Sugar Cookie Icing

 We used this recipe this year for Christmas cookies (one batch sugar and one batch gingerbread) and it worked out perfectly! See the original recipe here: https://bellyfull.net/sugar-cookie-icing-recipe/

Sugar Cookie Icing (Hardens)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups powdered sugar , sifted
• 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (use clear vanilla extract if you need the icing to be bright white)
• Pinch of salt (optional depending on flavor preference)
• Gel food coloring , optional
• Plain cooled sugar cookies , for decorating

Directions:

1. Stir together the sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl until combined.
2. (If icing is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of milk, until the icing is thick but pipeable. If it's too thin, add a little more powdered sugar until desired texture is reached. If you drizzle a little of the icing with a whisk, the ribbon of icing will hold for a few seconds before melting back into the icing. That is when you know it’s the right consistency and is ready to use.)
3. If coloring the icing with different colors, divide into bowls and color as desired at this point.
4. Transfer icing to a piping bag with a piping tip (I use Wilton 5.)
5. Pipe icing onto cookies and decorate, as desired. (If using sanding sugar or sprinkles, they need to be added before the icing starts to set.)
6. Allow icing to completely harden at room temperature before enjoying (this can take anywhere from 3 hours to overnight depending on the consistency and thickness of your icing.)

Marsha's Notes:

For one batch of sugar cookies and one batch of gingerbread, we made six different colors (white, blue, green, yellow, red, purple) and made a double batch of icing. It was enough, but some colors we had too much and some we ran out of. Depending on how concerned you are about waste, you can decide if it's worth making more or less. But one batch of icing for one batch of cookies is probably about right depending on how many color choices you want. We did add about an extra TBL of milk or so to get a consistency we thought would work.

Marsha's Favorite Buttercream Frosting

I LOVE this recipe and have adapted the basic vanilla version for a peanut butter version too! Enjoy!

So, before I share the recipe, here's my biggest tip; use REAL butter, people. Real butter. I know it costs more than margarine, but it makes a big difference in the end result for the texture (and flavor).

Basic Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature butter (NOT MELTED)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream (or 1/2 and 1/2, or milk)

Directions:

1. Beat together the butter and vanilla until light and creamy (approximately 3 minutes). 
2. Gradually add powdered sugar. 
3. Add enough heavy cream (or milk) until frosting reaches your desired consistency (or add more powdered sugar if you need to thicken). 
4. Continue to whip the frosting for 3-4 minutes more. Add food coloring, if desired.

Marsha's Notes:

• For my peanut butter version, substitute one of the sticks of butter for 1/2 cup peanut butter. 
• For my cream cheese version, substitute one of the sticks of butter for 8 oz. cream cheese.
• Cinnamon Peanut Butter Buttercream: I accidentally ran out of regular creamy peanut butter once when making this, so for my 1/2 cup peanut butter as mentioned in the version above, I used about 2/3 of my 1/2 cup with regular creamy peanut butter and the other 1/3 was a special cinnamon creamy peanut butter that I LOVE. It was really subtle, but gave a great flavor and smell. If you like the taste of the cinnamon peanut butter, you could sub the entire 1/2 cup in this recipe.

Additional Tips: 

When using real butter, the frosting will set more when it's cold (just think about what a stick of butter is like straight from the refrigerator as opposed to one that has been sitting on the counter at room temperature). So if you want it to hold it's shape when it's room temperature, make sure you make it stiff enough right off the bat. If you want a softer frosting and yet get those great ridges in the piping swirls, I find my frosting will hold it's shape better if I cool the frosting before piping and then store my cupcakes in the fridge when they are done. When I pull them out of the fridge, I'll still have the ridges I got from piping it cold, and yet the frosting is creamy and smooth and soft at room temperature.

Do not microwave your butter to soften. Plan ahead and set it out in the morning. Melted butter (even just part of it) makes for greasy frosting.

The more you whip it, the softer, creamier, and fluffier it will be without being overly wet. It's better to try whipping it more before you try adding too much milk.

One batch of this frosting will make enough for 24 cupcakes frosted sparingly. If you want to do big swirls of frosting and have plenty to do so, 1 and a half batches works better. It takes a surprisingly lot of frosting to make roses and swirls.

Marshmallow Fondant

Today was my first attempt at using fondant for a cake. I thought it turned out pretty cute considering I only had red and yellow food coloring on hand and some random cookie cutters.

 Here is the recipe I used. It tasted just like the fondant I had at my niece's wedding, so I think that speaks volumes.

http://candy.about.com/od/fondantcandyrecipes/r/mm_fondant.htm

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed, or half of a 16-ounce bag)
• 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups), plus extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp water
• Food coloring or flavored extracts, optional

Directions:

1. Dust your counter or a large cutting board with powdered sugar. Place the marshmallows and the water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until the marshmallows are puffy and expanded.
2. Stir the marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth. If some unmelted marshmallow pieces remain, return to the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until the marshmallow mixture is entirely smooth and free of lumps. If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring or extracts at this point and stir until incorporated. If you want to create multiple colors or flavors from one batch of fondant, do not add the colors or flavors now. Instead, refer to step 6 below for instructions.
3. Add the powdered sugar and begin to stir with the spatula. Stir until the sugar begins to incorporate and it becomes impossible to stir anymore.
4. Scrape the marshmallow-sugar mixture out onto the prepared work surface. It will be sticky and lumpy, with lots of sugar that has not been incorporated yet--this is normal. Dust your hands with powdered sugar, and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar into the marshmallow with your hands.
5. Continue to knead the fondant until it smooths out and loses its stickiness. Add more sugar if necessary, but stop adding sugar once it is smooth--too much sugar will make it stiff and difficult to work with. Once the fondant is a smooth ball, it is ready to be used. You can now roll it out, shape it, or wrap it in cling wrap to use later. Well-wrapped fondant can be stored in a cool room or in the refrigerator, and needs to be kneaded until supple before later use.
6. If you want to add coloring or flavoring to your fondant, flatten it into a round disc. You might want to wear gloves to avoid getting food coloring on your hands during this step. Add your desired amount of coloring or flavoring to the center of the disc, and fold the disc over on itself so that the color or flavor is enclosed in the center of the fondant ball.
7. Begin to knead the ball of fondant just like you did before. As you work it, you will begin to see streaks of color coming through from the center. Continue to knead until the streaks are gone and the fondant is a uniform color. Your fondant is now ready to be used or stored as outlined above.

Marsha's Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe. I use it on all kinds of things (cake, cookies, bars, etc.). I love it, love it, love it! I hope you enjoy it too.  I have no idea where it came from, but it's great.

Marsha's Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-4 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (or half an 8 oz. brick)
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. 
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating until smooth.

Marsha's Notes:

They used to sell 3-4 oz. bricks of cream cheese (sort of little mini-bricks) but now I can only find the 8 oz. kind, so if you want  to use the entire thing, just double this recipe.

Taste of Home's Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls and Cream Cheese Frosting

This is currently my favorite cinnamon roll recipe. They are nice and moist because of the cake mix, and if you know me, anything with a pre-made ingredient (like cake mix) is a winner. My family requests these cinnamon rolls often at family gatherings. *It makes two large pans, so you need a crowd to finish them off, unless you aren't worries about your waist size!  I originally got this recipe from a friend of mine whom, I believe, got it out of a cookbook that is all about using cake mixes. However, I have also found an almost duplicate recipe on the Taste of Home website, so I will give credit for the recipe and photo there. Light and fluffy (cake-like) these are NOT. Think dense, heavy, and so, so filling!!!!

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls (Single Cookie Sheet)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups flour, divided
• 1 box (9 oz.) one-layer white cake mix***
• 2 pkg. (1/4 oz. each) quick-rise yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups warm/hot water (120 degrees)
• 2 Tbl. melted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 Tbl. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine 3 cups flour, cake mix, yeast, salt and warm water. Mix until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth (about 6-8 minutes). Roll dough into a 9x18 rectangle. Spread with butter. 
2. In a separate bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle mixture over buttered dough. Roll jelly roll style and slice into rolls (about 12). Place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let raise in a warm place until double in size, about 15-30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until they start to turn lightly brown. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Marsha's Notes:

Because most cake mixes are 18 oz., I usually make a double recipe which ends up being two cookie sheets full of cinnamon rolls (about 24 rolls) (See doubled ingredient recipe below). 

I have also found it is easiest to cut the dough with a piece of dental floss. All you do is put the floss under the dough where you want to cut it. Then, bring the floss up the sides, and, as if you were going to tie a bow around the dough, you pull the strings opposite each other to slice through. (Hope that makes sense...). 

I have also found that it works best to help the dough rise if you turn your oven on to the lowest setting to preheat while you are mixing the dough (usually 170 degrees), then turn the oven off. Add a pan (9x13) of boiling water to the bottom shelf of the oven, allowing the dough to raise in a nice warm/moist environment.

Cream Cheese Frosting (Single Batch)

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-4 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, half of a standard 8 oz. brick
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. 
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating until smooth.

Marsha's Notes:

If you are making the double batch of rolls, then make a double batch of frosting too, using an 8 oz. block of cream cheese instead. I used to be able to find smaller 3 oz blocks of cream cheese in my local grocery store for the single batches, but anymore I just cut an 8 oz in half and use that instead because it appears the 3 oz size was discontinued.

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls (Double Cookie Sheet)

Ingredients:

• 8-10 cups flour, divided
• 1 box (18-20 oz. ish) standard white/yellow cake mix (makes a 9x13 or two 9 inch rounds)
• 4 pkg. (1/4 oz. each) quick-rise yeast
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 cups warm/hot water (120 degrees)
• 4 Tbl. melted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbl. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine 6 cups flour, cake mix, yeast, salt and warm water. Mix until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth (about 6-8 minutes). Roll dough into two 9x18 rectangles. Spread with butter. 
2. In a separate bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle mixture over buttered dough. Roll jelly roll style and slice into rolls (about 12 per rectangle). Place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let raise in a warm place until double in size, about 15-30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until they start to turn lightly brown. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting (Double Batch)

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, one full standard brick
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. 
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating until smooth.