To Sweeten the OWS Day

To make a traditional glaze for 1 cake, or 1 batch cookies, or 1 batch sweet rolls, or 1 batch whatnot (see Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Bundt Cake photo in sidebar):

In medium bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup confectioners sugar and heaping 2 Tablespoons cream. Mix quickly, until all traces of sugar are gone. Use immediately on your completely cooled item -- it begins to harden anon -- either by dripping glaze off whisk or spreading a bit with an offset spatula.

Note 1: Measurements here are for a fairly thick glaze. For a thinner glaze, add more cream. If it becomes too thin, simply add more confectioners sugar. It's a gentle back and forth, but once you start glazing your item, you're committed. Also, ideally, the glaze drips down after a time, and then sets, but I can't promise that it always will, which brings me to:

Note 2: Though very simple to make, I find it challenging to get this glaze just right. Plus, though most ingredients (butter, etc.) become softer in the warmer months, seems with the glaze it's just the opposite; when it's hot outside, the glaze becomes harder, and doesn't drip as well. A mystery.

More on sugar, the powdered variety

Ditto to the previous post: There's no reason at all to add powdered sugar atop anything. Simply not necessary!

And further, when making a buttercream frosting, is almost obscene how much sugar the general recipe calls for, i.e., one pound confectioners sugar (a small box) to often approximately 12 ounces of butter (and do not use shortening -- don't even get me started!). Stop right there. In this case, cream your butter first, and then add confectioners sugar slowly; 1/2 to 3/4 pound of sugar here is usually fine.

Extra credit tip: Don't pile on the frosting. It's called cake for a reason, and the frosting -- well, that's just the icing on the cake.