The summer holidays are here and the sun is shinning. So a little batch of yummy summer cupcakes is what we will enjoy today. I have used royal icing which gives a nice crunchy frosting. It is also, in my opinion, the best frosting to use on warm and sunny days.

Today is also a big day for us, because we are leaving Copenhagen next week, moving into our very first house. The kitchen is much bigger and I will get my own little place, where I can sit with all my cake decoration tools. I cant wait……

Happy Caking!

Louise

Many of you asked me about a nice chocolate frosting that goes perfect with banana cupcakes. I like the chocolate fudge frosting from the 125 best Cupcake recipes but that one can be a little to strong because of the cocoa powder especially if you are using a really nice dark cocoa. Of course you can cut down the amount of cocoa or simply just use a more lighter cocoa powder for that recipe or you can try out my chocolate frosting?

What I like with my recipe is that it is not strong in taste and not too buttery either, but it has just the right amount of sweetness with a twist of vanilla. So here goes:

Chocolate frosting:

(makes 14 oz. (400 gram) frosting)

5 oz. (150 gram) unsalted soft butter
7 oz. (200 gram) confectioners sugar
1 oz. (30 gram) cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk lukewarm (start out with only 1 tbsp and see/taste if it need the last tbsp of milk)
1 tsp vanilla

How to make the frosting:

Cream butter and sift in the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix untill well incorporated.

Note: If the frosting look a bit curdled try add a bit more confectioners sugar

Happy Caking!

Louise

This is one of the most silky smooth frosting for cakes and cupcakes. The Italian meringue buttercream. I must say though that the cupcakes frosting on the photo did cause me problems, as I had to make it over five times to get it right. My problem was, when I was adding the sugar syrup to the beaten eggwhites. It turned into a milky soup… that have never happend to me before and the only thing that made it ok was simply to buy new fresh eggwhites and start over again with the sugar syrup. So it can be a bit tricky to make, but when its made it is so delicious.

Italian meringue buttercream (IMBC).

Makes 8 cups.

1/2 cup of cold water (120ml)
2 1/4 cups of caster sugar (530ml)
1 cup of eggwhites (10) I use pasturized eggwhites only!
1 1/2 pound of soft unsalted butter (680gr)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Kitchen stand mixer

First set the timer on 7 mins & pour the eggwhites into the kitchen mixer with whisk attachment.

Step 1:
Place sugar & water in a casserole and bring it to the boil and start the timer. Boil it on medium high temperature.

Step 2:
When the sugar syrup has been boiling for 5 mins. Start the kitchen mixer on full speed and whisk the eggwhites for the last 2 mins. When the timer is up the sugar syrup is done. With the mixer still going on high speed slowly pour the hot syrup down the side of the mixing bowl. Discard any leftover syrup in the casserole. Be very carefull not to get burned on the hot syrup.

Step 3:
When all sugar syrup has been added it should look thick and fluffy. Stop the mixer and change for the paddle attachment. To avoid meringue splatter all over your kitchen place a clean tea towel over the mixer. Set the timer on 10 mins and beat on high speed. This is how long it takes in my mixer for the mixing bowl to be cool to the touch.
After 10 mins. You should now have a lovely thick meringue like on the photo.

Step 4:
Now its time to add the butter. Start the mixer on high speed and with a knife cut pieces of the butter and add it to the meringue. When all butter is added it will not take long for mixture to turn into nice thick smoothe buttercream. When that happend slow down the mixer and add 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and start again. I do this two times. You should now have a bowl full of lovely Italian meringue buttercream.

Note: If the IMBC wont combine just continue to whip whip whip. It will eventually get smoothe. If you are still having problems, put the whole bowl with paddle attachment into the fridge and let it “cool” down a bit and then whip it again.
Also if you have taken it out from the fridge or freezer then bring it back to room temprature and whip it smoothe before use.

Flavour options:

Raspberry: 1/4 cup of raspberry puré or more pr. 2 cups of IMBC

Lemon Curd: 1/2 cup of Lemon Curd pr. 2 cups of IMBC

Chocolate: 2-3 oz of melted chocolate, cooled down to 98 F, pr. 1 cup of IMBC

Coffee: 2 tbsp of instant coffee mixed with 2 tbsp of warm (not boiling) water pr 3 cups of IMBC

See a video from CakeLove making IMBC here and see how Dyann Bakes make Swiss meringue buttercream here

Happy Caking

Louise

I have received many questions about how I make my royal icing. When I make my royal icing I make it with eggwhites (pasturized) only because meringue powder or dried eggwhite powder is not commen use here in Denmark. Some of the cake decorating shops may have it though but I stick to the eggwhites.

If you do know how to make royal icing but are having trouble getting it runny for flooding your cookies then take a look at the photos maybe they can be helpful to acchive the smooth look on a flooded cookie. I can tell that I always start out with a stiff royal icing and then I thin it down with water to either soft for piping and runny for flooding.

Always remember to cover up your royal icing with either cling film or a wet cloth as this will prevent the royal icing to dry out. Also if your icing gets too thick add water or if it is too wet add more icing sugar. So here is the tutorial on how to make royal icing.

This is what I use:
2 eggwhites
2 lb icing sugar sifted (Not all may be used)
1 tsp lemon juice
Large bowl
Handheld mixer with hooks or kitchen mixer with paddle attachment
Cling film

Step 1:

Combine eggwhites and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add some of the sifted icing sugar to the mixture and start the mixer.

Step 2:
Keep adding icing sugar a little at a time. When the mixture looks like thick whipped cream and makes soft peaks when you push down the hooks/paddle in it, you can use it for piping.

Step 3:
When you have the soft peak icing, you start to only add 2 tbsp of icing sugar at a time because from now on the icing will get more and more stiff. When you can pull out small stif peaks the icing is ready. Cover the icing with cling film and a lid or wet cloth and store it in the fridge.

Runny icing:
If you want to make runny icing for flooding cookies or making run-outs then take some royal icing (stiff made) into a bowl and start mixing it with water, a few drops at the time. Continue this until the icing it thin and liquid. It should be smoothing out when you lift the spoon. The mixing with the water will most likely cause many air bubbles in the icing, so it is always good to cover up the icing and let it “rest” for 30 min. Then give it a slow stir and you have reduced the amount of air bubbles in your icing.

I hope you can use this

Happy Caking

Louise

Here is a little “How to” on how to make marshmallow fondant also known under the name MMF or chocolate MMF. You can use it to cover cakes. If you want to make flowers and figurines you will just have to knead in some Gum Tragacanth or Tylo powder so they dry up hard. 

This is what I use:

1 bag of white marshmallows (8 oz)
Water (2 tbsp)
Icing sugar sifted (1 to 2 pounds)
Crisco
Heatproof bowl
Spoon
Sift
Food colors or cocoa powder
Flavouring optional
Note: you can offcourse use your kitchen mixer when mixing in the icing sugar. Just remember to grease the bowl and paddle attachment well with Crisco.

Step 1:

Put the marshmallows in a heatproof bowl and add the water. Put the bowl in the microwave oven and heat it for approx. 2 mins. until the marshmallows puff up like on the photo.

Step 2:

Stir the marshmallows until they get smooth. This is the time where you can add your chosen food color/cocoa powder or give it flavour.

Note: Color the mixture a bit stronger than desired. You can always make the color lighter afterwards by mixing it with white marshmallow fondant.

Step 3:

Now add the icing sugar and stir the mixture with a well greased spoon. Keep adding icing sugar until it looks like a dough. Turn out the “dough” on a greased work board and with your hands greased with Crisco start kneading the marshmallow fondant. Keep adding a little icing sugar at a time until it is not sticky anymore.

Be careful not to use all the icing sugar as to much icing sugar can makes it too dry. It is ready when it feels pliable and ready to roll. If you are not using the marshmallow fondant straight away then rub a bit of Crisco on it and wrap it in cling-film and seal it in a airthight bag.

Note: Some uses the marshmallow fondant right away but I prefer to let it rest for a day before use.

If your marshmallow fondant feels very hard you can always warm it up in the microwave for a few sec. at a time. Then it should be more pliable to work with. If it feels dry then knead in some Crisco or if it is too soft add more icing sugar. I hope you can use it.

Happy Caking

Louise

This is a tutorial on how to make poured fondant icing. Since I have used a danish recipe have I found another one at the ochef website. This poured fondant is not 100% white like the thing that you can buy from your cake decorating supplier, but it do not make any difference when adding color.

This is what I use:
Click here for the recipe from CHEF
Sugar
Water
Glycose syrup
Casserole
Candy-thermometer
Heavy-duty mixer with paddle attachment
2 plastic bags
A spoon
Step 1:
In a casserole add sugar, glycose syrup and water. Put in the candy-thermometer so that you can monitor the temperature.

Step 2:
Give the sugar mixture a quick stir and heat it up to the “soft-ball” stage (238°F; 114°C). The mixture needs to be heated as fast as possible, to prevent the sugar from turning brown, so dont be affraid to put the cooking plate on max. When it reaches the needed temperature you remove it from the heat.

Step 3:
Carefully pour the “sugar syrup” into the mixing bowl. Let it cool until it reaches 140°F (60°C).

Step 4:
When the “sugar syrup” has reached 140°F (60°C) start the mixer and let it beat in a slow/medium speed. DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED.

Step 5:
When the “sugar syrup” is turned into a thick “dough” it is done. It should look like on the picture.

Step 6:
Get the fondant out of the mixing bowl and double wrap it in plastic bags. Let it rest for 24 hours, in a dry and cool place, and it is ready for use.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember to pay close attention when you beat the “sugar syrup”. When it gets thick and creamy it can harden in no time and your paddle attachment could “freeze” into the mixture and you could end up with a broken mixer.
But as long as you only beat on slow/medium and stop to check once in a while it should be fine. Remember to be carefull when handling the hot “sugar syrup”

You can read more on how to cover cupcakes with poured fondant here.

Happy Caking!

Louise