cake
Perfect for a 8" or 9” rounds!

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream

In a double boiler melt chocolate in cream, stirring until smooth. Pour over cake! Note: You need to fill between the cake layers with a mousse or pudding to keep the layers from sliding once the glaze goes over!


Heather's Cake Decorating Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white crisco
1 2 pound bag powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons milk or water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring

Beat until smooth and creamy.


Melanie's Buttercream Cake Decorating Frosting
1 cup  butter
1 cup  crisco
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 2 pound bag powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

Cream all together till smooth and creamy.