Chocolate Frosting

I modified a few chocolate frosting recipes to get this one and it turned out really good.

1 c. butter, softened

8 c. powdered sugar

1/4-1/2 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. cocoa powder

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Cream butter and sugar, adding milk 1 tbsp. at a time until desired consistency. Mix in vanilla. Melt chocolate chips in microwave, 20 seconds at a time then stir, then 20 seconds again until chocolate is just melted. Do not let chocolate get too hot; only microwave until barely melted. Drizzle chocolate into icing mixture and continue to mix. Add 1/2 c. cocoa. Mix well.

JoLynne's Icing

I got this from a friend JT, she uses it on a lot of her yummy cupcakes!

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

6-8 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

Place softened butter in large mixing bowl. Add 4 c. of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. One medium speed of electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 c. at a time beating well after each additional cup, about 2 minutes until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.

Perfect Lemon Cake

Lemon cake with berries was delicious as a festive 4th of July dessert!

I tried this one from My Kitchen Cafe. It was super moist and really good!

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 c. sour cream
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan or two round pans. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Don't over bake or the cake will be too dry!

You can also make cupcakes and bake them at 350F for 20 minutes. The cupcakes will fall after they come out of the oven, but this is normal. Just fill up the indentation with more frosting.

Frosting:
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, very soft
6-8 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 c. sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 c. at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (I added about 6 c. total). Use and store at room temperature. (Don't refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)

Garnish with berries, if desired.

Wilton Buttercream Icing

1 c. solid white vegetable shortening
1 tsp. Wilton Flavor (Vanilla, Almond or Butter)
2 tbsp. milk or water (3 tbsp. if using icing sugar in Canada, there is more cornstarch in their icing sugar)
1 lb. pure cane confectioner's sugar (approximately 4 cups)
1 tbsp. Wilton Meringue Powder
A pinch of salt (optional)

Cream shortening, flavor and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.

Makes about 3 cups.

This makes stiff consistency buttercream icing. For medium consistency, add one tsp. water to each cup of stiff. (One additional tbsp. of water when you are using the full recipe.) For thin consistency, add two tsp. water for each cup of stiff consistency. (Two tbsp. of additional water for the full recipe.)

Stiff: used for flowers with upright petals
Medium: used for stars, figure piping, borders and flowers with petals that lie flat.
Thin: used for writing, making vines, leaves and icing a cake. Add 1/2 tsp. piping gel per cup of icing when used for writing, stems and leaves.

Chocolate Buttercream: Add 3/4 c. cocoa or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted, and an additional 1-2 tbsp. water to recipe. Mix until well blended.

Wilton Royal Icing

3 tbsp. meringue powder
4 c. confectioner's sugar
6 tbsp. warm water

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peak (7-10 minutes at low speed with at heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes with a hand-held mixer).

* Keep all utensils completely grease free and use metal or glass bowl for proper icing consistency.
** For stiffer icing, use 1 tbsp. less water.
*** When using large countertop mixer, or for stiffer icing, use 1 tbsp. less water.

Makes about 3 cups icing.

Marshmallow Fondant

This recipe is a really good tasting fondant. I got it off of Cakes Made Easy. It's a really great website that will send you tips on cake decorating that are really helpful! The original recipe calls for 4 c. powdered sugar but I kept adding powdered sugar until it wasn't sticky and ended up using 8 c.

1/4 c. vegetable shortening (Crisco)
16 oz. (453 g.) white mini marshmallows
1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavor
1 tsp. butter flavor
2 tbsp. water
8 c. powdered sugar

Melt marshmallows in greased microwave-safe bowl. Cream together in mixer shortening, vanilla and butter flavoring and water. Add in melted marshmallow mixture and mix together on low speed until combined. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Bump up speed to medium using dough hook to knead the fondant like bread. If too stick keep adding powdered sugar.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. milk ( less if you like thicker frosting)

Cream together with mixer. Add color if desired.

Marshmallow Frosting

1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
2 egg whites
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. Karo Syrup (corn syrup)
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Add salt and cream of tarter to egg whites and beat until mixture forms soft peaks. Gradually add sugar 1 tbsp. at a time, beating until smooth and glossy. Slowly add Karo Syrup, beating thoroughly after each addition until peaks are firm. Fold in vanilla.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz. pkg. light cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. milk
3 cups powdered sugar

Soften cream cheese and butter, using mixer add in powdered sugar 1 cup at at time. Add in milk and vanilla.