How to Make Canned Frosting Better

Cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and even cookies become all the more scrumptious when they’re topped with frosting. But if you’re not an expert baker, you may reach for canned frosting to top them off. There’s no shame in doing so, for those canned frosting options are tasty.

However, they have that canned frosting taste to them. And if you’re hoping to pass off your baked goodies as completely homemade, you’ll want to do a little something to make canned frosting better.

With these quick tricks to make your canned frosting better, it can be our little secret! Keep reading to learn how to make canned frosting better.

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Give It a Pinch of Salt

One thing you’ve surely noticed with canned frosting, especially if you have snacked on it with a spoon, is that it can be overly sweet. The simplest way to correct that and make it have more of a naturally sweet, homemade taste is to throw in a pinch of salt. Mix it up and frost away!

Add a Flavor Boost

Canned frosting comes in many flavors, so it will depend on which one you’re working with, but you can always add something to enhance the flavor. This will surely do the trick in taking it from tasting like canned to tasting homemade.

Most canned frosting flavors can do well with a hint of vanilla extract to brighten the flavor. Chocolate frosting can take on that mocha taste with a teaspoon of instant coffee powder that’s been diluted in a half-teaspoon of hot water. Spiced frostings can become legendary with a little pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.

Other flavor boosters you can try are lemon, orange, almond, peppermint, or any extract that pairs well with the frosting and cake you’re making. Flavored coffee syrups are a gem in the kitchen for making canned frosting taste better. You can also add any liqueur like Kahlua or Grand Marnier. For flavored syrups or liqueurs, you’ll want to add about 2 tablespoons per can of frosting you use.

You can also a ¼-cup of espresso or 2 teaspoons of dry Jell-O powder. The latter option will tint white frosting to whatever color Jell-O you choose and impart a fantastically fruity flavor.

Mix in Heavy Whipping Cream

Another big problem with that store-bought canned frosting is that it is too heavy in texture. If you mix equal parts of it with whipped cream, you’ll have a lighter texture with a more natural flavor that comes across as homemade.

Make It Better with Butter

Homemade buttercream has that rich taste to it from butter, hence the name. To make your canned frosting taste like you made it from scratch, grab your mixer and beat in 2 tablespoons of butter. Make sure it’s at room temperature first, and if your butter is unsalted, add just a pinch of salt to the mix. You can also use peanut butter or any other nut butter, Nutella, or cookie butter. For these kinds of butter, a ½-cup should work perfectly.

Add a Fruity Twist

If you’re serving a fruity-style dessert that you want to top with frosting, pairing it with a fruity frosting is the way to go. You can instantly elevate that canned frosting by beating a ½-cup of jams, preserves, or marmalade into it. Lemon curd also works like a charm too!

Try Cream Cheese

Softened cream cheese, even for canned frosting that isn’t cream cheese-based, is like a dream come true for your desserts. It makes it richer while helping manage the sweetness. You’ll need to beat an 8-ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature and combine it with your can of frosting for a wonderful, creamy, and dreamy flavor to top off your cakes, cupcakes, and other delights.

Throw in Some Texture

While some desserts benefit from smooth frosting, others need texture to complement the flavors. When you’re using canned frosting, you’ll have to add in textures yourself. Doing so will certainly make everyone think you made your frosting from scratch.

However, before you go hog wild on those add-ins for texture, it helps to beat your canned frosting with a mixer. It should become light and fluffy first. Then you can add the extras which will make it easier to spread on top of your treats without tearing the top off your desserts. Chopped nuts like walnuts and peanuts are a great idea. Toasted coconut, toffee bits, chocolate chips, and sprinkles are other yummy ways to make that canned frosting taste like you made it yourself.

Use Freeze-Dried Fruit Powders

If you have freeze-dried fruits, you can use the powders to help you frost with canned frosting like a pro. Strawberries and blueberries are among the best, perfect for adding a lively berry taste to a simple vanilla or yellow cake. Add a ¼-cup of the freeze-dried fruit powder to your frosting and give it a taste before adding more or sticking with it as-is. As a bonus, it will also add more color to your frosting for a pretty presentation.

Whip It Good

And finally, if you’ve got nothing else except some salt to add to your canned frosting, or you want to keep things simple, just whip it. Put your whisk attachment on your mixer and beat room-temperature canned frosting. This incorporates more air into it.

The result is a frosting that is light and fluffy with a better mouthfeel. Plus, it will make you have more frosting to work with. Whether you use this trick on its own or with the other tips for how to make canned frosting better, it’s a fool-proof way to make your desserts taste more homemade in seconds flat!