Need cake icing recipe

[tea4one]

I am going to make a cake this weekend and was looking for a really good icing recipe. I usually just buy store bought icing but am interested in trying to make my own. Any good ones? Tried and true? What about fondant? Should I avoid attempting making it? Is it worth taking the time and making it?

[valchemist]

what flavor is your cake?

[brykate]

The recipe for my Grandma's Chocolate Frosting/Icing is soooo yummy! This obviously won't work on just any 'ole cake flavor but just incase you're looking for a tried and true chocolate cake cover - this is the one! And so essy!! Never does all of it make it onto my cake (my finger gets in the way)

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening or margarine
Stir and boil for 1 minute

Remove from heat and add
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Stir until starts to thicken then pour immediately onto cooled cake.

Only work with it while it is warm. Once it starts to cool and harden messing with it will only make it look bad.

[tea4one]

I never considered the flavor would matter. Either a white/yellow cake or may be a chocolate. I am not sure yet.

[Peeps]

I never use a recipe for frosting - it's one of those things I just throw together and never think about! Weird. I usually make white frosting though, I'm not big on chocolate. All I do is start with room temp butter or margarine (gasp, I know, I know - I don't care much for butter so it depends who I'm making it for), dump in a bunch of powdered sugar, beat and drip in milk (skim fine) until it's the right consistency. When I rememeber, I'll add a splash of vanilla. For a layer cake I'd probably start with 6 tablespoons to 1 stick butter, depending on how much I need.

I'm sure others will post more precise recipes or chocolate ones but there you go, if that helps at all.

[PAMMELA]

I have seen a recipe for Honey Frosting that called for softened cream cheese and then beat in honey until you get the right consistency.

[hAndyman]

Here's the chocolate icing I've been using of late. It is rich, creamy, intensely flavoured, not too sweet, and unbelievably smooth. Not only that, but it is simply easy.
You won't find icing like this in a can!

Sour Cream Chocolate Icing

4 each 3-1/2 oz. (100 g) bittersweet chocolate bars (!4 oz. wt)
1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla, optional

Break up the bars and melt carefully in microwave or top of double boiler. Remove from heat and, with a whisk or spoon, stir in sour cream & salt, and vanilla (or other flavouring), if using.
Note: You could use 14 to 16 oz. (wt) semisweet chocolate chips in place of the bittersweet (BS) chocolate; I've only used imported BS choc with 50% or more (up to 72%) cocoa solids. Makes enough icing to frost a double 8" layer cake. Be sure to use room temp. sour cream, otherwise the frosting sets very quickly. You can add more sour cream (up to about 2 cups at room temp., if you want) if you want more frosting or a less intense flavour. It's really important that the sour cream be at or close to room temperature as the icing sets quite quickly and doesn't spread as well when cold sour cream is used. The more cocoa in your chocolate the less sweet the icing is and the more chocolatey it is.

[valchemist]

I never considered the flavor would matter. Either a white/yellow cake or may be a chocolate. I am not sure yet.

well, I just meant if it was a red velvet cake you wouldn't want chocolate icing. or if it was strawberry cake, you wouldn't want caramel icing. some icings just go better with some cakes. banana cake or carrot cake usually have cream cheese frosting... that type of thing.

yellow or white cakes can take pretty much anything, though.

[Goin' Coastal]

The recipe for my Grandma's Chocolate Frosting/Icing is soooo yummy! This obviously won't work on just any 'ole cake flavor but just incase you're looking for a tried and true chocolate cake cover - this is the one! And so essy!! Never does all of it make it onto my cake (my finger gets in the way)

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening or margarine
Stir and boil for 1 minute

Remove from heat and add
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Stir until starts to thicken then pour immediately onto cooled cake.

Only work with it while it is warm. Once it starts to cool and harden messing with it will only make it look bad.

What size cake will this frost?

[tea4one]

well, I just meant if it was a red velvet cake you wouldn't want chocolate icing. or if it was strawberry cake, you wouldn't want caramel icing. some icings just go better with some cakes. banana cake or carrot cake usually have cream cheese frosting... that type of thing.

No "flavored" cakes for now.