My homemade cake frosting recipes certainly "make the cake." Try my amazing fluffy caramel frosting, lemon whipped cream cheese frosting, rocky road and my whipped cream frosting that doesn't melt at room temperature.
You will also find homemade toppings (ganache and glazes too). And homemade cake recipes at the bottom of the page...
I will be adding to these recipes on a regular basis, so you may want to bookmark this page.
I have a frosting secret for you. If you find that any frosting is too sweet for your taste, and there is shortening and butter in the recipe, use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 SALTED butter. If not you can add 1/4 tsp salt (popcorn salt works best as the grains are smaller but regular table salt works fine if that is what you have). Salt cuts the sweetness in icings!
Here is another frosting secret. For perfect (and I mean perfect) buttercream frosting (or any frosting for that matter), you need to purchase high-ratio shortening.
Sweetex or Alpine is available at bakery and restaurant supply stores. Online, you can purchase it at Shop Bakers Nook and they sell it by the pound instead of 50 pound packages.
When you make frosting the consistency is so perfect. Even when it sets, it never crusts over, it's not gritty, and it's pure white. There's my two cents worth. If you make a lot of frosting, or have many cake frosting recipes that you use often, you may want to look into it.
This is so similar to bakery frosting that you will NEVER buy "canned" frosting again!
To make more frosting increase the butter and shortening to 1/2 cup and increase the powdered sugar as needed --- for extra fluffy frosting make certain to beat for at least 3 to 5 minutes.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed beat together the shortening and butter with whipping cream or milk, salt and vanilla until smooth (about 3 minutes).
Add in sifted powdered sugar starting with 2-1/2 cups; beat very well until smooth and fluffy, adding more powdered sugar or cream (or milk) until you achieve desired consistency.
Add in the food coloring (if using) a drop at a time until the desired shade is achieved.
TIPS TO Make PERFECT Chocolate Covered Strawberries
SECRET #1 There are many way to prepare these strawberries, but I am going to give you my easy methods. When you are melting the chocolate over a double boiler, don't let the water touch the bottom of your upper pan. Heat until only 1/2 of the chocolate is melted, then remove from heat and stir gently until it is all melted.
The chocolate should actually be cool or tepid to the touch. If it's hot, chances are it will seize up and thicken. If it does that, no amount of heating or stirring will fix it.
If you don't have a double-boiler, use a saucepan - bring the water to a boil, and then use a stainless steel bowl to rest in the saucepan to melt the chocolate.
SECRET #2 Strawberries are grown with many pesticides, so rinse the strawberries first with a veggie wash, and let them drain on paper towels until they were thoroughly dry so the chocolate would adhere properly. Any moisture would have interfered with the chocolate adhering.
SECRET #3 Spike the strawberries! Fill a syringe with a sweet white dessert wine, and slowly inject the wine into the strawberries from near the stem (after you've done the dipping in chocolate.) You want to inject enough wine to saturate the berries, but watch not to add too much otherwise they end up becoming runny. These are always a hit when I bring them to dinner parties.
SECRET #4 Pierce the strawberries on the stem side with a toothpick. Holding the strawberry by the toothpick, dip into the chocolate mixture. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.
A delicious twist on my favorite red velvet cake recipe. Yum.
HOMEMADE RED VELVET CHEESECAKE RECIPE
Ingredients
CRUST: 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup butter, melted 1-1/2 TBS white sugar shaved chocolate bar
CHEESECAKE: 3 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened 1-1/2 cups white sugar 4 eggs, beaten 3 TBS cocoa, unsweetened 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup buttermilk* 1 TBS pure vanilla extract 1 tsp white vinegar 2 (1oz) bottles of red food coloring
TOPPING: 3 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 2 tsp pure vanilla extract shaved chocolate bar, for garnish
Directions
PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees. The cake is baked with a water bath to prevent cracking. Wrap a large pan with foil (big enough for the spring form pan to fit in).
Mix the graham crackers and sugar together and add the melted butter. Mix with a fork and press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with chocolate shavings from a candy bar.
Beat 3 packages of cream cheese with 1-1/2 cups white sugar until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into the prepared spring form pan and place in the center of the foil covered pan. Fill with water.
Bake for 10 minutes and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 70-80 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the center is firm. Cool completely on a wire rack.
TOPPING: Beat the cream cheese with the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Garnish with the shaved chocolate bar.
*Buttermilk: Place 1-1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice in 1/2 measuring cup and fill remainder with milk. Wait 15 minutes, stir, and it's ready for this recipe.