Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting

1 stick butter, melted

2/3 c. Hershey’s Cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir butter into melted cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a small amount of additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Absolutely delicious—it puts the stuff in a jar to shame. 

This recipe is from the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa canister.

Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 c. sugar

1 ½ c. warm water

1 c. white bread starter

1 Tbsp. salt

½ c. corn oil

6 c. Pillsbury bread flour

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam. Let rise overnight (at room temperature). Punch down and pour onto floured surface and knead a few times.

1 stick butter, divided, softened (one half stick for filling, 2 Tbsp. for tops, 2 Tbsp. for icing)

½ c. brown sugar

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix sugars and cinnamon together. Roll out dough into a rectangle. Spread ½ stick of softened butter on top of the dough (reserve 4 Tbsp.). Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the butter. Roll up and slice. 

Place rolls in sprayed cake pan and spread 2 Tbsp. butter over the tops of the rolls. Cover pans with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise about 4 hours or until doubled.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

+/- 2 Tbsp. hot water

Whisk icing ingredients (except water) together. Add water, a little at a time, until icing reaches desired consistency. Pour over warm rolls.

White Cream Cheese Frosting

1 lb. cream cheese, at room temp.
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar, sifted

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

This is taken from Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

Variations I've tried:

Orange Icing

Replace 1/2 tsp. almond extract with 1 tsp. orange extract. Add red and yellow food coloring to turn icing orange if desired.