Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Swedish Cardamon Cake With Caramelized Topping

Photo of carmelized almond topping courtesy of David Lebovitz

A Swedish cardamon cake is a simple coffee cake, which we're going to bump up a notch by making a caramelized topping, one we can do the easy way by carmelizing it inside the same springform pan as the cake, itself, is baking. Did you expect anything other than a shortcut from THE SAVVY SHOPPER, queen of one-pot or pan dishes? I bet you dislike scrubbing a sink load of pots and pans as much as I do! Nonetheless, the results of this simple dessert will be so scrumptious and fancy that you can use it as a birthday or holiday cake, or bring it as a contribution to summer cookouts! 
So let's get started, shall we?

Cardamon cake

Ingredients:

For the caramelized topping -- Use a 9-inch springform pan, so you can simply remove the sides of the pan, leaving the cake intact. 

1/4 cup butter - Smear a generous amount of butter on the bottom of the springform pan to start. Thick, not thin.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup sliced almonds (or almonds brokered into pieces)

For the cake batter:

1 stick of unsalted butter
1 cup sugar (Cut the sugar by 1/4 cup to reduce the sweetness if you wish.)
3 large eggs  
3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (Eyeball the consistency. Start with less and stop if you can easily stir it.)
1 tablespoon of dried cardamom (or you may use cardamon seeds)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice 

Directions for the topping:

1) Generously butter the bottom of a springform pan and distribute the sugar covering the buttered bottom. Next toss in the almonds.  During the baking of the cake, its topping will caramelize. When the cake is baked, you'll flip the bottom over to become the top of the cake.

Directions for the batter:

2) To make the batter, beat the softened stick of butter and sugar together. Next mix in the eggs one at a time.

3) Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Go here for 6 best Swedish bakeries.

4) Pour in the buttermilk, then the cardamon, and lemon juice.

5) Pour over the topping that is already in the springform pan. 

5) Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 50 - 60 minutes.

6) Remove from the oven and let cool. Warm is ok for removing the sides. and transferring it to the serving dish. The bottom of the cake becomes the top.

An easy-to-make cake that looks and tastes like a fancy cake! It's how we roll here on THE SAVVY SHOPPERSmaklig MΓ₯ltid!πŸŽ‚πŸ¦


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Thursday, May 12, 2022

Easy Homemade Strawberry Cake

Photo: KeyIngredient

I have a craving for a slice of strawberry cake and so decided to make one. A majority of recipes call for a box of strawberry jello, dried flaked strawberries, or 6 eggs, but c'mon ... an overabundance of ingredients to buy ... or just too eggy for my tastes. A homemade cake should be light, moist, and simple. Moreover, starting with a box of white cake mix? Fuhgeddaboudit! IMHO: There are 2 instant foods that make no sense to buy. They are: (1) instant rice and (2) cake mix since in using either one the prep isn't reduced, only the flavor. Hey, I say when you don't feel like making a cake from scratch, buy a cake from a good bakery! But finding a good bakery isn't necessary today, my lovelies, as here's an easy-peasy homemade cake recipe to follow using fresh strawberries, all-purpose flour, and only 2 eggs, items often in your pantry: 

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

16 ounces of strawberries: For 3/4 cup strawberry puree, plus 1/4 cup diced and mashed strawberries. You'll need to prep but can do it ahead of time. (See how-to below.)
3/4 cup sugar 
1 stick of butter softened
2 large (or extra large) eggs 
teaspoon vanilla extract (optional: use strawberry extract if you have it).
A squirt of lemon juice (optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 
teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt 
½ cup buttermilk

Preparation of the strawberries - Makes (a) 3/4 cup of strawberry puree and (b) 1/4 cup of diced, mashed strawberries: Toss about 12 ounces of strawberries into a blender to get 3/4 cup of strawberry puree. If necessary, add a 1/8 cup of water -- but strawberries are usually juicy enough. Next, simmer the mixture in a saucepan to reduce the liquid, and afterward cool the puree completely. Set aside. Dice and mash the remaining 1/4 cup of strawberries, then sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar on top, and set aside. This 2nd mixture will give your cake some chunks of strawberries in the texture. If you have extra strawberries, feel free to bump the chunks up to 1/2 cup that folds into the batter in step 5 below.

Directions:

1) Use an electric mixer to combine the sugar, butter, and 1/2 cup of the strawberry puree. Save the rest of the puree to make the frosting.

2) Add the eggs and vanilla, a squirt of lemon, and beat.

3) Mix in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.

4) Next add the buttermilk.

5) To the batter, fold in the diced, mashed strawberries with juice.

6) Pour the batter into 2-9 inch buttered and floured cake pans.

7) Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 40 - 50 minutes or until done in the center.

Strawberry Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter softened
The remaining strawberry puree
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or if you have it, a sprinkle of strawberry extract)
1 box of confectioner's sugar.

Directions:

1) Mix the butter, strawberry puree, and vanilla together, and add 1 cup of confectioner's sugar at a time to the mixing bowl until you get the right consistency of frosting. Use as much of the box as needed. I simply pour it in and stir. When it thickens into frosting without being too stiff or thin, I stop. I also add drops of milk if necessary.

When I was a young child we had a man who grew and sold strawberries by walking our neighborhood and yelling, "Strawberry, strawberry, straw-ber-ry man." This cake reminds me of him, an industrious, hardworking, city farmer.πŸ“

On Facebook, I learned our neighborhood once had a Ragman (who rode a wagon pulled by a horse) and a Popcorn Man who came around to sell their goods. I remember having a Fuller Brush Man, a Potato Chip Man, an Egg Man, an Avon Lady, and an ice cream truck. If they came to the house at the right time, they ate lunch or drank coffee with us.
πŸ‡


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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Chocolate Mirror Glaze With Berry Mousse

Photo: Renee Robinson - So pretty!
The cake recipes I publish on THE SAVVY SHOPPER are for cakes I tweak and bake myself with the exception of today's cake: Chocolate Mirror Glaze With Berry Mousse. I haven't gotten around to making it yet and therefore, I'll share Renee Robinson's experience as published on Facebook. The top image, ingredients and directions are hers. Renee's finished cake looks amazing! So away we go ... πŸŽ­


Chocolate Mirror Glaze Cake with Cranberry and Blueberry Mousse
 
The Baker: Renee Robinson

Renee says, "I followed the recipe exactly as written [see link below] for the chocolate cakes layer, but have written it out for you, in what I think is easier to understand language." 

Ingredients for the Chocolate Cake:

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
Photo: recepetineats

2/3 cup cocoa powder (it wasn’t specified, but I {Renee} used dark Valrhona cocoa)
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 egg yolk
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
2/3 cup hot strong brewed coffee

Directions for the cake: 

Grease and line with parchment paper two 7 inch cake pans. Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat oil and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. 

Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract; mix. Gradually add flour mixture to oil mixture alternately with milk, in three batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. 

At the end add the hot brewed coffee and mix together only 30 seconds. Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes (or longer - until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean). Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Cranberry and Blueberry Mousse

The baker says, "The original recipe called for fresh or frozen black currants. I don’t have access to either, so I substituted other berries and changed the amounts of other ingredients, as seen below."

Ingredients for the Mousse:

300 grams blueberries
500 grams cranberries
Juice of half lemon
Scant 1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons powdered gelatin
2 cups whipping cream
10 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions for the Mousse:

Place blueberries, cranberries, and sugar in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook only until sugar dissolves and fruits burst. Let cool for a few minutes. Add lemon juice. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. 

Place 1 tablespoon of the gelatin in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 5 minutes to swell. Gently heat softened gelatin in a double boiler or microwave and stir to dissolve. Add to half of warm puree and mix together. Whip half of whipping cream with half of powdered sugar until stiff peaks. 

Gradually add prepared half of berry puree and whip together.
Line the bottom of 9 inch spring pan with parchment paper. On the base – in the center of the pan, place the first chocolate cake and pour over black the berry mousse. Place in the fridge for ½ - 1 hour.

After this time make the second half of the berry mousse, repeating steps described above. Remove the pan from the fridge, place in the center the second sponge and pour over the second half of the mousse. Even the surface and place to the fridge overnight.

The next day carefully remove the cake from the pan. Place on a serving plate and decorate with mirror glaze.

Photo: mandarinpie
Here is the link to the original recipe for the cake.
https://sweetstyledhme.com/.../chocolate-cake-in-black...

Here is the link to the recipe used for the mirror glaze. Renee followed the steps exactly as written in the recipe. https://www.recipetineats.com/chocolate-mirror-glaze

And finally, what does THE SAVVY SHOPPER think? This cake requires more steps than a basic cake, since we must cook and cool things as we bake the cakes (the dreaded have jobs before you do a job syndrome!), and yet finished and plated, it should taste amazing. This summer I'll return here for the recipe to challenge myself by making this fancy, fussy, multi-steps cake, and now my dear readers, you can too! 

If looking to bake a less work homemade cake, try this buttermilk layer cake. There's no shame in an easy recipe as long as a cake is delicious!! I prefer them. As Jon Bon Jovi knows, "You do what you can."πŸŽ΅πŸŽ‚


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Wednesday, February 24, 2021

English Toffee Pudding

Photo: Omaha Steaks

All the reading and documentaries I'm absorbing on English history is influencing my baking. Why else would I think of making English Toffee Pudding for the first time ever? It turns out this very English dessert may have originated in Canada.

And let's address the English usage of the word, "pudding."  In America, pudding is a cold eggless custard eaten with a spoon. In England pudding is a delicious cake with or without sticky sauce. Think figgy pudding or Christmas pudding, both cut with a knife and eaten with a fork.

My recipe is traditional, but if you want to substitute figs for dates, feel free. In America, dried figs are sometimes cheaper or easier to find than dried, meaty dates. Usually figs are inexpensive, plump and sold as a pound, whereas dates can be puny in size and quantity, as well as, expensive! Why!? Are dates harder to produce, or more perishable than figs? I do not know! In an effort to keep baking simple and not break the bank, use either dates (traditional) or figs (also tasty).

English Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients for the cake:

1 cup chopped dried dates (or substitute figs)
2/3 cup hot boiled water
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (The Brits use Muscovado sugar - it is less refined with caramel and toffee notes.)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Optional - If you have golden syrup (or make it) you can add a tablespoon of it for flavor; or molasses; but the recipe is delicious with brown sugar only. Some bakers like to add cinnamon and nutmeg. Chef Jamie Oliver seeps 2 teabags along with the dates into his hot boiled water for extra taste.

Directions

1) Toss the chopped dates (or figs) and boiled water in a blender or food processor and blend. Set aside.

2) In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, dark brown sugar, salt, and baking powder until combined. Mix in the egg.

3) To avoid a dense texture fold in the flour and vanilla.

4) Spoon the baking soda into the set aside date (or fig) purΓ©e which will bubble up, then pour into the batter. Mix until fluffy.

5) Pour the mixture into a buttered square or fluted cake pan. 

6) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 - 45 minutes or until done. The cake will spring back to the touch. 

Ingredients for the Sticky Toffee Sauce:

1 cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
Pinch of salt
1 cup of heavy cream (I use condensed milk.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Toss the butter, dark brown sugar, salt and cream into a sauce pan over medium heat and stir just enough to dissolve the brown sugar, then leave it alone until it starts to turn brown, or else you risk a grainy texture. (If compelled, lift the pan off the flame to give it a gentle swirl instead of stirring.)

2) As the liquid turns a dark amber, try to resist stirring. You can dip a spoon in to see if it coats it. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla.
I dislike making the sauce! Melted sugar gets very hot. Without precision, there's the possibility of failure. If so, nobody will judge you for going to plan B as a topping ... a scoop of vanilla with swirled caramel ice cream. Who's going to complain? Show a complainer the recipe and lead him to your kitchen while you wait ... for sticky toffee topping and an attitude adjustment.😁 Enjoy!

 
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Friday, October 9, 2020

Mini Italian Cream Cake


Sometimes I crave a slice of cake, not a big 9-inch cake that I must eat all week long to finish, but only a slice! So I bought two 4-inch Fat Daddy aluminum cake pans and got the idea to reduce the quantity of a cake recipe to make the equivalent of a slice of cake. I'm thrilled with the results! It took a pandemic to think of experimenting to make a single-serving cake, and in fact there's more than enough to share with a partner.

Nobody knows how Italian Cream Cake got its name since the cake is from the American South, not Italy. Here's how to make a 4-inch mini cake:

Mini Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup shredded coconut

You will need two small 4" cake pans, buttered and floured.

Directions:

1) With an electric mixer cream together the butter, shortening (or vegetable oil) and sugar.

2) Add the egg yolk and vanilla.

3 Next toss in the flour, baking soda and salt.

4) Add the buttermilk. If the batter is too thick, add a little more for a not too thick (or too thin) consistency.

4) Whisk the egg white in a separate clean bowl until stiff peaks form, then use a specular to fold it into the batter.

4) Next fold in the chopped pecans and shredded coconut.

5) Pour the cake batter into the 2 buttered and floured mini cake pans.

6) Bake in a 350 degree F preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the centers are done. The cakes will bounce back when touched. Remove from the oven and cool. Before the pans are completely cold lift out the cakes.

Italian Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
Ending up with 4 layers

2 ounces cream cheese, soften at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, soften
1 box confectioner's sugar (You won't need the entire box.)
1 squirt of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of ground pecans

Directions

1) Toss the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl and mix until smooth and fluffy Never measuring, I pour the powdered sugar into the bowl until I get the frosting consistency I desire. 

2) Spread the frosting on a cold cake in-between layers, as well as the top and sides of the cake. I cut my two 4'' cakes in half to get 4 layers of cake.

3) Sprinkle ground pecans all over the top of the frosted cake. 

Note: I don't need frosting for just myself to be as decadent. So I lightened it by omitting the butter and cream cheese. I used cottage cheese and skim milk instead of cream cheese because I didn't want to open a package of cream cheese I had to finish by myself. Sans butter, the frosting is less creamy. Not what I would serve guests, but the tastes still satisfies. It's good!
----------------------------------------------------------------
To feed more people here are the portions of ingredients for a 9-inch cake:

Full Size Cake

1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups of sugar
2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

1) Follow the steps above increasing the amounts of ingredients. 

For myself alone, a no butter icing.
2) Use either two or three 8'' or 9'' cake pans to make either 2 or 3 cakes. Southern bakers usually make 3 cakes for 3 layers.

Full Size Cake Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoon butter, softened
box of confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (toasted if you make the effort.)

As you see without guests, I don't go crazy decorating a cake with tons of icing. Crushed nuts are the finish and enough of a good thing!


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Monday, June 29, 2020

An Easy Coconut Cake

Photo: Food Network

The flavor of coconut in ice cream and cake is pure and simple like vanilla, only kicked up a notch. A coconut cake is a combination of rich tropical flavor, moisture and texture. Here's how to make it from scratch:

Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup of sugar (If you like sweeter cake use 1 1/2 cups of sugar. With icing, I don't need such a sweet batter.)
1 cup buttermilk (You may substitute sour cream or yogurt.)
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpuse flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs (I use whole eggs and don't mind the ivory color of the cake. Usually coconut cakes require 5 egg whites [use only whites if you wish, save the yolks for custard or omelets] but most of the nutrients are in the yolks, so in my cake, the entire egg goes into making the batter!)
2 teaspoons coconut extract (You can substitute vanilla, or almond extract if you don't have coconut -- it will taste good -- but why then are you making a coconut cake?πŸ™‚)
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

Directions:

1) Beat together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer.

2) Add the buttermilk.

3) Follow with the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and punch of salt.

4) Next beat in one egg at a time.

5) Add the coconut extract and flaked coconut.

6) Pour the batter into two 9" buttered cake pans.

7) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until the center is done. Remove from the oven to cool.

8) Wait 5 minutes and remove the cakes while the pans are still warm, so the cakes don't stick. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Coconut Frosting

Ingredients:

8-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened (adds taste and creaminess)
3 tablespoons milk 
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 box of confectioners' sugar
1 bag of coconut flakes (Like the confectioners' sugar, you will use only as much as needed.)

Directions:

1) Toss the ingredients (except the coconut flakes) one by one into a mixing bowl. 

2) I don't measure the confectioners' sugar. I pour the liquids and flavors in first then add as much powdered sugar as I need. You want a creamy, yet thick enough frosting to spread on the cake and in-between the layers.

3) After you frost the outside of the cake, refrigerate it, then frost it a 2nd time like professional bakers do, if you wish.

4) Sprinkle as much flaked coconut on top of the frosting as you like -- to look like garnish or snow.

To make coconut ice cream from scratch, my dear readers, you're on your own!πŸ™‚ 


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Saturday, June 29, 2019

Mocha Chocolate Cake

  • Photo: Bon AppΓ©tit: Don't worry if your cake and frosting are lighter in color. This photo has a food styler who took liberties. It's the taste we care about.
    I tweaked a Bon AppΓ©tit recipe requiring cake flour and mascarpone frosting - neither of which I stock. Mascarpone cream is "Italian cream cheese." It is slightly richer than American cream cheese, but you can add rich cream or sour cream to compensate in taste.

    As it happens: There is always cream cheese in my refrigerator, but never, ever mascarpone cheese; and there is always all-purpose flour in my cupboard, but never, ever cake flour. I dislike a job (shopping) before doing a job (baking a cake). Nobody has time for that! IMHO: 99% of all cakes turn out just fine using all-purpose flour. I've never had trouble eating one! The difference is: All-purpose flour has slightly more protein than cake flour.

    Another reason, I altered the recipe is: My German mother conditioned me to think: American pastries are too sweet. So I usually reduce the sugar in cakes by 1/2 cup, or more when I can get away with it. If the cake batter is less sweet, you will taste other ingredients better like chocolate, vanilla, or coffee. After frosting I rarely miss the lack of 1/2 cup of sugar in the batter since frosting is mainly sugar. Don't mess with Mom when baking, she's usually right! Here is my recipe for --

    Mocha Chocolate Cake

    Ingredients for the batter:

    2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    3/4 cup natural unsweetened raw cacao (or cocoa) powder - I use cacao power.
    1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    1 1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar (The original recipe calls for 2 cups, so you can up the sugar if you must. You get used to less sugar over time.)
    cup buttermilk
    3 large eggs
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    4 teaspoons instant coffee (or espresso powder) dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water

    Extra butter and flour to grease baking pans.

  • Directions for the batter:

    1) In a large bowl, Mix the ingredients together starting with the butter and sugar. Shift the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt together in another bowl and add a bit at a time. Add the buttermilk and blend with an electric mixer.

    2) Add one egg at a time, beating with the electric mixer.

    3) Add the vanilla and coffee dissolved in water.

    4) Beat about 2 minutes until uniform.

    5) Pour the batter into 2 buttered and floured 9" baking pans.

    6) Bake at 325 degree F in a pre-heated oven for 40 minutes, or until the centers are done. 

    7) Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to cool completely.


    Ingredients for the frosting:

  • 1/3 cup raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
    2 tablespoons instant coffee (or espresso) powder
    8 ounces cream cheese
    1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream; or sour cream
    A box of powdered sugar (not all is needed)
  • Bittersweet chocolate curls for garnish

    Directions for the frosting: 

    1) Using an electric mixer blend the ingredients until smooth. I add the powdered sugar from the box until I get a desired creamy, yet thick consistency.

    Feel free to use mascarpone cheese in the frosting recipe instead of my cream cheese substitutions if you have it. Either way, you will love this moist mocha chocolate cake. From Bon AppΓ©tit ...  bon appΓ©tit!πŸŽ‚

    ++++++++++++++++++++++
    Should we once again turn a full cake recipe into a Single Serving Mug Cake? (Yes! I hear you, Trish of The Red Cardinal.)

    Ingredients:

    6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    Photo: Skint Dad

    2 tablespoons raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    a pinch of salt
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons brown sugar
    3 tablespoons buttermilk
    1 tablespoon of egg (Use the rest of the egg for breakfast. Waste not, want not.)
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla
    1 teaspoon of instant coffee (or espresso) dissolved into about 1/8 of a cup of hot water (You'll need to eyeball the water.)

    Directions: 

    Follow the batter recipe above↑ using the reduced ingredients. Grease and flour a mug and bake in the microwave for one minute, then 10 seconds at a time until the center is done.

    For the  Mocha Chocolate frosting, improvise using teaspoons of the ingredients in the order above until you get the taste and a desired creamy, yet thick consistency. Frosting is easy enough to eyeball!


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