Silky Peanut Butter Frosting

Posted by request. I found this recipe from Ina Garten online and made it for Joel’s birthday cake. It is silky, velvety, satiny smooth and oh so peanut buttery. David made a dark chocolate cake that we frosted with this and It was a huge hit with our family. It is reminiscent of Amy’s Peanut Butter Mousse but I thought it was different enough to warrant its own post and it makes just enough to generously frost one two-layer cake.

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

With an electric mixer, mix together first five ingredients until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the heavy cream and mix on high until light and smooth.

I went kind of easy on the filling between the two layers because I was unsure of how much frosting the cake would need but I could have added a more. No matter, what was left over was quickly devoured by my children so not a bit of it was wasted. This is going to be a new family favorite.

Lemonade JELL-O Ring

I was recently wondering why you just don’t see molded JELL-O salads as often as you did in the 80s. Whatever the reason, I think a JELL-O salad can be a nice addition to the menu. Summer is already on its way here in the South and this recipe sounds like a nice, refreshing accompaniment to a light summer meal. One note: I personally don’t own a JELL-O mold, but I used a Bundt cake pan recently to great effect.

1 (3 ounce) package lemon JELL-O

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup boiling water

1/2 to 1 (6 ounce) can undiluted frozen lemonade concentrate (depending on the level of tartness you want to achieve)

1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped until peaks form

Dissolve the lemon JELL-O, sugar and salt in one cup boiling water. Stir for at least three minutes to ensure that the gelatin is all the way dissolved. Stir in the frozen lemonade concentrate until well combined. Gently fold the whipped cream into the gelatin. Pour mixture into a ring mold or Bundt cake pan. Refrigerate until well set (probably about 4 hours, but maybe a bit longer.) To unmold the salad, dip the mold or pan into a sink full of hot water for 10 to 15 seconds (Not too long! You don’t want to melt the JELL-O).  Carefully invert onto a serving plate. Garnish with an array of fresh berries—strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. (Serve with more sweetened whipped cream to help cut the tartness, if desired) Serve immediately or re-chill in the refrigerator until serving time.

I got this recipe from my mom. I haven’t actually tried it yet but it looks delicious. I’ll try it soon and let you know, but for now I’m posting the recipe here for safe keeping.