Icing Intel
THESE CAKES AREN’T THE ONLY
SWEET ICONS FEATURED—THEIR
ICINGS ARE NATIONAL TREASURES
IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. HERE, WE
SPOTLIGHT TWO LESSER-KNOWN BUT
STILL ESSENTIAL AMERICAN ICINGS.Ermine Icing: Before confectioners’ sugar was
invented, home bakers had to create creamy
frostings through high heat, like the boiled, ethereal
seven-minute frosting. From this tradition came
ermine frosting, a cloud-like spread that begins on
the stovetop with a roux. Milk and fl our thicken
into a pudding-like mixture, which then chills in
the fridge before being whipped with butter and
granulated sugar. The end result? A fl uff y frosting
that looks like whipped cream and feels like
luxurious silk. Long before cream cheese frosting
came into the picture, this was the frosting of choice
for red velvet cake.
Penuche Icing: Penuche is a buttery, praline-like
candy brought over by the Portuguese to New
England in the 18th century. Boiled brown sugar
and milk create a caramel-fl avored fudge and,
with the case of our Penuche Icing, a golden
feather-like icing. In Hawaii, where the
Portuguese also brought their penuche,
the frosting (called panocha frosting)
was often used to cover banana or
prune cakes. Unsurprisingly, it’s
also a perfect pairing for our Burnt
Sugar Cake. •