sf wrote:

>7 minute frosting is something I've
> thought about making for years, but the
> cakes I make are few and far between
> and cream cheese frosting is more
> appropriate for most of them. I'm
> curious. Is 7 minute frosting mainly
> white or is there a chocolate version?

It is really a very wonderful frosting, and not overly sweet, but just
melts in one's mouth. I've mostly just seen recipes for the plain white,
so don't know of any chocolate version, but when I make my Maraschino
Nut Cake, I use 2 tbsp. of the juice from the cherries in place of the
water, to make it a delicate pink and sometimes fold in WELL-drained
finely cut up maraschino cherries to it before spreading, or else I just
put the whole cherries on the top to "dress it up" some.

You can also substitute fresh orange juice for the water and fold in 1
tsp. grated orange rind, in place of using the vanilla. For
Cola-flavored frosting, use 2 tbsp. cola beverage in place of the water,
and for the honey version, use 2 tbsp. honey in place of the light corn
syrup and omit vanilla.

Here is the recipe I use for a two-layer 8 or 9 inch cake:

Combine in top of double boiler:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites (room temperature is best)
2 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Cook over rapidly boiling water, beating with electric mixer until
mixture stands in peaks. Remove from heat.
Add: 1 tsp. vanilla and beat till spreading consistency.

I have done this just using a one quart stainless steel bowl, and set it
in a 2 qt. saucepan of boiling water...be sure not to put too much in
the pan though, so it splashes up into the icing as you are beating it,
but just so it's boiling around the pan. This doesn't take long at
all...for sure it doesn't take 7 minutes.

Judy