Frosting

The powdered sugar is measured before sifting. Sifting is needed only if the sugar is lumpy.

A few tweaks on Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting make an equally luscious vegan version. Double this recipe if you want to fill as well as frost a cake (you'll have some left over).

This marshmallow frosting recipe was inspired by one of my favorite cookbook authors, the late Elaine Gottschall. It works especially well with S'mores and is divine frosted over Chocolate Cake or sandwiched between Chewy Chocolate Cookies. Don't fear if the mixture overcooks and the agave nectar turns dark amber—you will have roasted marshmallow frosting, creating a slightly different, though equally tasty, treat.

Use this for a glossy finish on the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Praline Chocolate Crunch and for assembling the Milk Chocolate and Salted Caramel Gâteau Saint-Honoré . It's also great drizzled over ice cream.

My younger son eats this straight out of the bowl!

I love using this as a frosting or a filling because it is light and creamy, and less sweet than the Classic Americana Icing. It tastes just like whipped cream. Editor's note: This recipe is used as the filling for Sarah Magid's Goldies , an organic take on Twinkies.

My son's teachers beg me to make this cake for his snack day at school. It isn't too sweet, and it has a moist, dense texture from the carrots and pineapple. It's also one of my most popular cakes at weddings and parties. When I make it at home, I throw more things into the batter—for example, a handful of pumpkin seeds or toasted pecans if I have them lying around. The beauty of this recipe is that you can increase the spices or omit the nuts, and it will still taste great.

This is a great frosting for the Carrot Cake . The lemon zest complements the cream cheese so perfectly that I sometimes even snack on this frosting—I just can't get enough of the sweet, tangy flavor! If you want extra oomph on the Carrot Cake, add minced ginger to the lemon zest.

Let's just dive in, shall we? Not only does this produce a thick and creamy vanilla frosting, it also doubles as a whipped topping, and left unrefrigerated it becomes a vanilla sauce to serve with crumbs, shortcakes, or volcanoes. And why stop there? I especially love the sauce on savory bites like corn bread, muffins, and biscuits, where it acts like a decadent sweet butter. If you try to steer clear of soy, replace the liquid and powdered soy with the rice milk variety for both in equal measure—but be advised that the result will taste slightly sweeter. Please note: If it's true frosting you want, be sure to factor in the full six hours for it to chill and set. Editor's note: Use this frosting to top Vanilla Cupcakes or to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches, both from Babycakes.

This is called a meringue buttercream because its foundation is egg whites, not the more traditional yolks. That makes it very light, satiny, and easy to spread—a plus if you're making a many-layered cake like the one in the preceding recipe. The base for this buttercream yields two different-flavored frostings: espresso coffee and bittersweet-chocolate mocha.

This drool-worthy dessert is a chocoholic’s dream come true. There are 2 grams of fiber per serving…from the cocoa! Swap candied orange for the ginger to dial down the spiciness.

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted with permission from Cakes for Kids, by Matthew Mead. Use this recipe to make Mead's Jack-O'-Lantern cake. This frosting has a thick consistency that is easy to work with—you can contour it or add texture to it. Also, you can patch it if it becomes marred while you're arranging a cake. The recipe makes enough frosting to cover the tops and sides of two 8-inch or 9-inch cake layers. For a single-layer 9 x 13-inch cake, make just half the recipe. Shortening has a simpler taste then butter, with a melting point of 106°F. Butter melts somewhere between 88°F and 98°F, depending on the amount of fat in the brand. You can see that if you need to serve a pure buttercream-decorated cake on a hot day, you could have melted decorations and a less than desirable cake. Shortening yields a soft but durable frosting that can be molded with your hands.

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted with permission from Cakes for Kids, by Matthew Mead. You'll need to make two batches of this frosting to create Mead's Host of Ghosts . This frosting is perishable, so make it the day you plan to serve the cake and refrigerate any leftovers after the party. The recipe makes enough frosting to cover the tops and sides of two 8-inch or 9-inch cake layers or one 10-inch tube cake, with some extra.

This cake was inspired by Devil Dogs, the bone-shaped chocolate cakes with irresistible white goo sandwiched between their layers. You'll want to dive headfirst into this version, a tall layer of moist, dark devil's food with fluffy marshmallow frosting.

This four-layer stunner may just render all your other chocolate-cake recipes obsolete. A generous amount of sour cream keeps the cake layers tender, and the frosting is a glossy triumph. It's a natural fit for practically any get-together—from a simple family birthday celebration to an elaborate dinner party.