icing | No Empty Chairs

Tag Archives: icing

April 9, 2011 · 10:20 pm

A Butterfly in Buttercream

Today is my Little J’s 7th birthday. It is amazing how quickly time flies. My once-upon-a-time-baby is all grown up and decorating her own cakes now! I am glad she is still interested in fun little girl things like butterflies. Last year we made Cupcakes topped with Chocolate Butterflies for her 6th birthday. This year it was one great big butterfly cake.

Little J was in charge of design and decorations. She chose the color patterns of the icing sections, the sprinkles and the M&M borders (I love Easter-colored candies!). She also put on all of the M&Ms and sprinkles and shaped the antennae. She is very meticulous! My job was heavy construction: cake cutting and icing spreading.

She carefully separated a rainbow mix of sprinkles into separate colors.

If you look closely, the sprinkles are shaped like tiny butterflies. Little J says they are the baby butterflies and the big cake is the Mommy Butterfly.

Congratulations Little J on a cake well done!

—

Happy 7th Birthday Little J. We love you lots!

RECIPE:

Buttercream Icing

½ cup butter
½ cup shortening (or additional butter)
1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt
Additional milk to thin icing

Cream butter and shortening with a mixer. Beat in powdered sugar, 2 Tbs milk, vanilla and salt. This yields 3 CUPS STIFF icing (for piping borders and decorations).

For thinner icing (spreading on cake): Gradually beat in additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, until icing is desired consistency.

—

FOR CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM: Add 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled and additional 1 Tbs milk.

NoEmptyChairs.me

—

2 Comments

Filed under Desserts, Kids' Cakes

Tagged as baking with kids, birthday, birthday cake, buttercream, butterflies, butterfly cake, cake, cake decorating, chocolate buttercream, dessert, frosting, icing, recipe

December 8, 2009 · 12:22 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Sugar Cookies

DAY 12: The ultimate classic cookie, adaptable to any holiday or occasion. I love this dough because it bakes up just slightly puffy in the middle and (unless you overcook them!) the cookies stay soft for days and days. The dough and cookies both freeze well, which is good because this recipe makes A LOT of cookies. These are most fun to have little helpers decorate, although I love them most plain, warm out of the oven.

This makes a wonderful soft sugar cookie. Frost with your favorite butter cream frosting, cream cheese frosting or a glacé icing. Check out Our Best Bites’ tutorial on Glacé Icing. Here are two basic frosting recipes, one for a buttercream and one for glacé icing.

DSC05153-1

RECIPES:

Sugar Cookies

Servings: about 6 dozen
Print

DSC05153-1

3 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
About 7 – 7 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Beat sugar, butter, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Add soda, salt, and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough.

Chill for 20 minutes to 1 hour for easier handling. Roll out dough to desired thickness (I like these fairly thick) and cut with cookie cutter.

Bake at 375°F for 10 -11 minutes; if they brown, it’s been too long. They should look white when done.

NoEmptyChairs.me

Buttercream Icing

Servings: Makes 3 cups icing
Print

DSC05170-1

1 cup butter
1 lb (4 cups) sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla or other flavored extract (almond is really good!)
Dash salt

Cream butter with a mixer. Beat in remaining ingredients. This yields 3 cups STIFF icing. Add additional milk for a thinner icing.

For Chocolate Buttercream: Add 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and 1 Tbs additional milk.

NoEmptyChairs.me

Glacé Icing

Servings: Makes about 2 cups icing
Print

. DSC05184-1

1 lb powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
¼ cup+ 2 Tbs whole milk
¼ cup + 2 Tbs light corn syrup
1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
Gel food coloring

With a whisk, combine sugar and milk until smooth. Stir in corn syrup and almond or vanilla extract. Add food coloring for desired colors.

You will use this same recipe for both glazing and piping. The way it is right now is the consistency you want for glazing. It’s smooth and thin. It easily runs off of a whisk in a thin drizzle.

To prepare the icing for piping, add more powdered sugar.

From Our Best Bites

NoEmptyChairs.me

. DSC05179-1