FROSTED CUPS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch (16-cup) tube pan with shortening.
• Beat 3 cups sugar and 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Add flour alternately with whipping cream, beginning and ending with flour, beating well after each addition. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Make the Caramel Frosting: Heat 1/4 cup sugar in an 8- or 10-inch skillet over medium heat until amber colored, about 6 minutes, shaking pan occasionally (do not stir). Meanwhile, heat 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 cup milk in a 3-qt. saucepan to boiling over medium-high heat. Gradually stir in caramelized sugar with a whisk; cook until a candy thermometer registers 232°F. Remove from heat; cool, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
• Using an offset spatula and working quickly, spread Caramel Frosting over cake (frosting will harden as it cools). Let stand 30 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, then beat in egg.
• Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Divide the dough in half, pat into flat rectangles, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Divide each dough parcel in half, and roll out to 1/8-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line four cookie sheets with parchment paper, sprinkling with a little flour if the dough seems sticky. Cut out shapes from the rolled and chilled dough and place on prepared sheets 1-inch apart. Bake until golden around the edges, 8 to 13 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, prepare the royal icing: in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Whisk until stiff and glossy.
• To tint the frosting, divide into small bowls. Cover the ones you aren’t using with plastic wrap; the frosting dries out very quickly. Use a rubber spatula to stir in desired food coloring. Though not necessary, it makes life easier if you make two versions of each color – one that is thick to pipe the outline on the cookie, and one that is thinned out slightly with a little water to flood the outline. Transfer frosting to piping bags fitted with very small round tips (sizes 1 to 2 work best).
• Pipe frosting onto cooled cookies and let set, at least 2 hours. Or use a pastry of paint brush to decorate cookies with the frosting.