If you’re looking for a frosting that packs a little more of a punch, try some fun variations! Because this recipe is so basic, there are many different options when it comes to “spicing up” your deliciously simple cream cheese frosting.

What else is there to say?! This cream cheese frosting recipe is sure to please… and comes at ease! [singlepic=129,320,240,,right]

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 8 oz of cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
• 2 – 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1) With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2) Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness.

3) Either spread on with a blunt knife or spatula, or spoon into a piping bag to decorate your cake or cupcake.

4) Enjoy!

Yum! Yum! What a delicious frosting! If you’re looking for a different taste try some fun deviations. For instance, if you’re topping a coconut cake, add in some coconut flakes to your cream cheese frosting. For carrot cakes, try adding in a pinch of ginger.

With red velvet cakes or German chocolate cakes, you could even mix in a handful of crushed pecans. This gives your frosting a unique texture! No matter what you decide, this cream cheese frosting recipe will perfect; like the icing on the cake!

I found these cupcakes to be very fun and made them one day for some family friends. They were going down to the lake for a couple of days and these sailboat cupcakes were a great way to let them know that we’d miss them while they were away.

Whether you’re a boating expert, just like to dunk your feet in off the dock, or simply love cupcakes, this sailboat cupcake recipe is sure to please. [singlepic=84,320,240,,right]

Ingredients:

• Pre-made cupcakes
• Blue icing (butter cream with blue food coloring)
• Decorating Tip No. 5
• Red Icing (have fun switching up the different boat colors!)
• Corn starch
• Toothpicks
• Construction paper
• White cellophane tape

Directions:

1. Ice the pre-made cupcakes with blue icing, pulling up a little bit with each wipe of icing to create the desired “wave” effect.

2. Pipe in tip No. 5 oval boat bottom shape on the top of the cupcake (smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch). Outline the shape with tip No. 5 and pipe two more times to build up the boat sides.

3. Cut the sail shapes from construction paper and tape to the toothpick; insert into the boat on the cupcake to finish.

4. Enjoy!

Catch a wave, catch a tan, or catch a sailboat cupcake. These cupcakes are easy, adorable, and great for the marina lover in all of us. This recipe will make you wish you could whip the sail up and go out for the day. Call the office and tell them you’re out baking boat cupcakes… be back on Monday!

I’ve found that these cupcakes are great for parties, gatherings, or a fun girl’s night in! Who would have ever thought that marshmallows could be popcorn! So go ahead, pop in a movie, pop down on the couch, and don’t worry about popping that popcorn. These popcorn cupcakes already have it all taken care of! [singlepic=82,320,240,,right]

Ingredients:

• Premade cupcakes
• White icing
• Mini marshmallows (white or pastel yellow and white)
• Yellow food coloring (optional)
• Clean paintbrush
• Scissors
• White construction paper
• Blue and red markers

Directions:

1) Frost the cupcake with white icing. To create each piece of “popcorn,” cut one mini marshmallow in half and squish the two pieces back together into a whole mini marshmallow, pinching firmly.

2) Pile the finished popcorn onto the frosted cupcake. For a buttery look, either dilute a drop of yellow food coloring in water and brush it on with a clean paintbrush or mix pastel yellow marshmallows in with the white.

3) To make the band, cut a strip of construction paper about 1 1/4 inches by 8 inches, or to fit your cupcake, and decorate as shown. If you’re creating many cupcakes, design just one band and color photocopy it. Wrap the band around the cupcake and secure with tape.

Well, that’s it. With these simple instructions and a little creativity, you too can enjoy a popcorn cupcake to accompany any movie night! This popcorn cupcake recipe is a fun twist on a traditionally salty snack!

So for smoothing a cake well, you first need to cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting called the “crumb coat”. Many people don’t understand the importance of the crumb coat, but it is critical to any successful cake. The crumb coat is the same icing you’ll use to cover the top of the cake, only it is thinner. Usually, about the consistency of sour cream is just right.

All you need to do is spoon out a dollop or two of the icing you’re using for the rest of the cake into a small bowl. Add a tad of water to the frosting to thin it out. Cover your cake with a thin layer of the crumb coat and then set it aside to stiffen up or create what is called an “air crust”. Some people choose to put it in the refrigerator or freezer to speed up the process, but I think the wait is best spent at room temperature. [singlepic=20,320,240,,right]

The addition of a crumb coat is crucial to a good cake. First, a crumb coat (obviously) contains the crumbs. These crumbs came from leveling the cake, after it was cooled. The leveler helps you to create a more even and balanced finished product.

The second purpose of the crumb coat is to seal in the freshness! When the air crust forms, you are sealing in the goodness and then it is coated with a second layer of icing! That’s double the freshness! The second layer of icing on a cake is like the paint and the crumb coat is just the primer. It doesn’t have to be beautiful, but it has to cover the cake (lightly) and be efficient.

I’d recommend for your first time experimenting with a crumb coat, go lighter than heavier. If a crumb coat is too heavy, you may not have enough icing to frost the rest of your cake with the regular icing. It’s easier to realize if you didn’t’ have enough crumb coating and to add more next time. Also it’s not the end of the world if a crumb ends up on the outside of your cake. Just stick a tooth pick at it and scoop it up.

I know at my house, my cakes don’t have to stay fresh for too long before they’ve been all gobbled up, but without the crumb coat—I’d have some serious problems!