Buttercream Frosting

• To make molasses buttercream icing, you need 1 part unsalted butter and 2 parts powdered sugar. For every 1 cup of butter and 2 cups of powdered sugar, use 1 tablespoon of molasses. Begin by beating the softened butter with molasses with an electric mixer, until creamy and fully combined, before beating in the powdered sugar. If you prefer a stiffer frosting, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If you need a thinner frosting, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it spreads to your liking.

Cream Cheese Icing

• Use cream cheese for a tangy variation on molasses frosting. Begin by beating together 1 part softened, unsalted butter and 2 parts softened cream cheese until they are light and fluffy, which takes about 1 minute. To frost a double-layer cake or a batch of 24 cupcakes, you need 16 ounces, or 2 cups, of cream cheese and 1 cup, or two sticks, of butter. Beat in 2 tablespoons of molasses for every 3 cups of combined butter and cream cheese. Beat in 8 cups of powdered sugar until it is fully combined. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If the icing is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Variations

• Infuse your frosting with complex flavors by adding spices and flavor extracts. For each batch of frosting for a double-layer cake or 24 cupcakes, try adding 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ginger, clove or nutmeg. A teaspoon or two of vanilla extract, cinnamon extract, maple extract or almond extract also makes an excellent addition. Depending on your preference, you can use light or dark molasses, although dark molasses gives frosting a stronger flavor.

Uses

• Molasses frosting pairs well with carrot, spice and gingerbread cakes and cupcakes. In general, the molasses frosting complements cold-weather flavors like pumpkin, ginger, apple and maple. The bittersweet quality of molasses also makes it a nice foil for the mild flavor of banana and the sharp citrus flavors of lemon and orange.