There is a saying about people live three lives: their public life, their private life, and their secret life. I’m here to talk about adding a subclass to the public life: their Facebook/Pinterest life. I am not immune to this at all. I mean if people only followed me on Pinterest they would have expected me to show up to the conference in a Burberry trench coat and Louboutin heels. But what they got was a tennis shoe wearing gal dressed out in jeans and a hoodie…and oh yeah an Optimus Prime t-shirt (I’m more than meets the eye 😛 ).
I’m not really talking about the surface stuff. Surely I don’t believe that people who pin the 400 square foot laundry room with miles of shelves and a sink in it are planning a redo of their home anytime soon to add that. They just WISH they had that. Who doesn’t? Well, really if we are wishing, I wish to have someone just come do my laundry…screw having a nice laundry room. 😀
I’m talking more about the people who post stuff about “treat people as you want to be treated” but they are the biggest bitch or a-hole I know. Or “Let it Go” and yet they are the ones that whenever you are around them are still DWELLING on what they should be letting go of. They are the people that post about what a great mom they are. If you have to tell people you are…or you are fishing for people to tell you that you are…you probably are not. Or posting a picture of your mom hugging you for Mother’s Day and say “you’re the best mom” but I know that you can’t stand your mom and that she abandoned you as a child and didn’t see you for 6 years and you went to therapy for 10 years for that. And when I say why do you have a picture of you and your mom up and you say well I don’t want people to think bad of me for not liking my mom. Ugh.
I guess those are all like the laundry room…you WISH that is what your life was like.
Don’t worry what people think. If they don’t like the real you and you only have 4 friends in the whole world than at least those are 4 friends that actually like the REAL you. That’s way better than 532 Facebook friends. I’m going to get all Oprah on you and tell you to live your authentic life. Not your Facebook life.
And then I am going to go all Peabody on you and tell you to eat more buttercream frosting. Which goes along nicely with today’s Day 2 of Birthday Celebrating. I’m giving away the much used disposable piping bags. These make things way easier if you ask me as I am lazy and hate washing out the pastry bag. If you would like to win Wilton 100-Pack Disposable Decorating Bags 12inch
Chocolate Caramel Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup caramel sauce (I used Fran’s because it’s awesome)
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
4-5 cups powdered sugar
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream together (on medium speed) butter and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth.
Add cocoa powder, caramel sauce, and melted chocolate to the mixer and beat on low speed at first so as not to have cocoa powder all over you. Then move speed up to medium and make sure all ingredients are incorporated and frosting is smooth.
Add the remaining powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time until you reach desired consistency.
Pipe or spread onto your cooled cupcake or cake and throw on some Rolos for extra chocolate and caramel.
Amanda Joy says
My favorite frosting of all time is Fresh Raspberry Buttercream, or Nutella Buttercream with Caramel drizzled on top.
Nicole says
I like the inspirational things that you post, they are consistent with who you are. (Ok, I’ve only met you twice I think!) I hate the fitness ones that are so eating disorder-like. I’ve had an eating disorder and it isn’t something to stive towards!
I just post recipes on pinterest, so not much that’s surprising there.
Nicole says
And I’m going to say that Nutella buttercream is likely my favorite, but I like the strawberry buttercream that you’ve posted, too.
Denise B says
Our favorite frosting is buttercream with almond flavor
corinne says
Ooh chocolate caramel is definitely a good combo! I think my current favorite is just plain chocolate, paired with yellow cake.
Dana says
I’ve only used piping bags a few times, but I bet disposable ones would be fun to play around with!
Also, this frosting looks incredible.
Rebecca says
Peanut butter buttercream!
hobby baker says
Oh, I’m going to have to make this for my pregnant sis-in-law, she’d dive in and swim in that. And you’re absolutely right, I hate washing out pastry bags too. I occasionally go through and cull my pins and FB lists, now that you bring it up, it’s a good time to do so. 😀
Shari says
definitely Bailey’s frosting!! I have an emergency stash in my freezer in case I need to fill a few cookies.
Donna says
Peabody – Love your blog and find your attitude refreshing. Although I love the combination of Chocolate and Caramel (especially with a Rolo on top), this is my favorite Chocolate Buttercream recipe…
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Preparation:
Melt chocolate chips with butter gently in the microwave (about 10 seconds with a stir at a time). Cool slightly if necessary; stir in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Slowly beat in confectioners’ sugar until desired spreading consistency is reached.
Linda says
Salted caramel. Yum.
Andrea says
Any buttercream, except plain, will do. But, if pushed I’d probably say Raspberry buttercream on lemon cake. Yum!
Sharon says
My favorite is anything with cream cheese. I’m still trying to learn how to use piping bags (not very successful!).
Megan Sullivan says
My all time favorite is a mint buttercream or maybe cream cheese frosting. Either one is delicious!
Amelia says
Real buttercream – Swiss meringue buttercream? Preferably a simple vanilla, lemon, salted caramel, or chocolate. Afterall, my wedding cake did have 4 different layers with different buttercream fillings, 3 of which had some sort of alcohol. I don’t discriminate when it comes to frosting!
Rennie says
What a difficult question… I am going with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, though I love most types!
Amber W says
My favorite buttercream is a fluffy refreshing lemon buttercream 🙂
Jessica A says
First of all, Happy Birthaversary!
Second, awesome outlook. I totally agree. I had a friend who was soooo negative and mean (especially their partner) that I just cut ties with them. And people don’t get it. I’m done with the negativity!
Lastly, I love, love, love Christmas spiced buttercream – just add in some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and you’ve got a yummy, spicy buttercream that goes great with gingerbread cake.
patsy says
This post made me laugh, because it’s so true! I pin things I’d love… if money were no object!
Favorite frosting would have to be an almond vanilla cream cheese frosting I’ve made a few times… hard to stop licking the spoon!
Alissa G. says
Happy Blogiversary!!!!
Love the post! How very true! I’m done with the drama and negativity too.
Oye, favorite frosting. I’m a frosting gal. I love cream cheese, I love buttercream, I love my creme brulee frosting, nothing like a perfect frosting.
Elizabeth says
Cheers to authenticity!!
Neetu says
I love this post. Everyone needs more buttercream in their life! My favorite has to be raspberry buttercream frosting with a lemon cake. Fruity and delicious!
jan says
Plain buttercream frosting (on my grandma’s sugar cookies!)
Annamaria @ bakewelljunction says
I think my favorite is cream cheese frosting but I love any butter cream frostings to. This one looks yummy too. Happy blog-Birthday.
Samantha says
Really fudgy chocolate frosting is the way to go with me.
Great post. =)
Susan J says
I’m not sure what to call it. It’s a cooked buttercream I guess. Flour & milk cooked until thick. Cooled and beaten with butter and sugar and vanilla. Yum!
Amanda says
I just love chocolate. chocolate buttercream, chocolate cream cheese, chocolate ganache…no discriminating. If it’s chocolate, I love it. However, since I’ve discovered Nutella buttercream, it’s been life-changing! Yummmmm
Donna says
As a kid, mom would make a double batch of vanilla buttercream. Half to frost whatever she baked…some for graham cracker sandwiches (served cold with ice cold milk, later)and the rest for me to eat, right there and then.And then dad would come home from work and I would be squirrely crazy from my sugar high.I learned 30 years later, it was pay back for something he had “forgotten” to do the weekend before. 🙂
Brooke D says
I have a recipe for an incredible peanut butter frosting that’s the best I’ve ever had!
Kristi says
Jeez… really? I have to pick one favorite???? It’s either chocolate or vanilla. I know that might sound boring, but how satisfying is a perfect spoonful of vanilla buttercream fresh out of the mixer? And chocolate buttercream is just the stuff dreams are made of. I could live on it.
=)
Tammie says
My favorite is peanut butter buttercream on chocolate cake. Mmmmmmm!
Kyra says
My favorite frosting of all time would be chocolate mousse frosting. We make it using bittersweet chocolate, which helps cut the sweetness of the frosting and the cake.
Becca- Cookie Jar Treats says
The one frosting that I have ever truely liked was this cream cheese frosting I had on my graduation cake this year. The cake came from Nothing but Bundts and it was so delicious. It was soft, creamy, tangy, and a little sweet. I’m more of a rich type of girl than a sweet kind of girl. I like the idea of buttercream, but usually the powdered sugar in the recipe over powers the frosting itself and it makes it taste way too sweet I think.
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy says
that photo is insanely amazing!!! wow, i love buttercream…too much…too much:)
Sally Anne @ PaleoRunnerGirl says
Hi Peabody,
Can I comment but not be part of the contest? I have about a zillion pastry bags. However, I felt the need to comment because I stinking love your blog and have read it for years, but have only commented a handful of times and I am sorry about that (I did vote for your BH&G container garden religiously–does that count?). Anyways, you deserve 1000 comments on each post because you are frackin hilarious and make delicious recipes and brighten the world with your buttercream visions (every single Peabody recipe I have made has been a success). Happy Birthday to your dear old blog and thank you so much. 🙂
Jenny says
Nutella frosting!
Jessyca says
My favorite buttercream EVER is Kaye’s Buttercream by the Whimsical Bakehouse. 6 sticks of butter, 12 egg whites and sugar makes this silky, light, heavenly confection that I just want to eat out of the bowl! Love it!
Joann says
I love *LOVE* salted caramel buttercream. LOVE 🙂 Have also always wanted a decorating bag to make the salted caramel buttercream actually look as good as it tastes 🙂
Erika says
I love “birthday cake” icing (at least that is what I call it) made with gobs of Crisco, powdered sugar, butter flavoring and a couple more things I can’t think of.
I could certainly use some pastry bags to pipe it onto cakes!
Darlene says
Cream cheese frosting that is made with enough icing sugar that it can be piped on. LOTS of sugar. Oh, and with almond flavouring too.
Jenn says
Asking me to choose my favorite frosting is like asking Michelle Dugger to choose her favorite child–so many to choose from ! My top 3 are:
chocolate cream cheese, White Russian cream cheese (Peabody, I hope you can sleep at night knowing that your recipe cause an increase in the mass of my ass), or peppermint vanilla buttercream.
Ilona t says
I love cannoli frosting!!!
Korrie@RedHenHome says
Do I have to pick just ONE favorite frosting? I have three! Homemade coconut pecan…cream cheese…and cooked fudge frosting. Just not all at once 😉
stacy says
Plain ol vanilla – yum!
Rachel says
My favorite frosting is chocolate ganache!!! or chocolate fudge frosting. Rich and decadent is my criterion 🙂
Christine says
Vanilla Buttercream and Cream Cheese Frosting!
Jess says
My Mom’s mocha buttercream was the BEST-she and my Grandmother put it on their cakes and brownies. They have both passed away and I am still trying to perfect it!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
I love classic chocolate buttercream but swiss meringue is up there as well!
Tiff says
Whipped cream frosting! If there even is such a thing.
Katie says
I make a fabulous peanut butter buttercream. I’m such a sucker for PB 🙂
Jovian says
Ever watch “Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood” at all? There’s a quote in there that has always stuck with me:
“You can tell what people are trying to hide by the way they try to hide it”
KG says
What do you transform into when you wear your Optimus Prime t-shirt? A Butter Bot? 😀 Weapons equipped, spatula and whisk!
My favorite frosting of all time is a plain, simple buttercream with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and a splash of heavy cream. Sweet, adaptable to almost any flavor, and darn well spoonable. Close second is peanut butter cream cheese frosting, but it’s not as versatile, and it can’t take food coloring! I’d love the piping bags. I’m a decorator at heart!
Adam says
Optimus Prime shirt? You’re awesome level has increased tenfold :).
Peabody says
@Adam…I own three. 🙂 And Boba Fett Addias shoes.
Lisa says
Too funny! As soon as I saw this post and the picture my first thought was “I wonder how Peabody does it, how does she do all those baking dishes?”
You disposable bag it, LOVE!
My favorite frosting is none. I just don’t like the stuff. I scrape it off. That’s what husbands are for. 🙂
Gauri Jayaram says
Wow !!
My first time on your site and love the way you write.
Reading your post i forgot all about the buttercream frosting recipe that got me here :-))
You have a nice space here….
Cheers !!
Rodzilla says
Loaded question: Would not caring what other people think include what YOU think? If someone is so obviously pretending they’re likely having a hard enough time, choco-caramel butter cream should help though.
Adrienne says
My absolute favorite is vanilla malted buttercream with chocolate sprinkles, topped with a marachino cherry, and a small straw for decoration…very soda shop-esque!
Caanan says
I can’t think of a frosting that I haven’t liked, but the one that stands out is a cinnamon and nutmeg buttercream.
Sarah S says
I love good old-fashioned cream cheese frosting. Can’t beat it.
Kaycee says
Damn. I knew I forgot something at Fran’s when I was there last month.
Sarah says
My favorite is a raspberry rose Swiss meringue buttercream from a local cafe/pastry shop. Sooooo good!
Julie says
I need those piping bags! How could I have a favorite frosting? If it’s good (according to my standard of “good”), I like it. I’m going to recreate a great strawberry buttercream I had recently. I also love espresso buttercream and funfetti frosting from the can.
Danielle says
My favorite icing is Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Denise M says
I love buttercream frosting especially with tons of vanilla.
karen says
I’m a ganache lover. But cream cheese frosting is a close second.
Dorothy says
Cream cheese icing for sure!
Stephanie says
Peanut butter buttercream!
Rachel says
Cream cheese frosting is definitely my favorite!
Diana says
Agreed- I frequently find myself thinking about people “your life is not as fabulous as you pretend it is on Facebook.”
I also hate washing pastry bags, this would be a great upgrade from using plastic baggies for me. Yeah, I’m lazy.