Jenn's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

I use elements for my cinnamon rolls from all different places / recipes, but I have perfected my family's favorite way to enjoy cinnamon rolls and wanted to put all of it here so I don't have to look so hard in the future!

Dough

I use the same dough recipe as this one. I often use half the dough for the cinnamon rolls and finish the other half as regular rolls for dinner. 

1 1/2 cups of milk
3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 cups of warm water
about 9-10 cups of all purpose flour
at least 1 cup of butter

To start out: Scald 1 1/2 cups of milk, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup of butter, in a microwave safe bowl, for 2-3 minutes. Cutting the butter into pieces helps it melt faster. There will probably be some little cubes of butter still floating in the hot mixture, they will melt.

We are going to add yeast to this hot mixture, but it will be too hot to just dump the yeast straight in (it would kill it!). To cool it down stir in 2 cups of flour, then add 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of salt, and leave it to cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, in a measuring cup dissolve 2 Tablespoons of yeast in 2 cups of warm water and 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for a couple of minutes until it is bubbly.

Make sure your milk mixture is just warm, not boiling and add the yeast mixture.

Using a fork or wooden spoon, gradually stir in 7-8 additional cups of flour (including the cups you already added there will be a total of 9 - 10 cups of four). I would recommend only adding 2 cups at time and stirring in between. These rolls turn out so much better when they are mixed by hand.

At the end the dough will be dense and sticky, and may be hard to stir, you can use your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour if needed. Be sure not to add too much flour. Then smooth the dough out and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm place and let it raise.

Filling

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, split in half, and then roll out the dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Lightly butter the dough. Mix the following ingredients together: 

1/2 c. butter, softened but not melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

2. T. ground cinnamon

1/8  tsp. salt

Mix well and spread evenly over the dough. Roll up the rectangle and cut into equal sized rolls. Allow to rise again on a greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.

Frosting

We often double this, depending on the number of rolls. 

7 T. butter, softened

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 T. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1.5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Blend in milk and vanilla, and then powdered sugar and salt. 

We like this best when we put a thin layer of frosting on all the rolls when they are hot out of the oven. Then we reserve the rest for when the rolls have cooled.

Marshmallow Brownies

Oh, my, these are HEAVENLY! I highly recommend Six Sisters' Marshmallow Brownies if you need a treat to take to an event, share with a friend, or just enjoy for yourself! Yum!

click here for recipe

Brittany's Royal Frosting for Cookie Decorating

Brittany said: "This royal glaze icing is what I use for all my sugar cookies now. It is shiny and pretty but it dries faster. And it’s not hard like royal icing it still tastes yummy. My new favorite icing for pretty sugar cookies."

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat Recipe

We have all had this cake. We've all made this cake. It's hard to believe we didn't have the recipe on here sooner! It is THE chocolate bundt cake recipe to have! Soooooooooooooo yummy!!


Ingredients 

• 1 pkg Devil's Food Cake Mix 
• 1 small box instant chocolate pudding 
• 1 c. sour cream 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1/2 c. water 
• 1/2 c. oil  
• 1 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips 

For the frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese, softened 
• 1/4 cup butter , softened 
• 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp . vanilla extract 

Instructions 

The night before: Mix first six ingredients together in a mixer or with beaters. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased bunt cake pan (cooking spray works great). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove cake from bundt pan by placing a plate upside down over the bundt pan. While holding the plate firmly on top of the bundt pan, flip both over so the cake comes out onto the plate. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight before frosting. 

Before serving: In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Start with 2 cups then keep adding more until it is nice and thick. Spoon the frosting into a Ziplock resealable gallon bag. Clip one bottom corner of the bag. Squeeze frosting out of the bag onto the cake in strips as pictured above.

My new favorite chocolate cake

This isn't much different from the chocolate cake recipe I used before, but I do like it even better and so it's my new go-to chocolate cake recipe.  I made it as a bundt cake for a dinner party with friends and also as a round layered birthday cake for Darla, and both times it turned out fabulous.  It's a very versatile, moist, yummy recipe!


Ingredients

• Chocolate Cake Mix (I prefer devil food cake, but any cake mix will do) 
• Chocolate Instant Pudding, 3.9 oz size 
• 4 eggs 
• 1 cup sour cream 
• ¾ cup water 
• ¾ cup oil 
• 1/2 bag chocolate chips (I prefer mini chips) 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well and pour batter into a well-greased and floured pan. Bake on middle rack for 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven when a toothpick comes out clean.

IF MAKING A BUNDT CAKE: Let cake cool completely in pan. Take a small slender spatula and loosen cake around the outside & inside edges. Tip upside down onto platter.  Whip up the icing for the top of the bundt while it's cooling:

Bundt Chocolate Icing

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix together the ingredients. Stir forever, until it’s smooth and thick. If it’s not runny enough, add a bit of warm water or more melted butter until it’s at the consistency you like.  You want it runny, because when the cake is cool you just drizzle this all over the top for some more chocolate deliciousness. 

Berry Buttercream Frosting

For years now, Gerald's favorite cake has been the 'triple berry' cake, as he calls it.  I've posted the cake recipe in the past - you can find it here.  The only difference is that when the recipe calls for frozen raspberries, I use a frozen mixed berry mix. 

But this year, I think I perfected the berry buttercream frosting.  Here is the recipe that I prefer to use with this cake, though there is also another recipe option you can find at the above link.

Berry Buttercream Frosting

• 1 tsp. raspberry extract
• 1/2 tsp. butter vanilla gel (optional.  You could substitute vanilla extract to taste.)
• 2-4 T. water
• 1 c. shortening
• 1 T. Wilton Meringue Powder
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. frozen berries, thawed (I used a bag of mixed berries: blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries, and strawberries.  You could use any of these singly as well.)

Cream shortening and flavorings.  Gradually add powdered sugar and meringue powder.  Add berries and water until it is the right consistency for spreading.  Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy. Don’t overmix, or you’ll have too many air bubbles.

We served this cake and the peanut butter cake below.  If you ate a bite of both cakes together, it tasted just like a PB&J sandwich in cake form - ha ha ha! 

Peppermint Brownies

I was lucky enough to acquire this recipe a couple of years ago, and without a doubt these are the best mint brownies I have ever tasted. 

CHOCOLATE MINT BROWNIES 

Brownie layer:

1 cup butter
5 Tbsp cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp peppermint extract

Melt the butter and cocoa together.  Sir in eggs and sugar.  Add flour, salt, and peppermint.  Bake in a greased 9x13" pan at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Cool completely.

Mint Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp evaporated milk
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
4 drops green food coloring

Mix all frosting ingredients until creamy and spread onto brownies.  Refrigerate for one hour.

Glaze topping:

6 Tbsp butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Melt together and then pour gently over green frosting.
Refrigerate again.

One thing I love about these brownies is how easy they are to cut; don't they look pretty in these little bags?  They didn't crumble like some other brownie recipes I have tried.

So, if you are trying to decide what to give your neighbors this year, need a dessert to take to the ward Christmas party, or simply want to make a delicious treat for your family, you know what recipe I would recommend!

Chocolate Chip Cookie FROSTING

I am planning a Cookie Monster cake for Blake's upcoming birthday.  I wanted to do something a little different with the frosting, something cookie-related.  So, I made up this frosting recipe.  We tried it today on cupcakes, and oh my it was delicious!  I will make this again; it's definitely a fun twist on plain ol' frosting.

• 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 3 - 4 T. milk, or until the right texture
• 1/2 tsp. butter vanilla gel (this is super yummy flavoring I buy at my local cake supply store.  However, an acceptable substitute would be 1 tsp. vanilla extract, or 1/2 tsp. vanilla + 1/2 tsp. butter extract.)
• 2 - 3 chocolate chip cookies (mine were soft and warm from the oven and so crumbled into the frosting really easily.)

Cream the butter and shortening together.  Stir in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  When it looks like frosting, dump in the chocolate chip cookies and mix well until no large pieces are left.  Frost on your cake or cupcake (or just eat by the spoonful if you're like Katelee :) and enjoy!

P.S. How adorable are these teeny tiny chocolate chip cookies?  I made them mostly for Blake's cookie monster cake - it's gonna be so cute!  :)

Raspberry Cake

I went to look this recipe up, and couldn't believe I didn't already have it on here! This is one of my very favorite cake recipes ever (and you know I make a lot of cake). I've served this at a wedding, to rave reviews, and we ran out of this flavor it was so popular. I also took these to a friend on her birthday, and she swears they are the very best cupcakes she has ever tasted. This is Gerald's favorite cake flavor, and I'm planning to make it next week for our anniversary. Shhhhhhh...don't tell. :) Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

. 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
. 1 (3 ounce) package raspberry gelatin
. 1 (10 ounce) package frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed
. 4 eggs
. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
. 1/4 cup hot water

Directions

. In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix and gelatin powder. Add raspberries with juice, eggs, oil and water. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. (I've always baked it in round or square cake pans, personally.) Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.

For frosting, the original recipe gave these instructions, though I have never personally tried this:

. 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
. 1 (10 ounce) package frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed

Fold whipped topping into raspberries. Spread over cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Personally, I much prefer a butter cream type of frosting, and that is all I've ever tried with this cake. I've made frosting so much that I don't really follow a recipe, I just kinda throw it together. But, basically use your very favorite buttercream frosting recipe, and instead of vanilla extract I use raspberry extract. Absolutely divine! Sometimes I do like 3/4 raspberry extract and 1/4 vanilla extra. Just experiment to taste, but remember a little extract can go a long way. :)

Chocolate Pound Cake

I wanted to make a birthday cake for my friend, and she so generously shared her favorite cake recipe with me to make for the occasion! This is DELICIOUS!!

Cake

• 1 package Devil's Food cake mix
• 1 package small (3.9 oz) chocolate pudding
  
• 4 eggs
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. (one cube) butter, softened

Combine all ingredients and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. (I feel confident that you could make this in another cake pan, not just a bundt pan - but it looks so pretty as a bundt cake if you do have a bundt pan.)

Fudge Frosting

• 4 3/4 c. sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. boiling water
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  

Combine sugar and cocoa. Add butter, boiling water and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat 1 minute on medium speed. Cool 20 minutes (approximately) until mixture reaches spreading consistency.

Moist Pumpkin Cake & Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

With fall in the air, this is a seriously amazing dessert to make for your autumn parties - personally one of my very favorite cakes and definitely one of my most requested flavors. These are also great as cupcakes!
Pumpkin Spice Cake

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. applesauce
• 4 eggs
• 1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a cake pan. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, sugar, baking soda, and spices. Make a well in the center and pour in pumpkin puree, oil and eggs. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Stir in chopped nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth. The recipe only calls for 2 c. of powdered sugar, but I have successfully added as many as 8 cups and still thought the recipe was great! Just add as much sugar as you need! Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Frost on cooled cake.

Sugar Cookies & Glaze Icing

I just finished making 200 sugar cookies for a wedding reception, and thought I would share the recipe on here for what I consider to be the best sugar cookies ever! These cookies are soft, buttery, and perfect! I got this recipe from ourbestbites.com, and have copied the following post directly from their website. (My own comments are in red.)

1 C real butter (no substitutions!)
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp almond extract (you could use vanilla instead but use almond if you can - it's amazing!)
3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy- about 2 minutes. Add in eggs and extract and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. It's important that you measure the flour properly - spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. If you scoop the flour up the amount will be different and could make the cookies dry. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.

Shape the dough into 2 flat disks and wrap in waxed paper and place in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours. If you want your cookies to hold their shape well, the dough needs to be chilled properly. A great tip to speed things up is to immediately roll dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper and place on a flat surface in the fridge. It will chill super fast and be ready to go in no time. I highly recommend rolling the dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. It took me a bit of practice at first, figuring out how to hold the wax paper down so it wouldn't slide while rolling, but once I got the hang of it it was fast and easy. And then when you remove the dough from the fridge, it's time to cut into cookies and bake immediately. This helps the cookies retain their shape better, because the dough is colder, and it means NO FLOURING the countertop - so much cleaner and faster!

When you're ready to roll out dough lightly sprinkle flour onto your work surface and roll out dough with a rolling pin. (Unless you followed the wax paper tip from above.)

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. The baking time really depends on how you like them. If you like them really soft under-bake them. This is how I like them so I baked them for 8 minutes - perfection! However if you're making large cookies, or ones with small parts or heavy frosting, you might want to be careful because they might break when they're super soft.

About 8 minutes will get you a really soft cookie, a few minutes longer (when they start to just brown around the edges) and you'll get just a little crispiness around the edges and then a soft center, bake even longer (and roll thinner) and you'll get a buttery, crispy cookie that will just melt in your mouth. Any way you do it, they'll taste good. Remove onto cooling racks when you're done and let cool completely. I honestly think these even taste better the second day.

I love this delicious icing recipe because it dries hard enough that the cookies can be stacked and/or individually wrapped. On the other hand, it's not rock hard like royal frosting, so when you bite into the cookies it's still nice and soft and chewy.

Glacé Icing

1 lb powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 C)
6T whole milk (low-fat actually works, but use whole if you can)
6T light Corn Syrup (6T is equal to 1/4 C plus another 2 T)
1 t extract (I use almond because I use almond in my sugar cookies)

With a whisk, combine sugar and milk until smooth (no lumps!) Then stir in corn syrup and extract.

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 the whisk in a pretty thin drizzle.

To prepare the icing for piping, you just add more powdered sugar. Just eyeball it. You can’t really mess it up because if it’s too thick you just add more milk and if it’s too thin, you add more powdered sugar. I add it in small amounts until it’s a good consistency. For me, it’s when it gets to a point where it’s relatively hard to whisk it by hand. When I pick up the whisk, it still runs off, but in a very slow, thick stream now.

Take your glazing icing and separate it into bowls if you want to color it. I decided to do red (more pink, but I love it!), green, and blue. And I left my piping icing white. Use gel food coloring (you can find it at craft or cooking stores) for more intense colors.

There are many ways to decorate you cookies at this point. I suggest looking at the ideas on www.ourbestbites.com for inspiration, or just decorate as you wish! ENJOY!

I've also used this recipe to make cookie-pops. You can see them here. Such fun!

P.S. This cookies freeze really well! In fact, I almost like them better after being frozen!! I've even frozen them frosted, and they have worked very well.

Fondant

Ingredients & Recipes

It is important to use high-quality ingredients when making fondant. Using a store-brand powdered sugar or marshmallows can make the fondant come out with tiny rock-like lumps of sugar in it or change the consistency. I always use the brands named below.

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe
16 oz. white mini-marshmallows (Jet-Puffed brand)
2-5 T. water
2 pounds C&H Cane Powdered Sugar
white Crisco shortening

Chocolate Marshmallow Fondant Recipe
1 batch Marshmallow Fondant
1 oz. top-quality bakers chocolate, melted
1 T. cocoa powder (use the best powdered cocoa you can get. The cheap brands take shortcuts on grinding the cocoa so you might get a grainy fondant if you use a cheap brand.)

Decorating Frosting Recipe
2 tsp. vanilla extract (or other flavors; you could use almond extract, mint extract, etc.)
8 T. milk or water
2 c. shortening
2 T. Wilton Meringue Powder (optional)
2 lb. (approximately 8 c.) powdered sugar

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

Chocolate Decorating Frosting Recipe
1 batch of decorating frosting
1 T. cocoa powder
1-2 oz. melted bakers chocolate

Mix all together as directed for the decorating frosting recipe, just adding in these ingredients.

Making your Fondant

1. Generously grease a large, microwave-safe bowl, a spatula, and your countertop. If you are using a stand-mixer, grease the bowl and dough hook of the mixer instead of your counter.

2. Melt the marshmallows and 2 T. of water in a microwave, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.

3. Pour the melted marshmallows onto your greased countertop and then pour about 1/2 your bag of powdered sugar on top. Be carefully, the marshmallows will be HOT!

4. Grease your hands generously. Seriously. Be generous. Between your fingers, both sides…

5. Start kneading the powdered sugar into the marshmallows, just like bread dough. Keep kneading! Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands as needed.

6. It usually takes about 8 minutes to incorporate all the powdered sugar and get the fondant to a good consistency.

*Note – The consistency of fondant is very important. You do NOT want it to be sticky. If it is sticking to you at all, you need to add more powdered sugar. On the other hand, you do NOT want it to be dry and tearing. If it feels too dry, try adding some Crisco, or add more water about 1/2 T. at a time.

7. If you want to store the fondant, coat it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, smother it in plastic wrap and then put it in a air-tight Ziploc bag. You can refrigerate it for weeks, if needed.

8. If you want to use the fondant now, color it if desired by adding food coloring and kneading it in.

Decorating with Fondant

1. On a clean surface spread plenty of powdered sugar.

2. Put your disk of fondant on the powdered sugar and begin rolling it out like a piecrust. You probably want it about 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch thick. (If you don’t have a non-stick rolling pin, coat your rolling pin with powdered sugar.)

*Note - If you notice a bubble in the surface, take a thin sharp needle and poke a tiny hole, at an angle, in the bubble. If you poke straight down, you can almost always see the hole even after the most careful smoothing. The angled hole lets the air out of the bubble, and with a tiny bit of rubbing you can reseal the hole.

3. As you roll out the fondant, continually pick it up and flip it over and move it around to make sure that it’s not sticking to the countertop. Add more powdered sugar as needed.

4. When the fondant is rolled out to the desired size, pick up half the fondant and fling over your arm or your rolling pin. Quickly place one edge of the fondant over the cake, unrolling as you go, letting the fondant fall onto the cake.

5. With your hand, begin smoothing the fondant onto the cake. Start with the top. Then begin smoothing the edges. If doing a round cake, pretend it’s a clock. Smooth the edge at 12 o’clock, then move to the edge at 6 o’clock, then 3 and 9, etc. If a wrinkle is developing, pull on the bottom of the fondant and re-smooth. Keep working it out until all wrinkles are gone and the fondant is smooth.

6. Trim the edges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.

7. Decorate as desired! Cut out and shape your own decorations out of fondant. A drop of water on the back of a piece of fondant is the perfect glue and all that is necessary to hold it in place.

Storing Your Fondant Covered Cake

Most decorators feel that a fondant covered cake will hold the moisture in the cake for 3 to 5 days, depending on your atmosphere. I personally have never done a cake more than 1 or so days in advance. I like the cake to have a fresh taste.

There is no need to cover your fondant covered cake for moisture reasons; the fondant itself acts as a cover and keeps the cake moist and fresh.

Do not refrigerate your covered cake! When you take the cake out of the refrigerator, moisture will condense and destroy your beautiful surface. If you don’t want to leave the cake just sitting out, your best option is to store the cake in a sealed bakery box. The cardboard sides of a box will keep the dust in the air off the cake, but allows the Fondant to breath.

Other Resources

If you want to see some pictures of what fondant is, and look at some fondant cakes I've done, you can view my cake blog at www.CakesByJenn.blogspot.com

Also, if you want to learn more about fondant and cake decorating, here are some great resources where I have learned a lot!

YouTube – type in fondant or decorating a cake or whatever you are interested in learning about and watch videos demonstrating these skills. Very useful!

www.wilton.com - Has tons of great information about making and decorating cakes, including fun ideas!

www.whatscookingamerica.net/Peg@/DecoratingFondantQA.htm - probably the most useful site I used when first getting started!

www.ices.org - a fun and useful site!

www.cakecentral.com - a fun gallery of pictures and ideas!

Wilton Decorating Frosting

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
4 T. milk or water
2 c. shortening
2 T. Wilton Meringue Powder
2 lb. (approximately 8 c.) powdered sugar

Sift powdered sugar and meringue powder into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Cream shortening, flavorings and milk or water. Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy. Don’t overmix, or you’ll have too many air bubbles.

This recipe makes a STIFF frosting; use it for making flowers or upright designs. To create a MEDIUM consistency, add 2 T. more of liquid to the original recipe. Use this for borders and flowers with petals that lie flat. To create a THIN consistency, add 4 T. more of liquid to the original recipe. Use thin consistency frosting for writing, making stems, leaves and frosting a cake.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped pecans

Combine the milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Add the coconut and pecans. Beat until cool and of spreading consistency. This is perfect for a German chocolate cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 stick butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar

Beat together well, until smooth.

Fudge Frosting

42 large marshmallows, halved
2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1/2 c. water
5 c. sifted powdered sugar
3 tsp. vanilla

Place marshmallows, chocolate chips, shortening and water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla with electric mixer at medium speed about 6 minutes or until mixture starts to lose gloss. Use frosting immediately.

Fondant

16 oz. white mini-marshmallows (use a high quality brand)
2-5 T. water
2 lbs. C & H Cane Powdered Sugar (you must use this brand for the best results)
1/2 c. Crisco shortening

Melt marshmallows and 2 T. of the water in a microwave for 30 seconds. Open the microwave and stir the mixture. Repeat until the marshmallows are complete melted. (It usually takes about 2 – 4 minutes.) Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mix. Grease your hands very generously with some of the shortening and generously grease your countertop. Start kneading the mixture like bread dough. It is sticky. Add more shortening to your hands and the countertop as needed. If the mixture is tearing easily, it is too dry, so add water (about 1/2 T. at a time). Keep kneading. It takes about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing. Coat the ball of fondant with a good layer of shortening, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air is as possible. This will keep for one week or until you are ready to use it on your cake. It’s best to make it at least a day in advance.

Royal Frosting

This frosting makes hardened decorations for cakes or other desserts.

3 level T. meringue powder
4 c. (approx. 1 pound) sifted powdered sugar
6 T. water

Beat all ingredients at low speed for 7 – 10 minutes until ice forms peaks. Pipe the frosting into desired shapes and designs on a piece of wax paper. Let sit for 48 hours or until solid. Remove and place on a frosted cake.

Chocolate Butter Frosting

1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. milk
2 (1-oz.) squared unsweetened baking chocolate
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the baking chocolate squares in the microwave. In a medium saucepan, bring butter and milk to a boil. Remove from heat. Add melted chocolate, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.