Recipes

[hovis]

First let me say I am not a baker. I love to cook but not desserts. Unless their real easy. Next Sunday is Valentines Day and I am making a red velvet cake. I would like to make a buttercream frosting but I don't have a real good recipe. Can you help me ?? Thanks.

[mimilucy]

Well , I used to be quite the baker. Now I just go straight to the canned frosting. Very yummy.

[IamMrsG]

I don't have an actual recipe but here's how I make buttercream:

Cream ½ pound unsalted, room temperature, butter.  

Slowly whip in 1 pound (4 cups), sifted, confectioners' sugar until smooth.  

Add pure vanilla extract (or almond) to taste, usually beginning with a teaspoonful.  

If too thick, add either heavy cream or half and half by spoonful until desired consistency is reached.  

[Havarti]

@IamMrsG

That is exactly what I do and people love it. If I am making hard sauce I do the same thing with less cream and if I am making frosting I just add cream until it is the desired consistency. It is yummy & easy…who could ask for more?

[Nightowlz]

Here's the recipe forrestwolf posted on the forums.

1 teaspoon cocoa

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

Mix vinegar and soda, set aside. Cream sugar and shortening, then add eggs. Mix cocoa and coloring and add to creamed mixture. Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Add vinegar/soda. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool completely, and cut layers in half across. Just make sure they are completely cold.

FROSTING

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 cup of butter

Cook milk and flour until thick. Cool. Cream sugar and butter. Add cooled mixture to creamed mixture. Beat until fluffy. Place 1 layer of cake on plate, spread frosting on layer and continue until all layers have filling. Do not frost sides of cake. Refrigerate.

My mom new how much I loved the frosting, so she would always double the frosting recipe. It is best served after coming to room temperature somewhat, but must be stored in the refrigerator.

This is the original Red Velvet cake from the Waldorf Astoria, that made it famous.  Posted by forrestwolf

[dfyre]

Well, I used to do wedding cakes and other occasion cakes until I started breeding cats which made my other "hobby/business" impossible. This is my basic buttercream recipe:

Beat together:

1 stick unsalted butter - softened

1 C Crisco

1 box Confectioner's Sugar

2 tsp. vanilla (or whatever flavoring you like - it was usually almond for wedding cakes)

Add heavy cream (milk will do but not as good) a tablespoon at a time until it is the consistency you want. This will vary depending on humidity, temperatures, etc.

Now, then, for red velvet cake, I feel a really good cream cheese frosting is best. This is my favorite:

Best together:

2 sticks unsalted butter - softened

1 lb. cream cheese - softened

1 box Confectioner's Sugar

1-2 tsp. vanilla

I always make red velvet cupcakes for bake sales and this is the frosting I use. They are sometimes all gone by the time the sale starts - snapped up by other contributors as I'm setting up.

[DiAnne]

I always thought butter cream frosting was just butter, powdered sugar with a little cream to thin.  

[Snowpuppy]

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@DiAnne wrote:

I always thought butter cream frosting was just butter, powdered sugar with a little cream to thin.  

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It is but it can also need a bit of tweeking to suit your taste.

I don't like it too sweet so I'll add a bit of cream cheese and lemon juice. 

If you're going for chocolate frosting, add a bit of strong perked coffee to cut the sweetness. Also adds some depth to the chocolate flavor.

And make sure to taste along the way! 😉