Category: Cakes + Cupcakes

Devil’s Food Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike’s first “real” job as a newspaper reporter took us to LaPlata, Maryland.  After we moved there it took me a few months to find a job, so I spent the summer baking, sending the results of my confectionery endeavors in to his office.  This cake was a particular favorite, proclaimed by one of his colleagues to be worthy of a blue ribbon at the county fair.  Allegheny County doesn’t have a fair, but if it did, you can bet I’d enter this in it.

I’ve found that if you grease cake pans, then line them with waxed paper or parchment paper and grease the paper before flouring the pan, your cakes will pop out easily.  You can certainly use the traditional grease and flour method without the paper, but this is my preferred technique.  To make the liners, I place the paper down on a counter top, lightly trace its circumference with the tip of a knife, then cut a slightly smaller circle of paper to fit inside the pan.

Also, when I frost cakes, I always frost the sides last.  You can certainly frost the top last if you’d prefer, but I find that saving the sides for last makes a smoother edge where the side meets the top.  I’m not a huge fan of elaborate decorations on cakes, so I use an offset spatula and smooth strokes to create a very homemade, old-fashioned appearance. 

Ingredients

 

  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 1 recipe fudge frosting

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans.  Line the bottom of each with waxed paper, lightly grease the waxed paper, and lightly flour each pan.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each.

Add flour mixture and water alternatively in three batches, beating on medium speed until just combined.

Divide batter evenly between the pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pans for about 10 minutes; run a knife around the edge of each pan to loosen the cakes, then turn them out onto cooling racks and remove the waxed paper from the bottom.  Flip right-sides up and allow to cool completely before frosting.

 

Black Bottom Mini Brownies (Version One)

 

 

 

 

 

 

People often ask me what I miss about living in DC, and I tell them many things; our dear friends, our cool apartment on the Hill from which, in the winter when there were no leaves on the magnolia tree, you could see the top of the Capitol Dome, the Metro, the ample assortment of activities, the fact that we could walk to almost everything and only needed one car.  Oh, and of course, easy access to Starbucks.

From our apartment, there were three Starbucks shops in short walking distance; from my office on G Street, there were at least five.  While working at Catholic Charities Foundation, my friend Kelly and I literally went to Starbucks every day.  Sometimes more than once.

Among the treats behind the curved-glass dessert case was the infamous black bottom cupcake, a marvelous confection of cream cheese batter and dark chocolate batter that was at once spongy and dense.  I’m sure it had about a million calories, but it was totally worth it.

This recipe reminded me of the black bottom cupcake, though I have to wonder if the author actually tested it before it was published.  The original baking time needed to be nearly doubled, and when I popped each brownie out of its muffin cup after they cooled, they basically fell apart.  I’d suggest many changes, including baking in full-size muffin cups or a rectangular pan, reducing the quantity of mini chocolate chips in the cream cheese layer, or spooning significantly less batter into each mini muffin cup.  Let’s call this recipe Version One and keep trying, eh?

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened and cut into chunks
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Layer

  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
  • 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.

In a food processor, process the cream cheese, sugar, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until well blended and completely smooth.

Pour into a bowl and add the mini chocolate chips, stirring to combine; set aside while preparing chocolate layer.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and baking chocolate.  Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate almost melts; remove from microwave and stir until the remaining chocolate melts completely.

Add sugar and stir until well combined.

Add flour mixture and stir until very well combined.

Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture into each mini muffin cup.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer, distributing batter evenly.

Spoon remaining chocolate batter evenly over the cream cheese layer.

Place muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out almost clean; if the bottom is a bit moist, that is okay.

Cool completely in pans on a wire rack, then remove gently using the tip of a table knife.

Black & White Cupcakes

 

 

 

 

 

Say what you want, Seinfeld fans, but my mom calls black & white cookies “Baltimore cookies.”  Growing up in Clarksville, a small town in Howard County, Maryland, Genny likely encountered such treats in Baltimore-area bakeries.

Yesterday I baked almond cupcakes and intended to frost half of them with chocolate buttercream and the other half with vanilla almond buttercream when I thought…why not make a cupcake version of the Baltimore cookie?

A note about the frostings: it may be necessary to add more powdered sugar (and cocoa powder, for the chocolate buttercream) or milk to either batch to reach the right consistency.  You want the frostings to be easily spreadable, like very soft peanut butter, in order to create the half-vanilla, half-chocolate design on the top.  Always sift the powdered sugar before adding more to avoid lumps, and if you add more to the chocolate buttercream, add a bit more cocoa powder as well.

Almond Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 1/3 cup buttermilk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening for about 30 seconds.

Add sugar and vanilla and beat well.

Add egg whites, one at a time, until well combined.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively in small batches until just combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake liners about half-full.

Bake 20-22 minutes until the tops are very, very light golden brown.

When cupcakes are completely cool, frost one-half with vanilla almond buttercream and one-half with chocolate buttercream.

Vanilla Almond Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon almond extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, cream butter for one minute.

Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed to incorporate into the butter; this takes a few minutes.  I cover my mixer with a kitchen towel during this step to prevent a sugar storm.

Add salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and one tablespoon milk; beat on medium speed for three minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Check the consistency; you may need an additional tablespoon of milk to reach an easily-spreadable consistency.

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk (you may need an additional teaspoon as well)

In a medium bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter for one minute.

Add powdered sugar/cocoa mixture and beat on low speed to incorporate as much into the butter as possible; this takes a few minutes.  I cover my mixer with a kitchen towel during this step to prevent a sugar storm.

Add salt, vanilla extract, and one tablespoon milk; beat on medium speed for three minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Check the consistency; you may need to add an additional 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.  If this addition makes the frosting too thick, thin it slightly with one additional teaspoon of milk.

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

 

 

 

 

 

 

What can you say about a classic?  The yellow cake/chocolate frosting combination is the little black dress of baking, one that baker should have it in her repertoire.  There seems to be something magical in the pairing of rich chocolate buttercream with mellow yellow cake, in the same way that a chocolate cupcake is finely matched with vanilla buttercream.  They say opposites attract, right?

Yellow Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 2/3 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for one minute.

Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each.

Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about half-full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

 

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

In a large bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter for about one minute.

Add powdered sugar and cocoa and beat on low speed to incorporate as much sugar into the butter as you can.  I cover my mixing bowl with a kitchen towel during this step to prevent a sugar storm.

Add three tablespoons milk and two teaspoons vanilla extract; beat for three minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and add the final teaspoon vanilla extract, then beat for another minute.

 

 

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips or Walnuts

 

 

 

 

 

My mom, Genny Kozusko, is awesome.  She is a dynamic Director of Athletics, coach, teacher, community member, and church volunteer.  She is beloved by many.  She is a woman with iron-clad willpower, particularly with regard to the consumption of sweets.  Sundays are Genny’s treat days, and since tomorrow is Mother’s Day, I decided to bake the banana walnut version for her; she doesn’t eat chocolate, so the cupcakes with the chocolate chips are really for Mike and his coworkers.

I began with a plain banana cupcake recipe and split it in half, then added semi-sweet chocolate chips to one half and toasted chopped walnuts to the other.  You could certainly add both chocolate chips and walnuts to the batter for banana chocolate chip walnut cupcakes (hmm…maybe next time).  The banana walnut cupcakes are frosted with traditional cream cheese frosting, while the banana chocolate chip cupcakes are frosted with peanut butter cream cheese frosting.

Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (from about four medium bananas)
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts, plus more for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; you may need a few additional liners, as my batter yielded 27 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Add the flour mixture and banana mixture in thirds, alternatively, beating after each addition until just incorporated.

Divide batter in half.

Toss chocolate chips with a dash of cake flour to lightly coat and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes during baking.

Add chocolate chips to one half of the batter, then add walnuts to the other half of the batter.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown at the edges and tops and a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, cream together peanut butter and cream cheese.

Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Beat in vanilla until incorporated.

Frost cupcakes and top with two or three chocolate chips for garnish.

Cream Cheese Frosting (half-recipe for 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter.

Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Beat in vanilla.

Frost cupcakes and garnish with toasted chopped walnuts if desired.

Once cupcakes are frosted, store in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

 

 

 

 

 

What does a baker do the day before she walks Pittsburgh’s half-marathon?  She bakes herself chocolate cupcakes with caramel frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add half of the flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Add half of the milk and beat until just combined.

Add remaining flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until just combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin tins.

Bake 20-22 minutes.

Cool completely before frosting.

Caramel Frosting

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.

Boil for one minute, remove from heat, and stir in milk.

Return to heat and bring to a boil once again.

Pour mixture into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Beat caramel mixture on medium speed for a few minutes to disperse heat; the mixing bowl should not be too hot for you to touch, but if it remains warm that is fine.

Add one cup powdered sugar and one teaspoon vanilla, beating until smooth.

Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Working quickly, frost cupcakes; I use a flatware teaspoon to scoop the frosting onto each cupcake, then spread it with a knife.  Trust me when I say you need to work quickly; f you’re not a speedy froster, you’ll end up with a bowl of hardened caramel that is very tasty, but not spreadable.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our fun with interfaith baking continues, as both Passover and Easter are upon us!  I’m no Torah scholar, so I’ll leave the explanation of the symbols, foods, and rituals of Passover to the fine folks at www.chabad.org.  As a baker, though, I can speak to the creativity that Passover requires; observant bakers turn to matzoh meal, potato flour, and all manner of unleavened ingredients to produce cakes, cookies, and other treats for this special time of year.

Tomorrow night, Mike and I will celebrate the beginning of Passover with a Seder, and for the next eight days, Mike won’t eat chametz, or anything that contains leavened grain, like bread, cereal, pasta, even beer.  I don’t abstain from chametz for two reasons; as a Catholic with Eastern European roots, Easter bread is an important component of my faith tradition, and (to be totally honest) I’m nowhere near disciplined enough.

This cake is an excellent flourless option for Passover; it is very rich, so I recommend slender slices served with fresh whipped cream.  You can omit the espresso powder if you don’t have it and use unsweetened American-style cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process, but if you’d like to stick to the traditional recipe, you can get both ingredients from King Arthur Flour; Williams-Sonoma also carries Dutch-process cocoa.

A note about the chocolate glaze: mine didn’t turn out as smooth as I’d like, which means I need to spend more time stirring it once the chocolate has melted to make sure all of the tiny bits of chocolate are incorporated evenly.

Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a round cake pan; line with parchment paper and grease the parchment.

Cut butter into chunks and combine with chocolate chips in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave in 30-second intervals until butter melts and chips become very soft, stirring after each interval.  Stir to melt chips completely and transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla and beat until just combined.

Add eggs and beat until incorporated.

Add cocoa powder and beat until just combined.

Gently pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes, until the top of the cake has formed a crust.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes; loosen edges with the tip of a knife and invert onto a cake stand or serving plate.

Allow to cool completely before glazing.

Garnish with toasted sliced almonds, if desired.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Preparation

Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a saucepan and heat until cream is very hot, but not simmering.

Remove from heat and stir until completely smooth.

Pour over cake, allowing to drip over the sides.

Allow the glaze to harden for several hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Fudge Frosting

My mom gave me the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book in 1999, just a few months before Mike and I got married.  It’s the most useful cookbook I own, complete with fun tips about ingredient substitutions, how to enhance cake batter, and the benefits of baking with butter versus margarine.

This peanut butter cupcake recipe came from the “All Time Favorites” section of the BHG New Cook Book and was originally published in 1953.  It pairs very well with my favorite fudge frosting, which has been featured previously on this blog, but these could easily be frosted with peanut butter or dusted with powdered sugar.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup shortening
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat peanut butter, shortening, and vanilla on medium speed until combined.

Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl several times.

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.

Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until combined.  The batter will be thick and fluffy.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling halfway full.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

 

 

 

 

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yesterday was Mike’s birthday, and he requested a carrot cake (with raisins and walnuts) for his birthday cake.  I don’t really believe in mixing vegetables with dessert, but who am I to refuse my husband’s cake wishes on his birthday?

Cream cheese frosting is incredibly rich and sweet, so I chose to frost only the top of this cake.  Carrot cake isn’t complete without something indicating that it is, in fact, carrot cake, so I’ve chosen simplicity and gone with one single frosting-piped carrot in the center.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups peeled raw carrots, shredded
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.

Peel and grate carrots; set aside.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy.

Add canola oil and vanilla, beating well.

Add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Stir in grated carrot, raisins, and walnuts.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake is firm.

Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Orange and green food coloring, if carrot decorations will be included

In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter.

Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition.

Add vanilla and beat well.

Frost top of cake, adding carrot decorations if desired.

Store cake in refrigerator to be on the safe side.  We are talking about cream cheese, after all.

 

Bundt Cake with Lemon Vanilla Glaze

I wanted to bake a King Cake yesterday in preparation for Mardi Gras, but I didn’t have the patience to make brioche.  Since bundt cakes are similar in shape to King Cakes, I decided to bake this one and decorate it with a lemon vanilla glaze and some fun green, yellow, and purple colored sugar.

This was a very quick and easy recipe, yielding a rich, dense, almost pound cake-like texture that goes well with coffee or tea.  Though the recipe calls for lemon juice, the lemon flavor bakes out; for a true lemon bundt, I’d look for a recipe with lemon extract or lemon pudding mix in the batter.

Bundt Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, slightly softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously grease and flour your bundt pan.  I use Wondra flour, which is a superfine flour used for gravies and sauces; it coats grooved pans much better than all-purpose flour.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add lemon juice and beat until combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until combined.

Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake for 50 minutes.

Lemon Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2-4 tablespoons water

Preparation

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons water in a large, 4-cup glass measuring cup.  Continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency; glaze should be drizzly, but not too thin.  If you make the glaze too thin, just add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken it.  Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down the sides.

Sprinkle with green yellow, and purple sugars if desired.