Make Ahead

We serve this seasonal cake from October through December, but it’s so good that people ask for it all year-round. I especially love it with the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), though Cream Cheese Icing (page 144) and the Cinnamon variation on the Cream Cheese Icing (page 144) are good matches as well. Pumpkin Cake or cupcakes are a great dessert to contribute to Thanksgiving dinner, and are often a welcome variation to all the pies.

Although just a minor variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), the addition of Marshmallow Fluff makes this version a bit lighter and more smooth. The marshmallow flavor is not overwhelming, and it’s a pleasant addition to the Devil’s Food Cake (page 98) in the Mini S’mores Cupcakes (page 101). We also use this icing, along with sweetened white coconut, atop Devil’s Food Cake and call it the “Snowball” during the winter or the “Bunny Tail” for Easter celebrations. Partnered with a smear of peanut butter, this icing is much loved on Vanilla Cake (page 115) in our “Fluffer Nutter,” or substitute Banana Cake (page 126) for Vanilla in the Fluffer Nutter version to get “The Elvis.” Marshmallow Icing can even be paired with Pumpkin Cake (page 128) in a dessert twist on candied yams.

Many peanut butter icings achieve a thin, smooth consistency by diluting the peanut butter with sugar and heavy cream, but ours is concentrated and stays true to the nutty flavor. It can be more challenging to achieve a smooth finish when icing a cake with this icing, so be prepared for your cakes to have a more textured finish.

Cookies and Cream Icing is a serious crowd-pleaser. It’s a little more distinctive than classic vanilla or chocolate icings, but it’s still basic enough to appeal to traditionalists. The texture and dappled look of the icing make it easy to ice cakes with because you don’t need to spend so much time smoothing the final coat. We serve it exclusively with our Devil’s Food cakes or cupcakes (see pages 98–112), but feel free to pair it with any favorite cake.

In this icing, the acidity of the citrus enhances the tanginess of the cream cheese. Orange, lemon, and lime all work well. Although the orange icing is my favorite, lemon is especially flavorful with fruity vanilla cakes, such as the Blueberry “Cheesecake” (page 123), and the lime icing spread over a vanilla cupcake and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs, or sandwiched between two homemade graham crackers (see Graham Cracker Dough, page 86), can evoke a Key lime pie.

Typically, I don’t add food coloring to my icings unless a customer (or my daughter) requests it, but for this icing I make an exception. Just a drop or two of green food coloring makes the icing a nice shade of pale green and hints at the mint flavoring. It looks so festive atop a chocolate cupcake or mini cupcake, garnished with green sparkling sugar, that it is a natural choice for St. Patrick’s Day or other springtime celebrations. The cream cheese subdues the mint essence a little, creating a softer, rather than spicy, mint flavor. Whereas the Peppermint variation on the Swiss buttercream (page 156) is more of a seasonal option, this mint icing is popular all year long.

Cream Cheese Icing is a less sweet alternative to the Vanilla Icing (page 136), but it’s not quite as fussy as the Swiss Buttercream (page 155), making it suitable for a Father’s Day dinner or for entertaining your boss. It is also the only icing that pairs well with all the cake flavors in this book, as well as being a great filling for sandwich cookies—particularly graham crackers (see Graham Cracker Dough, page 86). (Please note: It is important that the butter and cream cheese are both at room temperature when they are mixed, or they will not fully incorporate.)

Admittedly, the depth of flavor of the Chocolate Icing can overwhelm some cakes. Cutting that intensity with the Cream Cheese Icing helps balance the cake and icing without compromising the flavor of the chocolate. I find the need for balance especially true with the Banana Cake (page 126). When you serve it with this Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing, you have the subtle chocolate taste, but you still get to showcase the banana.

While the prominent taste of a ganache will always be chocolate, the essence of other ingredients will enhance the overall ganache. This recipe calls for vanilla extract, which is really imperceptible when combined with the chocolate, but it softens some of the bitterness of the dark chocolate. In place of the vanilla, any other liqueur, extract, or coffee can be added.

This icing is so rich and delicious that it is popular with our customers even as a “frosting shot”—straight icing eaten with a spoon. Try piping about 2 ounces into shot glasses or espresso cups and serving them (accompanied by demitasse spoons) as an unexpected cocktail party dessert. Or pull out a bowl of the icing on movie night and offer cookies and strawberries for dipping. Just as sour cream is much softer than butter, this icing is very soft, so it’s important to be flexible about the amount of sour cream you add; the amount will depend on the heat and humidity where and when you’re making it. You’ll add it 1/3 cup at a time at the end of the recipe, so stop adding it if the icing gets to the consistency of warm peanut butter. While not essential, for best results keep cakes and cupcakes iced with Chocolate Icing refrigerated until about 30 minutes before serving them. For a more exotic twist, 2 tablespoons of chili powder can add a smokey heat to the icing. Try that atop Devil’s Food Cake (page 98) cupcakes for a Cinco de Mayo party or other fiesta.

Most of the Swiss buttercream flavors we create have acidity, bitterness, or alcohol to cut the intensity of the butter, but mixing caramel with Swiss Buttercream, on the other hand, results in an extra buttery and rich icing. If you have homemade Caramel Sauce to use, then do so. The flecks of vanilla bean in the homemade caramel sauce add a nice look to the finished icing. Otherwise, you can still achieve a flavorful icing with a store-bought sauce, without the additional effort. Because the intensity of flavor may vary by brand, feel free to add a little more or less caramel, as desired. You can garnish with crushed chocolate-dipped pretzels or roasted peanuts as well as additional caramel sauce.

Swiss meringue adds a lightness to traditional mocha flavor, which makes this icing a more delicate addition to chocolate desserts. To be sure to highlight the coffee flavor, use a good-quality espresso and brew it strong. If you don’t have an espresso maker, go down to your local coffee shop and order two double shots of espresso to go. Also, consider a garnish of chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Pairing this icing with Devil’s Food Cake (page 98) is old school, but delicious. It’s what I would serve if I was catering an extravagant dinner party for my grandparents or in-laws, but it’s also not out of place at a twenty-first birthday party. The raspberry icing is equally decadent with the Vanilla Cake (page 115), and it doesn’t feel quite as formal as when served with chocolate. You can deepen the raspberry flavor by adding a thin layer of raspberry jelly or jam between the cake and the icing. Garnish your cake or cupcakes with fresh raspberries for an added burst of flavor.

Sweet and salty, crunchy and soft, this bark has all the yin-and-yang attributes of a scrumptious dessert. The peanut brittle in this recipe is also great as a stand-alone or dipped in dark chocolate. With its salty sweetness, this bark makes the perfect snack for a World Series or Super Bowl party.

The health benefits of dark chocolate, almonds, and dried fruit make this a great option to serve as a snack or to give as a gift to a health-conscious friend. In a box or tin beautifully tied with ribbon, the flourless bark can also make a welcome Passover hostess gift, which can be served immediately or nibbled on all week long. The dried cranberries add a delicious chewiness to this otherwise solid bark. All sorts of dried fruits and nuts can be used, but when buying the dried fruit, especially cranberries, be sure to pick an unsweetened variety. The added sugar can change the taste of the fruit and also alter the tempered chocolate.

Salt and Pepper Chocolate is one of our more exotic, but top-selling, flavor combinations. The idea was given to us by one of our customers, who had seen a similar chocolate bar on a trip to Paris. This surprisingly elegant flavor pairing is an eye-catching chocolate treat to set out at the end of a dinner party.

While this Ginger Truffle makes a treat appropriate for Thanksgiving and the holiday season, it’s not exclusive to that time of year. With its candied ginger topping, it’s a refreshing chocolate treat even in the summer months. At Tribeca Treats we sometimes offer a variation on this, adding 2 tablespoons of dark rum to the ganache, for our Dark and Stormy Truffles.

Whereas the Double Chocolate Truffles (page 172) are the easy crowd-pleasers, Wasabi–Black Sesame Truffles should be reserved for your more adventurous friends. When mixed with chocolate, the spiciness of the wasabi is subdued, but it brings out some bitterness in the dark chocolate and gives the ganache a subtle kick. The strength of the wasabi varies greatly among the different brands of wasabi powder. Start with 1 tablespoon and then feel free to add more to taste. Keep in mind that the flavor will intensify as the ganache ages. The black sesame seeds are an important component of the truffle, both for their texture and for their nutty sweetness, which helps balance the bitterness of the ganache. If you can’t find black sesame seeds, regular sesames are a reasonable substitute, but they are a little softer and have a less intense flavor, so toast them first: Spread them in one layer on a sheet pan and roast them in a 350˚F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Check them after about 4 minutes and shake the pan gently to turn them. They should be a light to medium golden brown when they’re done.

These Double Chocolate Truffles are about as fundamental as you get in the world of chocolate confections. The flavor is that of pure chocolate. The vanilla extract in the ganache, combined with the milk chocolate coating, keeps this truffle from being too bitter, but the overall flavor is still closer to dark chocolate than to milk. For that reason, Double Chocolate Truffles are crowd-pleasers; they appeal to a wide range of chocolate palates. Cocoa nibs, which are roasted cocoa beans broken into small bits, give a little crunch to an otherwise silky-smooth treat and also give it a little more of an exotic or gourmet touch. Nibs can usually be found in specialty food stores, but if you can’t find them, mini chocolate chips will give the truffles a similar crunch.

With real vanilla bean and honey, homemade caramel sauce will have a much more expressive flavor than anything store bought. This recipe is a great use for leftover caramel—if you have any scraps after cutting Chewy Caramel Candies or if you make more than you need (see Fashion Emergency below). Drizzling the sauce over ice cream is the obvious use, but the sauce can also add an extra element of flavor when served as a topping on cupcakes or a cake.