The Simplest Desserts

• Ending a meal with a sweet bite satisfies the soul and the body. Even just a light coating of fluffy white frosting spread on toast, a toasted waffle or a toasted tortilla gives you that kind of lift. Look in your pantry for ways to add on more sweetness and flavor, such as sprinkling on some cinnamon sugar, brown sugar or cocoa powder, or drizzling honey over the icing.

Making Good Things Better

• A smear or a small dollop of icing can improve a dessert and gives it a special touch. Use the icing as is, or microwave it to allow you to drizzle it over scones, croissants cookies or cakes. The icing also works on baked fruit once it comes out of the oven or microwave. Add a spoonful to baked apples, pears or bananas, or add it instead of ice cream or yogurt to crisps and crumbles.

Sweet Dips

• A small amount of leftover white icing stirred into yogurt or sour cream gives just the right amount of sweetness to a dip for cut fruit or bites of pound cake. Stir the icing into the yogurt or sour cream and add more sweetener, either honey or sugar, to taste. You can also add spices if you would like, such as cinnamon, cardamom or crushed anise seeds. Sprinkle the mixture with finely chopped, toasted nuts and serve each person his or her own small container for dipping.

A Cake Pop or Two

• You may have only enough icing to make a few cake pops, but even one is a treat. Instead of using an entire cake mix for the cake portion, use a few slices of store-bought pound cake or a few crushed cookies. Mix the icing with the crushed and crumbled cake or cookies until you can form balls the size of large walnuts. If you don't have enough icing, supplement it with softened butter. Frost the pops with more leftover icing or leave them unfrosted.