Beautiful Buttercream

• For a rich frosting that avoids the sugary-sweetness and often gritty mouth feel of frosting made with powdered sugar, make an Italian buttercream. To make this smooth and creamy frosting, melt sugar into water and heat to soft ball stage, or between 236 and 240 degrees Fahrenheit, and pour into a meringue made from egg whites. Then, whip the sweetened meringue until cool, add butter, and beat until fully incorporated. Because the sugar is melted when it goes into the frosting, the result is a smooth, subtly sweet and buttery frosting. Though the heat of the sugar cooks the eggs to a degree, use pasteurized egg whites to prevent potential food-borne illness. Alternatively, try a similar Swiss buttercream, which calls for whipping the meringue with the sugar over heat. This cooks the egg whites during the process.

Great Ganache

• Cover your cake with ganache for a smooth-as-glass finish and completely powdered sugar-free topping. Make ganache by bringing heavy cream to a simmer, pouring over chocolate, and stirring until the mixture is smooth. When the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache has cooled slightly, pour the glaze directly over the dessert needing frosting. Alternatively, cool the ganache to room temperature, then whip the frosting until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Use bittersweet, semisweet, milk or white chocolate as best suits your cake.

Wicked Whipped Cream

• While you may have considered whipped cream complete only with the addition of powdered sugar, there are several other ways to sweeten the topping, making a light alternative to traditional frosting. Whip heavy cream with a stand or handheld mixer. When the cream reaches soft peaks, sweeten it with the fresh fruit juice of your choice, a small addition of sweetened condensed milk or a bit of honey. For chocolate whipped cream, whip heavy cream with a small amount of vegetable oil, then stir into hot, melted dark chocolate chips in three batches and use immediately to frost your cake.

Choice Cream Cheese

• Older recipes for cream cheese frosting do not call for powdered sugar because they are based on a cooked roux. The roux, which incorporates the sugar into the flour and milk base, eliminates the need for both confectioner's sugar and butter and showcases the tanginess of the cream cheese. Not only does this version of cream cheese frosting offer a silky, lower-sugar icing, it also features a milky-white color, rather than the yellowish tone that comes from recipes that include butter. Alternatively, if you prefer a cream cheese frosting with butter to balance the tanginess, substitute a smaller quantity of brown sugar for the confectioner's sugar. Add in spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves for a distinctly fall flavor that pairs well with spice cake.