The Girl turns one this weekend, and in order to prove that she is not an overlooked second child, we are throwing her a birthday party. For the occasion, I am making cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes. With frosting.
Now, I'm set with the cupcake recipe, but the perfect frosting recipe eludes me. In the past I've made cream cheese frosting, which is easy and delicious, but a little...ordinary on chocolate cupcakes. I long to make the classic buttercream frosting recipe in the Joy of Cooking, but the candy thermometer business makes this too daunting at this juncture in my life.
So, I thought I'd ask: does anyone out there have a fail-safe frosting recipe that is easy, can be used ahead of time (I'd like to frost the cupcakes the night before the party), and looks great with sprinkles?
Now, I'm set with the cupcake recipe, but the perfect frosting recipe eludes me. In the past I've made cream cheese frosting, which is easy and delicious, but a little...ordinary on chocolate cupcakes. I long to make the classic buttercream frosting recipe in the Joy of Cooking, but the candy thermometer business makes this too daunting at this juncture in my life.
So, I thought I'd ask: does anyone out there have a fail-safe frosting recipe that is easy, can be used ahead of time (I'd like to frost the cupcakes the night before the party), and looks great with sprinkles?
Question: Why not just add some cocoa powder or 3 oz. of unsweetened chocolate (you know, three squares of that baker's chocolate) to the cream cheese icing? Then you would have CHOCOLATE cream icing.
Posted by: Maren | May 29, 2008 at 01:46 PM
I agree with Maren. Cream cheese icing is my preferred taste. Totally yummier than any other icing. Another way to spiff up cream cheese icing is sprinkles! They sell so many cool kinds of sprinkles these days. And cupcakes are just asking for sprinkles.
And Happy Birthday, Girl!
Posted by: Heather | May 29, 2008 at 01:53 PM
I made Chockylit's devil's food cupcakes with buttercream icing for Halloween. Here is the link to my blog, which will take you to Chockylit's blog for the icing recipe: http://shallwecook.blogspot.com/2007/10/boo.html.
Try it! It was a big hit and very easy to make. Good luck, and happy birthday to the girl!
Posted by: Abby | May 29, 2008 at 02:37 PM
I always just follow the instructions for buttercream frosting that is on the package of powdered / confectioners sugar. It has never failed me. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer and I just stand there and watch to make sure it doesn't get overwhipped. I use food coloring paste from Williams-Sonoma (instead of the liquid you get at the grocery store) - you get amazingly vibrant (kinda scary) colors with just a few drops. Put a drop of coloring paste in with the sugar, butter, milk before you start mixing and add color very judiciously as needed to get the hue / intensity you want. Take a look at my DD's birthday party pics (the album is "2007 Zoe Birthday if this doesn't take you right there) http://luckyfamily.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b341bfaec4e7 Last year's cupcakes were blue. Prior year were green. (Here "theme-based" requests ... )
Posted by: Lisa | May 29, 2008 at 03:07 PM
I always just follow the instructions for buttercream frosting that is on the package of powdered / confectioners sugar. It has never failed me. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer and I just stand there and watch to make sure it doesn't get overwhipped. I use food coloring paste from Williams-Sonoma (instead of the liquid you get at the grocery store) - you get amazingly vibrant (kinda scary) colors with just a few drops. Put a drop of coloring paste in with the sugar, butter, milk before you start mixing and add color very judiciously as needed to get the hue / intensity you want. Take a look at my DD's birthday party pics (the album is "2007 Zoe Birthday" if this doesn't take you right there) http://luckyfamily.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b341bfaec4e7 Last year's cupcakes were blue. Prior year were green. (Her "theme-based" requests ... )
Posted by: Lisa | May 29, 2008 at 03:08 PM
Whoops!
Posted by: Lisa | May 29, 2008 at 03:08 PM
If you're really scared, just get the tinned stuff. It tastes good and there's no risk involved. You can also buy better prepared stuff from cake decorating places. I buy a $25 tub of premade buttercream for my cupcakes and colour and flavour as I need to.
If you do want to be a tad adventurous I also use this recipe from BakeSpace -
http://www.bakespace.com/index.php?mode=listing&act=show&lst_id=28196
Posted by: Sassy | May 29, 2008 at 07:28 PM
30 cupcakes
1 stick butter, room temp
2/3 unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups confect sugar, sifted
1/3 cup whole milk
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
blend butter and coca on low until mexture is soft, 30 secs
place confect sugar, 1/3 c milk, vanilla, and salt in bowl and beat on low until frosting is light and fluffy, 2-3 min. Add more milk if frosting is too think or confect sugar if frosting too thin.
Posted by: Rayne of Terror | May 29, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Mmm, the sour cream/chocolate frosting in the Joy Of Cooking is the BOMB, especially for chocolate cupcakes. And so easy. Just melt 10 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips and stir in a cup of sour cream. It it's too thin, refrigerate it.
BEST FROSTING EVER.
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 30, 2008 at 02:24 AM
Mimi's Chocolate Frosting
6 T. cocoa
6 T. boiling coffee
6 T. creamed butter
1/4 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
Box of confectioner's sugar
Mix until smooth.
Posted by: Bobbie | May 30, 2008 at 08:59 AM
No recipes here ... although just the thought makes my mouth water. Mmmmmmm cupcakes!
Posted by: Rebeccah | May 31, 2008 at 01:59 PM
I was going to tell you just to melt a big ol' bar of semisweet chocolate (and cool) and chuck it into your cream cheese frosting, but other commenters BEAT me to it. Bah.
Seriously, though, the tang of the cream cheese does beautiful things to chocolate. Keeps it from being too sweet too. Yum. I'm hungry now.
Posted by: Kira | May 31, 2008 at 10:06 PM