Icings On The Cake

Icings On The Cake
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This month, Martha Stewart Living is making everybody very hungry. The Icing on the Cake story is lick-your-fingers luscious, each and every creamy, gooey, glossy recipe looks utterly irresistible.

Before you start on all that sugary goodness, however, take a look at the Weeknight Feasts feature: Five scrumptious dinners, all built around an ingenious prep-once-serve-twice strategy that makes creating a healthy, satisfying meal super easy any night of the week. Read on for a selection of both the sweet and the savory.

To get the recipes for these delicious dishes, as well as many more, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine, or go to marthastewart.com.

Five Prep Once, Serve Twice Dinners
Whole-Wheat Penne with Tomatoes and Red Onion(01 of05)
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This simple and healthy pasta gets its rich flavor from roasted tomatoes. Make a double batch of them and you’ll be halfway done with a tomato and white bean casserole for later in the week. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pg 173, or click here.
Grilled chicken With Spinach and Whole-Wheat Couscou(02 of05)
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Moroccan flavors abound in this meal, which is both spicy and sweet. If you’ve grilled some extra chicken, you can throw together the red cabbage with spicy grilled chicken and pepitas for another meal in no time flat. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pg 174, or click here.
White-Bean-and-Tomato Casserole With Broccoli Rabe(03 of05)
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If you made an extra batch of roasted tomatoes on Monday for the whole-wheat penne with tomatoes and red onion, this dish will take only 15 you minutes start to finish. Serve the savory tomato and bean mix over well toasted bread for an easy crostini supper. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pg 174, or click here.
Red Cabbage Salad with Spicy Grilled Chicken and Pepitas(04 of05)
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This fresh take on a Southwestern dish gets its crunch from pumpkin seeds and cabbage. Use the extra grilled chicken from Grilled Chicken With Spinach and Whole-Wheat Couscous and you’ve got a good jumpstart. Tortillas make for a nice wrap or simple side. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pg 176, or click here.
Fish fillets with Herbs, Zucchini, and Whole-Wheat Couscous(05 of05)
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A tangy paste of cilantro and mint adds vibrant flavor to the fish and the zucchini. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pg 178, or click here.
6 Icings On The Cake
Basic Buttercream(01 of06)
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Just butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla, buttercream is easy to prepare and work with, making it an ideal choice for frosting novices. Use the tip of an offset spatula to create swoops and swirls. To minimize graininess, add the confectioners’ sugar slowly. Ultrarich yet ultrasimple, buttercream is the go-to icing for birthday cakes and cupcakes. In fact, it just might be frosting heaven. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pgs 148 and 189, or click here.
Ganache(02 of06)
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If buttercream is the fun, fluffy flirt, ganache is the serious sophisticate. Bittersweet chocolate and cream make it smooth; corn syrup gives it gloss. Before you pour it, set the cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Match ganache with a Bundt or other single-layer cake. This sleek, mahogany glaze must be poured, not spread. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pgs 149 and 190, or click here.
Cream Cheese Frosting(03 of06)
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This dense, decadent confection comes together faster than you can say carrot cake. Slightly less sugary than other frostings, it’s a natural with any moist spice cake, as well as banana and red velvet. A buttercream base provides the sweetness, while cream cheese lends the tangy kick. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pgs 150 and 190, or click here.
Seven-Minute Frosting(04 of06)
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Named for the length of time it’s beaten in its final stages, this frosting makes perfect glossy peaks thanks to the addition of sturdy, stable, and incredibly fluffy meringue. The key to getting the right consistency is pouring sugar syrup at just the right temperature into well-beaten egg whites. Add dollops to a coconut cake or any layer cake that you want to be the center of attention. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pgs 151 and 190, or click here.
Chocolate Frosting(05 of06)
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A mix of cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate keeps this indulgent icing from becoming cloyingly sweet. Crème fraîche adds a sharp note, and cream cheese gives it superb spread- ability. It’s just as luscious between the layers of a cake as it is on the outside. Intensely flavorful and complex, this is a grown-up version of a baker’s basic. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pgs 152 and 190, or click here.
White Icing(06 of06)
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Delicate and citrusy, with just a touch of lemon, white icing drapes beautifully over angel food cake or pound cake. For more intensity, add finely grated lemon zest along with the lemon juice. Or use another citrus juice or a liqueur such as Grand Marnier.This glaze is delicious as is, but we also love it infused with liqueur. For the recipe, check out the September issue of Martha Stewart Living, pgs 153 and 191, or click here.

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