Stand Mixer

The black and white cookie is a New York institution. The version found in almost every corner deli is about three times the size of these, but this smaller one is popular for parties because it’s more manageable to eat in a social setting. At Tribeca Treats customers frequently order them as favors for weddings or black-and-white color-schemed events. Traditionally, the icing is applied to the bottom, or flat side, of the cookie. Doing so helps you create a neat delineation between your chocolate and white icings. Having the rounded side as the bottom also adds a topsy-turvy playfulness when plating them.

This is a traditional yellow cake. Pair it with Vanilla Icing (page 136), and that’s about as basic as you can get, but you’ll be surprised at what a buttery vanilla flavor it packs. For that reason, the Vanilla Cake/Icing combo is a favorite among both kids and adults. This cake is also a classic match for the Chocolate Icing (page 148), as well as for bolder variations, such as in the following recipes in this chapter.

The homemade version of the Girl Scouts’ Thin Mints cookies. Need I say more?

Like the Devil’s Food Cake recipe, this recipe is oil based, so it can easily be mixed by hand. Cake flour is used here, but not all grocery stores carry it. If necessary, you can substitute all-purpose flour—just use 1/4 cup less and be very careful not to overmix the batter. Also, you’ll notice that this is a raisinless carrot cake; that’s a personal preference. If you want to add raisins to yours, go ahead and add 1 cup. You can also omit the pecans, particularly if nut allergies are a concern.

These cupcakes have a lighter consistency than the other cakes in this chapter. Whereas the other cakes could almost double as bread, there’s no mistaking these as cake. Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) and the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136) are scrumptious toppings. Use the cream cheese combination for a brunch dessert or the sweeter cinnamon icing to dress them up for an autumn evening. The brown sugar and mix of spices in the batter augment the woodsy sweetness of the pecans. For a slight variation, peel and dice a sweet apple and add it to the batter before baking.

We serve this seasonal cake from October through December, but it’s so good that people ask for it all year-round. I especially love it with the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), though Cream Cheese Icing (page 144) and the Cinnamon variation on the Cream Cheese Icing (page 144) are good matches as well. Pumpkin Cake or cupcakes are a great dessert to contribute to Thanksgiving dinner, and are often a welcome variation to all the pies.

This cake is a less dense version of banana bread, so it can be served in many ways. At Tribeca Treats we typically serve it with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing (page 150), but it also tastes great with Cream Cheese Icing (page 144), the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), or even consider baking it in a loaf pan, cutting off a slice, and serving it alongside chocolate mousse or whipped cream and fresh berries. The key to this recipe is to use overripe bananas. Typically, the browner the peel, the sweeter the banana has become. Since bananas are usually on the greener side in the grocery store, plan on buying them several days in advance of when you’ll be making the cake. Keeping them in a closed paper bag at room temperature will speed the ripening process.

Although just a minor variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), the addition of Marshmallow Fluff makes this version a bit lighter and more smooth. The marshmallow flavor is not overwhelming, and it’s a pleasant addition to the Devil’s Food Cake (page 98) in the Mini S’mores Cupcakes (page 101). We also use this icing, along with sweetened white coconut, atop Devil’s Food Cake and call it the “Snowball” during the winter or the “Bunny Tail” for Easter celebrations. Partnered with a smear of peanut butter, this icing is much loved on Vanilla Cake (page 115) in our “Fluffer Nutter,” or substitute Banana Cake (page 126) for Vanilla in the Fluffer Nutter version to get “The Elvis.” Marshmallow Icing can even be paired with Pumpkin Cake (page 128) in a dessert twist on candied yams.

Many peanut butter icings achieve a thin, smooth consistency by diluting the peanut butter with sugar and heavy cream, but ours is concentrated and stays true to the nutty flavor. It can be more challenging to achieve a smooth finish when icing a cake with this icing, so be prepared for your cakes to have a more textured finish.

Cookies and Cream Icing is a serious crowd-pleaser. It’s a little more distinctive than classic vanilla or chocolate icings, but it’s still basic enough to appeal to traditionalists. The texture and dappled look of the icing make it easy to ice cakes with because you don’t need to spend so much time smoothing the final coat. We serve it exclusively with our Devil’s Food cakes or cupcakes (see pages 98–112), but feel free to pair it with any favorite cake.

Twenty years ago this icing was more commonly made with vegetable shortening than with butter. Even now, some grocery stores and lower-end bakeries still use shortening to save money. When the frosting is made with shortening, the sugar is really the only flavor you taste. To enhance the flavors, and because of an overall avoidance of trans fats (which are common in shortening), today at high-end bakeries and at home, butter is more commonly used for the base of this icing. The secret to this simple-to-make butter icing is beating it in a mixer for a good 5 to 8 minutes total, so that it is light and fluffy. Our recipe differs from others out there because it uses far less sugar, but this is still inherently a very sweet icing. In addition, using less sugar results in a naturally more yellow color, so if you want to get a bright white or if you’re planning to tint it a different color, beat the icing in a standing mixer until it is colorless—the more air you incorporate, the whiter it will be. To make our “Sassy” Cinnamon Icing, which pairs well with all of the cakes in the Banana Cake chapter (page 125), just add one tablespoon of ground cinnamon and mix until combined.

In this icing, the acidity of the citrus enhances the tanginess of the cream cheese. Orange, lemon, and lime all work well. Although the orange icing is my favorite, lemon is especially flavorful with fruity vanilla cakes, such as the Blueberry “Cheesecake” (page 123), and the lime icing spread over a vanilla cupcake and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs, or sandwiched between two homemade graham crackers (see Graham Cracker Dough, page 86), can evoke a Key lime pie.

Typically, I don’t add food coloring to my icings unless a customer (or my daughter) requests it, but for this icing I make an exception. Just a drop or two of green food coloring makes the icing a nice shade of pale green and hints at the mint flavoring. It looks so festive atop a chocolate cupcake or mini cupcake, garnished with green sparkling sugar, that it is a natural choice for St. Patrick’s Day or other springtime celebrations. The cream cheese subdues the mint essence a little, creating a softer, rather than spicy, mint flavor. Whereas the Peppermint variation on the Swiss buttercream (page 156) is more of a seasonal option, this mint icing is popular all year long.

Cream Cheese Icing is a less sweet alternative to the Vanilla Icing (page 136), but it’s not quite as fussy as the Swiss Buttercream (page 155), making it suitable for a Father’s Day dinner or for entertaining your boss. It is also the only icing that pairs well with all the cake flavors in this book, as well as being a great filling for sandwich cookies—particularly graham crackers (see Graham Cracker Dough, page 86). (Please note: It is important that the butter and cream cheese are both at room temperature when they are mixed, or they will not fully incorporate.)

Admittedly, the depth of flavor of the Chocolate Icing can overwhelm some cakes. Cutting that intensity with the Cream Cheese Icing helps balance the cake and icing without compromising the flavor of the chocolate. I find the need for balance especially true with the Banana Cake (page 126). When you serve it with this Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing, you have the subtle chocolate taste, but you still get to showcase the banana.

Most of the Swiss buttercream flavors we create have acidity, bitterness, or alcohol to cut the intensity of the butter, but mixing caramel with Swiss Buttercream, on the other hand, results in an extra buttery and rich icing. If you have homemade Caramel Sauce to use, then do so. The flecks of vanilla bean in the homemade caramel sauce add a nice look to the finished icing. Otherwise, you can still achieve a flavorful icing with a store-bought sauce, without the additional effort. Because the intensity of flavor may vary by brand, feel free to add a little more or less caramel, as desired. You can garnish with crushed chocolate-dipped pretzels or roasted peanuts as well as additional caramel sauce.

Swiss meringue adds a lightness to traditional mocha flavor, which makes this icing a more delicate addition to chocolate desserts. To be sure to highlight the coffee flavor, use a good-quality espresso and brew it strong. If you don’t have an espresso maker, go down to your local coffee shop and order two double shots of espresso to go. Also, consider a garnish of chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Pairing this icing with Devil’s Food Cake (page 98) is old school, but delicious. It’s what I would serve if I was catering an extravagant dinner party for my grandparents or in-laws, but it’s also not out of place at a twenty-first birthday party. The raspberry icing is equally decadent with the Vanilla Cake (page 115), and it doesn’t feel quite as formal as when served with chocolate. You can deepen the raspberry flavor by adding a thin layer of raspberry jelly or jam between the cake and the icing. Garnish your cake or cupcakes with fresh raspberries for an added burst of flavor.

Swiss Buttercream is a little more time consuming to make than many of the other icings in this book because it requires a few more steps, but it is still quite simple. The slight sheen and smooth texture make it a beautiful icing to use for more formal cakes, and a bubbly, dry champagne pairs well with this icing, making it just the thing for celebratory occasions. While useful, a candy thermometer is not required. When you are heating the egg whites, just make sure that the sugar has dissolved entirely and the mixture feels hot to the touch before you whip the egg whites to a meringue. For best results in rebeating cold Swiss Buttercream, take about one-quarter of the icing and microwave it for 1 minute, until melted. Pour the melted icing over the cold icing, then beat it in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at high speed until it is smooth and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

While the Vanilla Cookie Dough (page 41) is good to have on hand and frozen for activities with kids, the chocolate version is perfect to keep stored if you do a lot of entertaining, as the last-minute preparation is just as easy, but the rich chocolate flavor makes it more appropriate for special occasions. By varying the thickness and size of the cookies, you can make them into a dainty dessert or a substantial accompaniment for a bowl of ice cream or chocolate mousse.