When my oldest son turned one, I spent an entire week baking his very first birthday cake. I searched for weeks for the perfect recipe and embarked on a journey to find each ingredient in its purest, most organic form. Please and thank you, grass-fed butter only.
I’ve been racking my brain over the icing. Would American buttercream be too sweet for his baby’s palate? Could I make a Swiss meringue for a group of 40 people? It turns out that babies like cake. Any cake, with any ingredient and with any type of icing.
In fact, my kids have begged for “regular” frosting on their birthday cakes over the years. Imagine the horror…your mom wants to make you German buttercream instead of store-bought frosting! It must be so hard for her!
All joking aside, I’ve been trying to loosen the reins of my Type A personality with birthday parties. Do you want donuts instead of cake? Perfect. Do you want funfetti with icing from the supermarket? Even better!
I like to make boxed cake mixes and use store-bought frostings. However, it has to taste good and look good. And who would know what is good if not the experts? I contacted some of my favorite bakers to find out which store-bought frosting would work best and the results surprised me.
In a wave of nostalgia, I learned that my childhood frosting is her favorite: Creamy Vanilla Frosting by Duncan Hines.
Simply Recipes / Conagra Brands
The 3 experts I spoke to
- Laura Kasavan: Founder of the baking blog Tutti dolci
- Lauren Lane Beeman: Food blogger, recipe developer and food stylist known for her foolproof recipes and effortless entertaining tips
- Sarah Haas: Trained Chef, Registered Dietitian, Licensed Nutritionist and Food Writer
The best store-bought frosting, according to experts
Although Kasavan is known for her homemade recipes, she isn’t afraid to admit it Creamy Vanilla Frosting by Duncan Hines is your contact point in an emergency. “When I’m short on time and can’t make the frosting myself, I turn to (this) frosting. I like it because it’s smooth and rich, with a natural vanilla flavor that doesn’t taste artificial. It’s not too sweet and the texture is super creamy and spreads easily. It’s one of those pantry staples that’s great to have on hand for last-minute cupcakes eats or just feels like cake.”
Likewise, Beeman loves the reliability of Duncan Hines’ creamy vanilla frosting and the fact that it’s not too sweet, which is important in a world full of cloying, store-bought frosting.
She states that unlike other brands, this frosting does not have a strange aftertaste. In fact, it’s neutral enough that it adds flavors to update itlike a block of cream cheese for flavor and some good vanilla extract.
Haas agrees with Beeman that some glazes have a bad aftertaste. She usually makes the frosting herself, but has Duncan Hines’ Creamy Vanilla Frosting in her pantry.
She says, “When I don’t have time to make my frosting from scratch, I use a container of Duncan Hines Creamy Vanilla. Of all the store-bought frostings I’ve purchased, this is the closest thing to homemade. Sometimes I add a little vanilla extract to boost the flavor.” After all, you always have to be prepared for a cake emergency!
Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe
