(Peanut) Butter Cream Frosting Success!

And the second time was apparently the charm. It is true, you need confectioner's sugar to make cake icing, or at least in this case confectioner's Erythritol. We have the Swerve brand, (it can be bought in bulk on Amazon) but you could use any brand and even powder it yourself, like in a coffee grinder.  We have a little one we use for grinding various stuff, or you could also use a Magic Bullet.

The Swerve is expensive, and so to avoid using a whole cup of the stuff, I actually used some finely ground peanut flour instead. It had about the same consistency as confectioner's sugar, and what we need is bulk. I think you could probably use all Swerve if you wanted less peanut butter flavor. I'm going to have to experiment with different colors and maybe a chocolate version. I also used some splenda and stevia, again to cut down on the cost, and also because the sweeteners do better if you mix them.

This recipe makes just enough for one 9" round cake. If you want extra icing or extra thick icing, then triple this recipe for two round cakes.

I don't think you need to refrigerate it, unless your peanut butter says you ought to after opening. The icing was easy to spread, and I had even refrigerated it for a couple of hours before using it. After it sat at room temperature for a while, the icing actually got a crust on it like real icing does if left sitting out. We aren't going to refrigerate it because we don't have room in the icebox, and it will probably be all gone tomorrow anyway! Everyone here thinks it's very good. 

(Peanut) Butter Cream Frosting

3 T. peanut butter
1/2 c. powdered Erythritol (Swerve)
1/2 c. peanut flour (Protein Plus brand)
1/2 c. splenda
3 packets stevia/truvia
1/4 c. almond milk
3/4 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Blend peanut butter for 30 seconds to fluff it up some. Add half of the powdered Erythritol a little at a time.

(I used a tea strainer to get the lumps out of it, and this worked well too for just putting a little in as I blended it. I used it for all of the sweetener and the peanut flour, although I don't know that it was necessary for the splenda.)

The peanut butter should form little clumps. Add some of the almond milk, and blend well. At this point it should start looking like icing. Alternate between adding the sweeteners/peanut flour and then when it gets thick, add a little more almond milk until you have added all of the sweeteners and the almond milk. Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl and blend well for thirty seconds, or until creamy.

Tea Strainer for sifting powdered erythritol

Double Layer cake iced with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

When cold the icing was easy to spread and shiny, but after it got to room temperature it became duller and hard, just like real icing!

The mum-in-law dug out her fancy dish wear for this occasion

Caramel Topping a.k.a Attemp #1 at Butter Cream Frosting

So, before I have to go to teach class this afternoon, I decided to try to make some Butter Cream Frosting out of peanut butter, almond milk and splenda.The mum-in-law thought that powdered erythritol would work better, and I'll try some of that next, but it is expensive. I did not come up with Butter Cream Frosting, but what I did come up with is something the consistency of Caramel topping! It doesn't really taste like peanut butter (or caramel) but has the consistency of caramel. I bet it would be good on top of dairy-free or vegan ice cream. Note that the mum-in-law did not think it was very sweet, but I thought it was, so YMMV.

Gluten-free/Dairy-free Caramel Topping

3 T. peanut butter
2 c. splenda
1/4 c. almond milk (vanilla flavor)
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a tall sided bowl, beat the peanut butter with a handheld mixer for thirty seconds. Slowly add the splenda until the mixture thickens. When it becomes very thick (probably about halfway through the first cup), start adding the almond milk a little bit at a time, alternating between the splenda and the almond milk. Add the 1/2 tsp vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat for another thirty seconds.

Makes about 3/4 of a cup of topping.

We drizzled it over the yellow cake recipe that we had made up a couple of days ago.

Caramel Topping drizzled over Yellow Cake

Close up of Caramel Topping