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Seven-Minute Frosting

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Makes Frosting (or filling) for a 9-inch, single layered cake; or 2 dozen cupcakes

Time 10 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Put the sugar, egg whites, and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler or in a large metal or glass bowl that fits at least halfway into a saucepan. Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in the bottom of the double boiler or in the saucepan.
  2. Use an electric mixer to combine the egg mixture with 1/3 cup water; then put the bowl or double boiler over the boiling water while mixing on high speed. Continue mixing the egg mixture using a stirring motion with the beaters until it’s fluffy and white, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla if you’re using it and the salt, and continue beating until the frosting is cooled and holds stiff peaks. Use immediately.

Recipe variations

Coconut Seven-Minute Frosting
Decrease the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon and stir 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut into the frosting at the end. If you don’t want to stir the coconut into the frosting, softly press it onto the surface of the cake or cupcakes after they’ve been frosted.

Raspberry Seven-Minute Frosting
A pretty pink frosting perfect for a celebration: Substitute 1/4 cup raspberry jam (preferably seedless) for the corn syrup and 2 tablespoons of the sugar.

Brûléed Seven-Minute Frosting
This gets the same beautiful caramelized edges as a toasted marshmallow or baked meringue. It’s easiest to do with a kitchen torch, but an oven works too: Use a kitchen torch to toast the frosting on a cake, cupcake, or pie by moving the flame continuously in small circles over the frosting until it turns golden brown. If you don’t have one, heat your broiler and place the oven rack so that the top edge of frosting will be a few inches away from the heating element (this will vary depending on the size of your cake). Toast the frosted dessert, watching closely, for a couple of minutes, until the tips are golden brown.

— Recipe from How to Bake Everything