Spiced Up Cake Mix & Perfect Maple Icing
Spice cake made easy...
INGREDIENTS:
1 box white/yellow cake mx
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 c chopped pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat over to 350F. Prep muffin or cake pans.
In a large bowl shift cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice and cake mix.
Prepare cake mix per the box instructions.
Portion into pans. Bake until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.
Whipped Maple Icing...
Those small icing containers at the grocery store are no longer cutting it and sometimes there isn't enough time (or energy) to make a meringue icing from scratch. Check out the frozen icing mixes, like Rich's Bettercreme, Perfect Finish or Icing & Filling at your local Cash'n Carry or Bakery Supply store. These products come frozen in liquid or prewhip form and will store frozen for up to a year, refrigerated 14 days.
I topped the Spiced Cupcakes with Maple Icing made from frozen liquid Bettercreme. Bettercreme takes flavors and gel colors nicely so I added 1/4 tsp maple extract to the liquid before whipping it up to its full volume.
INGREDIENTS:
1 container Liquid Bettercreme
1/4 tsp maple extract
DIRECTIONS:
(follow manufacturers direction on label)
Thaw frozen icing in refrigerated overnight.
Pour into a cold mixing bowl, 1/3 of the way full. Add flavoring.
Mix at Medium speed until icing begins to pull away from the side of the bowl and a firm peak is held.
Fill pastry bag with desired tip and have at it!
Bettercreme Icing has a light & fluffy texture and clean mouthfeel. These icings are great to use when executing high volume projects or when your desserts will be sitting outside in the heat during a reception...
For the at home baker looking to take there creations to the next level, this is a great product to practice with. It is inexpensive and you can whip it up in minutes. I also recommend a basic meringue for piping practice (1 part egg white: 2 parts granulated sugar).
be fearless, bake on!