Uncommon and Delicious Super-Easy Frostings

If you aren't in the habit of baking, making frosting from scratch might seem an ominous endeavor. Or, if you are a busy baker, you might be in a frosting rut, cranking out the same, tired old chocolate time after time. Or worse, if in a hurry, you resort to those prepared frostings. Well, exotic, tasty and unusual frostings really are simple. Use the ideas below to inject flavor and new life into your baked treats.

Although it might seem a shortcut, powdered sugar based frostings really can be absolutely delicious, and using some outside-the-box thinking can take them light years away from the old, bland, sugar and Crisco combinations you might have tried or tasted in the past. The chemistry is fairly simple-adding liquid to powdered sugar creates frosting.

Varying the ratios of sugar to liquid can create everything to a thick, sturdy frosting for cakes that will keep its integrity even on hot days, to thin glazes that can be drizzled over banana breads, cookies, brownies, etc.

A note about quantities: I have not specified quantities for the various liquids on purpose. But, you'll want to have at least a ½ cup of each on hand, to ensure your desired consistency, but realize before you start a little liquid goes a long way in these frostings.

There's quite a bit of alchemy involved, although it's far from difficult-it's actually fun. In a medium or large bowl, start by adding about ¼ to ½ of the powdered sugar you think you'll use to the a little bit of the liquid (I can't emphasize enough how little liquid is needed) adjusting the sugar and liquid ratios from there.

Note that 4 cups of frosting plus the relative liquid is enough to frost a double layered cake, or a large batch of cupcakes. If you need considerably less or more, adjust for such with the amounts. Also, I've found that in addition to a small wooden spoon, it's initially easier to mix the sugar and liquids with a regular table fork.

You can't really make a mistake-because consistencies can always be altered as explained above. If you find you've added too much liquid and have to compensate with more powdered sugar than expected, the worst that can happen is that you'll likely have leftover frosting. It keeps well, and even makes a lovely hostess gift.

Latte Frosting

Up to 4 cups powdered sugar

Very strong espresso (or very strong regular coffee.)

Half and half

Mix together as indicated previously, and adjust ratio as you see fit. It's also nice to sprinkle some ground espresso on top of the baked items after frosting. And, if you really like coffee-even a few whole beans.

Chai Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar

Prepared liquid chai concentrate

or, from scratch

Very strong black tea

Pinch of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon

Mix the liquids and sugar first, adding the spices once mixed. Spices can also be used to enhance the chai from concentrate.

Tangerine Buttercream

4 cups powdered sugar

Fresh squeezed tangerine juice

I teaspoon unsalted butter, room temperature, or slightly warmed

Grated tangerine zest from ½ tangerine

Mix the juice and sugar, then add the soft butter. Finely grate the rind into the frosting.

Margarita

Up to 4 cups powdered sugar

Fresh lime juice

Fresh (or from concentrate) orange juice

Tequila (for non-alcoholic version, simply omit and add a bit more lime juice.)

Grated lime zest from ½ lime

Mix the juices and tequila with the sugar, and then grate the lime rind into the frosting. This frosting is excellent on plain, yellow cake cupcakes.

Hollywood Coke* Frosting

Up to 4 cups powdered sugar

Coca-Cola,

Half and half

Several drops vanilla extract

Mix the Coke and half and half into the sugar, then add the vanilla a couple drops at a time to taste. This frosting is particularly good on chocolate or devil food cake or cupcakes.

Chocolate Almond Cream Frosting

Up to 4 cups powdered sugar

Cocoa powder

Half and Half

A few drops of almond extract

Mix the sugar and liquids, and add the almond extract to taste. This is good with shredded coconut sprinkled on top of the frosted baked items.

Just reading these recipes, you're probably getting the idea that the magic is in the easy combination of powdered sugar and liquids. These are only a sampling of possible frostings-it's fun coming up with your own. I've also used champagne, grapefruit, pink lemonade, orange and cream (think: creamsicles) peach schnapps and orange juice, rum and coke.

Sour cream, softened cream cheese, or butter can also be mixed in, along with any desired liquids or extracts. Using these items creates a nicely creamy texture. The only things I have tried that I considered to be a bust were regular red table wine, and mashed banana. Other people liked the red wine frosting, but I felt it tasted rather flat, and just fairly wrong. The mashed banana frosting became a little discolored, was not banana-flavored enough, and was lumpy. But, almost anything goes!

*I grew up drinking Hollywood Cokes-my grandma used to make them for us a very special treat. However, I had no idea it even had a name, until I saw it on the menu at the now-defunct Café Rude in Salt Lake City. If you haven't tried it; it's simple-just add a bit of Half and Half or cream to a glass of Coca-Cola, with a few drops of vanilla. It's yummy, and nicely old-fashioned, from an era when just having a Coke was really a treat!