| Have you ever looked at the ingredients in ready | | | | without the preservatives or dyes. Here is our super |
| made frostings? Many of the ingredients that are | | | | healthy semi- homemade recipe for Spring Tulip |
| found include dyes to formulate the pretty colors, | | | | Cupcakes! A scrumptious recipe for a spring birthday |
| artificial ingredients and preservatives to enhance | | | | party or a "girls day in". |
| the taste. Oh – and let's not forget lots and | | | | The recipe from start to finish takes about 30 |
| lots of sugar. Ah – a dream food for those with | | | | minutes. Unless you have four little assistants who |
| a sweet tooth and kids who go bonkers from the | | | | never stop chattering, get side tracked by using |
| sugar high. Even in many homemade recipes - | | | | spatulas as microphones and lose the cupcake |
| the average amount of sugar for a frosting recipe | | | | wrappers because they are now Barbie's new hat! |
| can range anywhere from one to two cups. For | | | | INGREDIENTS |
| those who don't have time to bake cakes from | | | | Cake Mix |
| scratch, there are some great boxed options for | | | | Cheerybrook Kitchen Yellow Cake Mix. My favorite |
| preservative free, low sugar cakes. Frosting on the | | | | boxed cake mix because it is nut free, dairy free, |
| other hand, presents a bit of a challenge. | | | | preservative free, gluten free, and very simple to |
| There has been an ongoing debate for decades | | | | make. |
| regarding the use of dyes to improve food, and | | | | TulipCupcakeTower & Tulip Toppers (craft |
| singled out in many of these arguments is red food | | | | stores, ,thesugardiva.com, kitchencrafts.com) |
| coloring. Despite the controversy, red dyes are still | | | | Pink Frosting |
| seen in the ingredients lists of many boxed and | | | | One package of Philadelphia cream cheese |
| canned frostings. Particularly in decorative frostings | | | | Frozen Organic Cherries |
| that are pink and purple. Red Dye Number 2 is a | | | | Powdered Sugar |
| tar-based product known to cause constriction of the | | | | Horizon Organic Milk |
| bronchial tubes, angioedema (swelling) and hives. | | | | Mix one 8 oz package of Philadelphia Cream |
| As we are all becoming more aware of the | | | | Cheese, one tablespoon of powdered sugar & |
| harmful effects of dyes, preservatives and high | | | | one tablespoon of organic milk. Mix on medium |
| sugar, many families are trying to find healthier | | | | setting until creamy. Heat ½ cup of organic frozen |
| desserts. On a quest to research what was in our | | | | cherries on stove or in microwave until liquid base. |
| stores for a "healthier frosting", I was disappointed to | | | | Heat on a very low setting. Pour ½ tablespoon of |
| find just one. The frosting was made by Cherry | | | | cherry juice into cream cheese base and start mixing |
| Brook Kitchen and did not have any preservatives, | | | | again on medium speed. This is a bit experimental |
| artificial colors or dyes. However, I was on a quest | | | | because you may need more if you want a darker |
| to find or create the perfect pink frosting for my | | | | pink color, so start with no more than ½ |
| four little girls. My healthy frosting quest become | | | | tablespoon. You may also add another tablespoon of |
| even more complicated, since red dye is used to | | | | sugar if you desire a sweeter frosting. Most recipes |
| create pink. Of course the frosting had to be PINK, | | | | require one to two cups of sugar, so this amount is |
| PINK, PINK. So what was a chef to do with four | | | | relatively low. The icing picks up the natural |
| demanding customers at her feet? I did what any | | | | sweetness from the cherries with a mild tart kick and |
| chef would do even in the most stressful situations | | | | compliments the natural sweet tones of the cake. |
| – EXPERIMENT. So the five of us put on our | | | | Once cool, frost the cupcakes and top each one |
| princess aprons, our thinking caps and rhinestone | | | | with a tulip topper and stack on the tower.. Voila - |
| crowns. After many experiments in the kitchen, we | | | | it looks just like something Martha would do!! Check |
| found a quick, easy way to make pink frosting | | | | out for more healthy recipes your family will love. |