Blackberry & Raspberry Buttercreams

I used this icing with KD's cupcake recipe and used a vanilla cake mix. This icing has an exciting burst of flavor!

http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2009/8/13/guest-blog-post-lemon-berry-cupcakes-by-patisserie-natalie.html

 

• 2-1/2 sticks unsalted butter; softened (1 stick = 1/2 cup) = 1 1/4 cup needed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar; sifted
• 1/4 cup blackberry sauce
• 1/4 cup raspberry sauce

Beat butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar until smooth.

Divide into two parts, removing half from the mixer bowl.

Add the blackberry sauce to the mixer bowl, along with 3/4 cup of powdered sugar.

Place buttercream in a piping bag and pipe a circle around the outer edge of the cupcake top, spiraling in towards the center.

In the same mixer bowl, add the remaining half of the butter and powdered sugar that was set aside.

Add the raspberry sauce and 3/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Place in a piping bag and pipe an extra dollop on top of the blackberry buttercream.

Blackberry Sauce

• 1 cup blackberries*
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and place over medium heat. Stir frequently until juices from berries boil. Using a wooden spoon, crush the berries in the pan. Let boil for 2 minutes to make sauce more dense. Strain the mixture if you prefer to have smoother frostings. Cool in refrigerator.

 

Raspberry Sauce

• 1/2 cup raspberries*
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and place over medium heat.

Stir frequently until juices from berries boil.
Let boil for 2 minutes to make sauce more dense.
Cool in refrigerator


*My Version:
I used:
1 frozen carton of Raspberries
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp lime juice
I also used a whole lot more icing sugar than called for in recipe - 1/2 c icing sugar to 3 1/2 cups butter ratio

Good Cake or (Raisin Cupcakes) and Butterscotch Frosting

Recipe via Mom

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups raisins

Boil raisins 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup juice from raisins
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs
Add dry ingredients alternately with juice from raisins
Bake @ 350^o

This recipe can be made as a cake or as cupcakes.

Frost with Butterscotch Frosting

Butterscotch Frosting

Recipe via: Mom

Melt slowly:
   1/2 cup brown sugar
   6 TBSP butter
Add:
   1/3 cup milk

Boil for 2 minutes

Add:
   1 1/2 cups icing sugar
   1/2 tsp vanilla
   1/4 tsp salt

(might want to double for cake)

Pudding/Cool Whip Frosting

Recipe via: http://notjustcute.com/2010/06/24/dear-sweet-puddinhead/

One of the simplest and most versatile recipes - This tasty stuff results from the combination of pudding and whipped topping.  We’ve used it for quite some time in our house, as a frosting spread on cakes and piped onto cupcakes, a substitute for plain Cool Whip in desserts like this chocolate trifle, a hot chocolate topping, or a tasty filling in crepes or on waffles along with some fruit. 

This recipe is so simple, your little ones will love to help you out with it, and will likely volunteer to lick the spoon as well.  The directions are simple and completely open to tweaking. 

 All you do is mix:

One vanilla pudding packet with

Half of the milk called for on the package. 

Whisk until it begins to thicken. 

Then fold in one container of Cool Whip. 

That’s it!

Use it in one of the many ways I described above, or eat it straight from the bowl

After sharing this recipe with people they usually ask what sizes to use.  The answer – it doesn’t really matter.  I’ve used one large package of pudding and one large Cool Whip,  two small puddings and one small Cool Whip, one small pudding and one small Cool Whip, and virtually ever other combination you can imagine!  It’s always good.  More pudding in your proportion means more flavor and more density.  But it’s always good. 

I’ve used vanilla pudding, French vanilla, and even chocolate.  All delicious!  I’ve also blended cream cheese in with the pudding portion of the recipe.  Also tasty!  You can add coloring if you need to and it still works- and tastes – fantastic

One puddin’head use I really love this time of year is as a filling for ice cream sandwiches. 

Dollop or spread between two graham crackers, place them on a sheet and set them in the freezer. 

Once they’ve firmed up, you can transfer them to an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper.  It’s a cool and tasty summertime treat! 

Get fancy and press sprinkles into the sides or dip half of the sandwich in melted chocolate.  Whatever makes you happy! 

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Recipe via Our Best Bites

1 18.25-oz. white cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
Yellow and orange Wilton food gel (about a heaping 1/2 tsp. of each)

A Double batch of Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

•  Line 2 24-cup muffin tins with white paper liners (although you may not make it to 24 cupcakes).
• Combine all ingredients except for food coloring in a large bowl and beat on low speed for 1 minute.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat on medium for 2 additional minutes.
• Divide batter equally into two bowls; you should have about 2 1/4-2 1/2 c. of batter in each bowl.
• Mix about 1/2 heaping tsp. of yellow coloring into one bowl of batter and 1/2 heaping tsp. of orange coloring into the other bowl.
• Divide the yellow batter evenly among the muffin tins. I used a standard cookie scoop, which measures about 1 Tbsp. I only had enough to make 20 cupcakes with the cups filled about halfway.
• Holding the edges of each pan firmly, bang the pan a few times on the counter to level out the batter.
• Repeat the process with the orange batter.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan and then allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
• When ready, frost the cupcakes and garnish with a candy corn.
• When you cut them open, they look like this

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

Recipe by ourbestbites.com

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I used non-fat when it's all I have and it's actually fine)
1/2 C real butter
1/2 C sugar (that's granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk.

 Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.

Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. I think this is the critical point for any of you who have had problems with this recipe. I have a feeling people are under-cooking this part.

 Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Even though it's thick, you can still it through a mesh strainer (just whisk the mixture in the strainer to push the thick stuff through) and then let it cool completely to room temp. or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely. If you don't let it cool completely, it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.

In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You'll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, not the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can get to without it spraying all over the place for 7 minutes. Yes, 7 whole minutes, maybe even 8 or 9. I know that seems like a long time, but that's when the magic happens!

You will be scared because it will look like a weird goopy mess at first and you'll wonder what on earth you did wrong. Keep beating and something amazing happens. It goes from that goopy mess to something thick, velvety smooth, and perfectly fluffy.

After beating

Use it to fill cupcakes or other pastries, or as a frosting on top. You can't go wrong putting this on just about anything :)

One batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes with BIG tops (like the one below, or larger). If you're just spreading a little on top, it will do 24.

After trouble-shooting with a lot of people, here are some helpful Notes:
1. Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.
2. If you beat for the 6-8 minutes and the mixture still looks strange, beat longer and at a higher speed if you can. It should come together, but it takes a little patience!
3. Store at room temperature in a sealed container. Frosting may separate in the fridge, but you can store it overnight if left at room temp and in a well sealed container.

Video tutorial - how to ice cupcakes:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/10/tutorial-how-to-frost-cupcakes-plus.html

Italian Cream Cake

Recipe via Southern Living 1996

This cake is sure to win raves in your home - It is one of my very favorites!
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flaked coconut
Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting
Garnishes: toasted pecan halves, chopped pecans

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour and soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, and fold into batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.
Yield: 1 (3-layer) cake

*Even moister if made day ahead
*Can also put pecans in cake batter

Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe goes with Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation:
Bake chopped pecans in a shallow baking pan at 350°, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until toasted. Cool.
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat frosting at high speed until smooth; stir in pecans.
Yield about 4 cups