Egg White Royal Icing Recipe

Royal Icing is the icing that dries hard for cookie decorating. I usually make my Royal Icing with Meringue Powder. But sometimes I'll get questions about making royal icing with egg whites instead of the powdered version.

So, I made some with egg whites for these gingerbread houses. It's really quite easy, you just want to be sure you don't use the egg whites raw, to avoid any potential for food poisoning.

What You Need
3-4 egg whites (about 1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4-5 cups powdered sugar

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Pecans {Recipe}

Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting... nothing beats that!
This recipe has a fluffy cream cheese icing, though, and it is so rich and tasty, it's worth the extra effort.
Top it off with a candied pecan (or a candy corn pumpkin for the kids), and you're set.

What You Need:
For the Cupcakes:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup melted butter
½ cup apple sauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup buttermilk (or soured milk- ½ Tbsp. vinegar + ½ cup milk)
1- 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)

For the Icing:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1- 8 oz. block of cream cheese

For the Pecans: 
2-3 cups pecan halves (or other nuts)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
either 1 Tbsp. meringue powder + 3 Tbsp. water OR 1 egg white + 1 Tbsp. water

Yield: About 30-40 standard cupcakes

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Easy Pina Colada Cupcakes {Recipe}

Ahh, yes, drinks as cupcakes, what is better than this?!
Pina Colada Cupcakes. Very sweet. Very tasty!

What You Need:
1 box white cake mix
4 eggs
3 sticks butter, softened (1 1/2 cups)
1 14-oz can coconut milk (Do not shake it up!)
1 4-oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
2-3 Tbsp. Rum (optional)

*Yield: 18-24 standard-sized cupcakes

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Cinnamon Apple Cut-Out Cookies {Recipe}

I like to start the school year off right... that means, for me, that I send in bribes gifts to my boys' teachers. This year, I tried these Cinnamon-Apple flavored cut-out cookies.

What You Need:
For the Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg (at room temperature)
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate (defrosted)

For the icing
1 lb. powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
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These Cookies are Just Peachy {Recipe}

August is National Peach Month. Now, in Minnesota, this really means very little because, well, it's Minnesota. We don't get good peaches here. August, January, never.

However, my Dad lives in South Carolina where, apparently, the peach is king. So, he's hosting a peachy little party, and asked me to send along some peachy cookies for it. I wanted the cookies to look and taste peachy.

What You Need:
For the Cookies:
3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 large or extra large egg (at room temperature)
2 Tbsp. peach schnapps
1/8-1/4 tsp. cinnamon

For the Icing:
Vinegar or lemon juice to wipe down equipment
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. peach schnapps

Yield: About 3 dozen 2"-3" cookies.
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Tip for Tuesday: How To Freeze Decorated Sugar Cookies

Sometimes... okay most of the time... my real life and my life of cake decorating are in competition with one another. I don't always have time to get everything done that I'd like when I'd like. I'm sure no one else ever feels this way, right?! (sarcasm)

I had heard that you could freeze decorated sugar cookies, and that they would survive without the colors bleeding. I was skeptical. But I thought I could give it a try, and give it a really good test by making some more of these Baseball Cookies I showed you last summer for my sons' team snacks.

So, I decorated some Chocolate Sugar Cookies and some Vanilla Sugar Cookies. I used dark red icing for the lines/laces on the baseballs on top of a pure white base. If this stuff bleeds, there will be no mistaking. (But 5- and 6-year-olds still won't care.)

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Donut Frosting Recipes

What's a donut without frosting?? But there are so many options when it comes to frosting. Chocolate, vanilla, just glaze, maple... we all have different opinions in this house!

What You Need:
For Glazed Donuts:
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. milk

For Chocolate Ganache Icing:
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
2 Tbsp. corn syrup (optional)

For Basic Cream Cheese Icing:
4 oz. (1/2 brick) Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Butter (at room temperature)
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk

Flavors:
Vanilla: 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
Maple: 1-2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
Chocolate (option 1): 1-2 Tbsp. Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Chocolate (option 2): 2 Tbsp. Melted Chocolate Chips
Chocolate (option 3): 2-3 Tbsp. cocoa powder + 2-3 Tbsp. milk
Peanut Butter: 2 Tbsp. Melted Peanut Butter
Coffee: 2 Tbsp brewed strong coffee
Mocha: 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder + 2 Tbsp. brewed strong coffee

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Homemade Donuts Made Easy {Recipe}

In my family, we all have different opinions about what the best donut flavor/ flavor combination is. So, I've come up with some ways to make a number of different flavors with just one cake mix and a few additions.

I'll give you lots of options for flavor combinations at the end of the recipe, but the one that my family tends to go back to is using a white cake mix to make vanilla, chocolate and peanut butter donuts. A little bit of something for everyone.

What You Need
For the Donuts:
1 White or Vanilla Cake Mix
3 eggs
1 cup Plain Yogurt (Greek Yogurt is best)
1/2 cup milk
(below is divided)
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
1 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp. Melted Chocolate Chips

Optional Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. milk

For the Icing:
4 oz. (half-brick) cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/4 cup (half-stick) butter (at room temperature)
1-2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk
Vanilla, Chocolate Syrup, Maple Syrup or other flavor to taste

Yield: 2-3 dozen large donuts. 5-6 dozen small/mini donuts
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How To Make Multi-Colored Swirled Cupcakes

These little cupcakes look a little bit like they're on fire, but the cool striped swirl effect they have is really fun, and really easy to do, too.

What You Need:
Buttercream Icing in multiple colors
  -- Click this link to see how to make them in Icing Bag Bullets.
Cupcakes (or mini cupcakes like these)
Piping Bag
Large open star tip like Wilton Tip #1M

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Cinco de Mayo- Mango Ruffle Cake

Because I just made some yummy Strawberry-Margarita Cupcakes, and I wanted my boys to share in the cake I made for Cinco de Mayo this year, I opted to go away from margaritas and towards some other Mexican-inspired flavors.

The cake didn't quite turn out as I'd planned, thanks to some silly mistakes on my part, but I think it turned out pretty well, nevertheless.

What You Need:
For the Cake:
1 Box White (or vanilla or yellow) Cake Mix
3 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup mango puree*
Optional: 
1-2 Tbsp. limeade concentrate
Food Coloring
6" cake pan

For the Icing:
1 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 cup vegetable shortening
1- 2 lb. bag powdered sugar
1/2 cup mango puree*
2 Tbsp. limeade concentrate

*Note: See below for the mango puree instructions. I used frozen mango chunks from the freezer section, defrosted and pureed them.

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Easy Superhero Birthday Cake

A special friend requested a little 'different' kind of cake for his 6th birthday. He wanted Green Lantern, because Green Lantern is his favorite superhero. BUT he was having a party at a pool, so he wanted Green Lantern... swimming.

I decided to try to make what is called a 'frozen buttercream transfer' to make Green Lantern.
But when I got started, I was certain, just completely sure, it would not work. (I planned a trip to Target to buy the figurine. I was that sure it would be awful.)
So, that is why I don't have a whole lot of pictures of the technique, but I have a few. I will share my lessons, and give you a few links to more complete tutorials by others.
And maybe soon, I will try it again, and do a better tutorial, because it really wasn't as hard as I'd imagined.

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How To Make a Basket Cake {Video}

The basket weave is one of those techniques that takes a little bit to learn, but once it 'clicks,' you can whip out a cake like this in 30 minutes flat!

What You Need:
Cake & Icing (I prefer my Decorator's Buttercream Icing for this. But I used Cream Cheese Icing here-- not recommended for beginners because the consistency is harder to get just right.)
Wilton Tip #47 (use two tips if you want alternating colors)
Wilton Tip #21 (for the border)

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How-To Make a Petal Cake

Learning something new... I decided to try the "petal effect" on the side of a cake. I had a birthday cake to make for our favorite babysitter, and I had carte blanche to do whatever I wanted on it. So, this is what I tried.

This white cake was actually the trial, because I was impatient, again, and the cake fell. So, I decided to just use shorty here to practice.

This was the actual birthday cake. I'm not sure that I don't like the practice one better.
I have to tell you that for how pretty this cake is, it's surprisingly easy to do! It took me less than an hour to decorate this cake!

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Banana Turtle Cupcakes {Recipe)

These cupcakes are quite the mish-mash of a few of my favorite recipes. But they are SO good, and SO rich, and SO worth the work!

What You Need:
For the Cupcakes: (Banana Cake Recipe)
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. butter (at room temperature)
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
3/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. mashed ripe bananas
1/2 c. buttermilk

For the Icing: (Caramel Buttercream Icing Recipe)
1/2-3/4 cup Caramel Sauce (make your own or use store-bought)
4 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla


For the Filling: (Chocolate Ganache Recipe)
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
4 oz. heavy whipping cream


Optional:
  Extra Caramel Sauce and melted chocolate for drizzling.
  Pecan halves and chopped pecans for decorating.

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Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. When it comes to the treats for the kids in class, I tend to go the "non-food" route. But for the teachers, I like to spoil them with something like this chocolate sandwich cookie.

What You Need:
Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies (heart-shaped, of course!)
Valentine Sprinkles
Strawberry Icing:
  1/2 cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature
  3-4 cups powdered sugar
  1/3 cup pureed strawberries (fresh or frozen)
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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting {Recipe}

We have a deep egress window in our house. It's about 4 feet down to the bottom of the window well. And for some reason, the occasional bunny decides to take a leap down it. Once, my husband and my father tried to free the bunny by opening the window and "grabbing it." But bunnies are fast. The thing decided instead to squirt through the small window opening, and run around the basement for a while before they caught it.

(Stay with me... I'm getting to the cake.)

So, last week, when yet another bunny decided to check out the window well, my husband wasn't home. And my father lives two plane rides away. So, the 5-year-olds and I went to ask the neighbor if he had any ideas for rescuing the bunny, and NOT letting it escape into the basement. He insisted that he would catch the bunny- again from inside. So down to the basement we went, bucket in hand. This bunny wasn't quite as quick as the last one-- and Mr. Dick was ready for him (or her). After one near-escape, the bunny was captured, put in the bucket, carried triumphantly through the house to be set free, outside to roam once more.

The 5-year-olds dubbed Mr. Dick "The BunnySaver." He now has superhero status in our house. So, to thank him... I made him a carrot cake. That's appropriate for a Bunny Saver, right?

The challenge is that I don't really like carrot cake (it's a texture thing). I've been asked many times for a good carrot cake recipe, but have had to say no because, until now, I've never baked one. So, I consulted the Google gods, and I looked over my favorite pumpkin cake recipe-- because I figure pumpkin cake and carrot cake should be kind of similar.

I actually like this cake. It does have a lot of texture, but I'm prepared for it. Plus, I think I've had a lot of dry, and overbaked carrot cakes. This one does not have those problems. It's very moist. I hope you'll try it, and if you do actually like carrot cakes. Let me know (honestly) how this one rates.

What You Need:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup (granulated) sugar
1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
3 eggs (at room temperature)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
2 cups grated carrots (about 4-6 carrots)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
Optional:
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted (and divided)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (and divided)

For The Icing:
1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
2 tsp. vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Yield: 2-8" or 9" layers (or, like I made, 3-6" layers)
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Tip for Tuesday - Crumb Cup

What's so special about this glass? It keeps crumbs out of my cakes.

That's right! Want to keep your cake from picking up crumbs? Just keep a "crumb cup" nearby. I prefer pint glasses because they're heavy-bottomed, so they don't fall over when you load a bunch of icing on the side, or when you stick the spatula inside of it.

When you find a crumb in your icing, or on your spatula, just wipe it into the crumb cup. Why not wipe it on to the side of your icing bowl? Because you forget. You forget that that blob was the crummy blob, and that blob was the non-crummy blob.(And everyone has a crummy blob now and again!)

The Crumb Cup-- today's Tip for Tuesday.

Click the Links Below to See:
How to Ice a Cake
Basic Cake Decorating Ideas, Tips & Tricks

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Leftover Royal Icing as Buttercream

I always make entirely too much Royal Icing.

You'd think by now I'd know... and yet, every time I decorate cookies... I make too much.
So, what to do with all of that leftover Royal Icing??

Well, after giving it to the children to decorate as they please....

And making rows and rows of dots...

...which the children love to use as sprinkles.

I discovered that if you just add some butter or shortening, you can turn it into ... ta-da! Buttercream Icing!

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How To Get the Right Royal Icing Consistency... Consistently

Decorating cookies with Royal Icing is so easy that my 5-year-olds can do it. (and do... often.)

However, learning to get the right consistency is something that just takes time. If I had someone to color, bag and thin my royal icing all of the time, I think I'd make a lot more cookies.
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Silky Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

My choco-holic husband said about this icing:
"It's like eating a chocolate cloud."

What You Need:
4 Egg whites
1 cup Sugar
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
4 oz. Melted dark chocolate
1-3 Tbsp. Unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1 Tbsp. Vanilla (optional)
Special equipment, etc.:
Candy thermometer
Saucepan with about 1/2 inch water
Lemon juice or vinegar & paper towels
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