Everett, Wash.
Published: Monday, June 22, 2009

'Betty' has classic frosting recipe

 Come to find out about it, there's a classic, time-honored frosting called white mountain, and it may well be what Katie Carpenter of Everett was hoping for when she asked if readers could reconnect her with this favorite long-lost recipe.

Four Forum cooks sure think so, anyway, and sent along identical recipes for this particular confection.

Longtime helper-outer Jean Kroeze of Arlington fired off a handful of possibilities and says, "This Betty Crocker one is what I remember making many years ago."

Everett cook Beverly Smith also shared more than one frosting option and mentions, "I have used this recipe from my 1955 'Betty Crocker Cookbook' often."

Ann Blair of Arlington writes, "This is my first time to respond to a recipe request. Enjoy the Forum and have tried many new recipes. I found the following recipe in my 1961 'Betty Crocker Cookbook' and have made it for many, many years, but have always increased the ingredients to 1 1/2 times the given amounts."

And Enola Robinson of Everett tells us, "I believe this may be the recipe Katie Carpenter is looking for. It is from my 'Betty Crocker Good and Easy Cookbook.' I've been making it for years. It is both good and easy, and especially good on coconut or devil's food cake."

White mountain frosting

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan, mix together the sugar, water and corn syrup; cover pan and bring to rolling boil. Remove cover and cook to 242 degrees on a candy thermometer or until syrup spins a 6- to 8-inch thread.

Just before syrup is ready, beat egg whites until stiff enough to stand in peaks. Pour hot syrup very slowly in a thin steady stream into the beaten egg whites, beating constantly with rotary or electric mixer until it stands in stiff peaks. Blend in vanilla.

When spreading on cake, make pretty swirls with spatula. Makes enough frosting for two 8- or 9-inch layers or a 9-by-13-inch oblong.

Pink mountain frosting: Follow recipe above, except use 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice instead of water.

Lemon frosting: Follow recipe above, except, instead of vanilla, use 1 tablespoon lemon juice and fold in a ltitle grated lemon rind.

Chocolate revel frosting: Follow recipe above. At the very last, fold in 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely grated, or 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces.

Marshmallow frosting: Follow recipe above. At the last, fold in 6 or 8 quartered soft marshmallows.

Satiny beige frosting: Use brown sugar (packed) in place of granulated sugar.

Peppermint frosting: Fold in, after beating, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract or a small amount of crushed peppermint candy.

Allegretti: Ice cake with white mountain icing. Melt 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate with 1/4 teaspoon shortening. Using teaspoon, drip chocolate around top edge of iced cake and let run down the sides.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA