French Macarons with buttercream filling

French Macarons

Ingredients:

200g powdered sugar

100g almond flour

120g egg whites

1/8 tsp salt

40g sifted, granulated sugar

food coloring 

Instructions:

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Blend powdered sugar and almond flour in food processor for 30 seconds. Set aside. In another bowl, beat egg whites and salt on medium for 1 minute then high for 3 minutes. Gently fold in granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time. On low speed, beat in any coloring. Fold in powdered sugar mixture until combined. Let batter sit for 30 minutes. Fill piping bag with batter and pipe evenly sized 2-inch rounds onto silicone lined baking sheet. Let rounds sit for 45 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes in a 325 F oven. Cool. Sandwich two shells together with buttercream. 

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cream

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar, cream and vanilla. Mix well.

Sugar Cookies 2

Cookies:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup shortening
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tsp baking powder
6 1/2 cups flour

Bake 350 degrees, 8-10 minutes.

Frosting:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS butter
1 TBS milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Melt butter. Combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth. Makes 1/3 cup.

Strawberry Frosting

Combine:
1 medium tub cool whip
1 cup strawberry yogurt

Great on angel food cake, topped with strawberries.

Whipped Pudding Frosting

1 small pkg (3.9 oz) instant pudding, any flavor
1 cup milk
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip, thawed, or whipping cream

Beat pudding and milk in bowl for 2 minutes. Stir in cool whip or whipping cream. Spread on cake or cupcakes. Yum!!

Carrot Cake II

Ingredients:

Cake
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 tsps vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tsps ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots
1/2-1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 8 oz can crushed pineapples, drained (optional-I like it best without)

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened (I use less)
8 oz cream cheese, cold (turns out creamier this way)
3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Directions:

Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In large bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes and then put on wire rack to cool.

Frosting
In medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in nuts. Frost cooled cake (put cake in freezer beforehand so it is easier to frost.)

cream cheese frosting

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract

Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting

Ingredients

3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (375 grams/13 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

3 cups sifted (480 grams/1 lb + 1 ounce) confectioners’ sugar (icing, powdered)

3 tablespoons (45 mL) milk

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract — I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

pinch of salt

Method

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.

3. Best used right away.

4. You can eliminate the vanilla bean and use a total of 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Classic American Buttercream frosting. This recipe uses powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and milk. This is a great recipe for decorating and piping on cupcakes and cake.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup softened butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Hershey's Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Icing

CAKE INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE FROSTING INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine

2/3 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


CAKE DIRECTIONS: 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.

Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9" round pans. Also makes around 30 cupcakes (bake cupcakes 22-25 minutes).

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks and cool completely.

Frost with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting (above). Also great with the cheesecake pudding frosting as seen in photo above.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS: 

Melt butter.

Stir in cocoa.

Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency.

Add more milk, if needed

Cheesecake Pudding Frosting

1 small 3.98 oz package powdered pudding (chocolate tastes best imo)
Milk to make chocolate pudding
4 oz tub cool whip thawed (1/2 normal tub)
1/3-1/2 tub cheesecake filling

Make pudding according to pie directions on package. Mix ingredients together. Layer in between a cake and/or on top of a cake or cupcakes Chill and serve.

Broiled Nut Topping

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tbs half-and-half, light cream or milk (I omitted this and it still turned out fine)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/3 cup flaked coconut

In medium saucepan combine butter and milk. Cook and stir until butter melts. Add brown sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and coconut. Spread on Oatmeal cake and broil at 350 for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

From Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Cream Cheese Filling for Cream Cheese Braid

4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix together. Enough filling for one cream cheese braid.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Blend together

• 3 TBSP butter
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 pound powdered sugar or honey
• 2 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Roll Frosting

Ingredients (enough for 2-4 cream cheese braids)

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBSP water