ingredients:
12 ounces cream cheese (1-1/2 packages)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 – 3/4 cup Strawberry Guava Jam

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and the butter. Slowly add the powdered sugar, salt and the vanilla.

Once combined, fold in the Strawberry Guava Jam so it’s not totally incorporated, but just barely mixes in.

I like to use light, airy frostings on top of denser cakes. It fools you into thinking what you’re not eating is bad, but it’s so, so bad. So bad it’s good.

ingredients:
3/4 heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer – using the wire whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream. Add the brown sugar, salt and vanilla and whip until stiff. Not too far or you’ll get butter! Just far enough to get a nice standing whipped cream frosting.

This is so good, as my friend said, “I want to eat this by the bucketful.”

I wanted to come up with a frosting that was light and airy, whipped cream with a touch of cream cheese flavor. This frosting is like eating a little cream cheese-y cloud on top of a cupcake.

ingredients:
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
4 Tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups heavy cream

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream on high, just until almost stiff, not all the way. Add in the cream cheese mixture and whip up again. Don’t overdo it, or you’ll get a curdled look, not so pretty for cupcakes. Fold the frosting to make sure everything is incorporated.

Now you’re ready to pipe or frost!

ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4-1/2 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup horchata

Beat the softened butter with the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.

Add the horchata as needed – you may not need all of it.

Once you get the right consistency, frost cake, cupcakes or even cookies!

ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large, cold bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream on medium high.

Once it starts to build, add the powdered sugar, syrup and the vanilla. Turn the mixer onto high until you get nice whipped cream peaks. DON’T go too far or your will get a bowlful of butter. Yuck. Keep your eye on it and you get a nice sweet whipped cream.

It’s the ‘do that makes the woman, you know?

ingredients:
cupcakes
cream cheese frosting
black frosting
heart quins
Oreos

Normally I’d go all out and go nuts with the fondant (like with the Superhero cupcakes), but I wanted to take an easier route here and do it all in frosting for a change.

Take your cooled cupcake and spread a THIN smooth layer of frosting on top. I used cream cheese frosting (recipe, here) because it has a slight off white tint to it, which I liked for the complexion.

Using a frosting tinted black, I do one side of the hair first. (We are going for a middle part, here.)

Add the other side of the hair and then the eyes. Place a little heart quin for the lips.

Now for the hair – take an Oreo and stick it to the side of the cupcake liner, using the black frosting. Do the same for the other side. To get rid of the ‘white line’ i.e. creamy center, simply run a thin layer of black frosting down the center of the sandwich cookie.

I’m sure these would be served at a high tea for the Leader of the Rebel Alliance.

ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons milk (as needed)
1 teaspoon vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter while adding the sugar SLOWLY, a little at a time. Add the vanilla, then the milk as needed. Once you get the consistency you want, turn the mixer up to medium high and WHIP it for about 10-15 seconds.

Now you’re ready to frost!

While I’m not a big fan of cream cheese, I still like the look and texture of the frosting so I try to think up new tasty ways to use mascarpone instead. I wanted big lemon flavor in a very light frosting. This was what I came up with.

ingredients:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of kosher salt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
1 -1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a medium bowl combine mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, salt, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir together until smooth, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form – don’t overdo it, the last thing you want is for it to curdle.

Then gently fold the whipped cream, into the mascarpone mixture until combined. If you get it just right, you will get a nice sweet fluffy frosting.

I made these for the Fried Chicken Face Off, thus the chocolate chickie toppers. With all that greazy fried chicken I knew everyone would be happy with a very light dessert.

When I served this, people said it was so airy and delicious it made them want to eat a dozen cupcakes by themselves. This is AFTER they had just eaten 8 kinds of fried chicken! You have to try this to believe it – not overly sweet and light as air!

Peanut Butter and Co. makes the best peanut butter mix-up concoctions. I thought this would make a GREAT take on my regular peanut butter frosting (recipe, here) without even having to add chocolate – since it was already in there! This – this is what dreams are made of.

ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup chocolate peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and chocolate peanut butter. Carefully add in the powdered sugar – p.s. don’t wear a black shirt when you do this, ugh – just trust me.

Add in the heavy cream – once incorporated whip into a frenzy. I like level ’6′ if your kitchenaid can handle it. The chocolate will turn a lightish brown color. Once it gets nice and fluffy you are good to go.

I used this to frost a bunch of banana cupcakes, and it went together swell. Topped off with a little Godiva white chocolate pearl and you have some pretty sweet little cupcakes.

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a saucepan on low heat, stir together the sugar and water. Turn the heat to medium high and boil until the sugar turns a lovely shade of brown, I’d say just about 5 minutes.

Carefully – you look away for one second and you’ve got Burnt City on your hands.

Now carefully (can I say that enough) add the cream and the butter. It will bubble so watch yourself.

Let simmer on low, then add the vanilla and the 1/4 cup of heavy cream to smooth it all out and wait for it to get nice and thick.

I didn’t take any pictures of this – I think I was too busy trying not to kill myself with sizzling sugar. Next time, I promise.