Upgrade Your Store-Bought Frosting With This Aromatic, Nutty Addition

Store-bought icing is an easy solution to finish off a home-baked cake, whether it was made from scratch or out of a box. But even when you opt for your favorite store-bought icing to save some time, it doesn't mean that your only option is to spoon it directly from the container to the freshly-baked cake. That's because all it takes is a little almond extract to give that pre-made icing a delicious, nutty flair that might even taste like it was homemade.

Almond extract is concentrated just like the vanilla extract in your cabinet. It's often made from almond oil and a few other ingredients, and will therefore pass the taste of the nut onto your store-bought icing. If you've ever had a bite of cake with an almond buttercream icing, you already know how delicious the fruity, nutty flavor pairs well with a moist, sweet cake. It can really work on any type of cake, including chocolate or vanilla, depending on what you're craving.

Just like the cake flavor, you can add almond extract to any type of icing, but the flavor might shine most in a vanilla or buttercream compared to chocolate. It also won't take too much of this secret ingredient to elevate a container of icing. Start with just ¼ teaspoon per tub; you can always have a taste and add more to reach your desired flavor level. To make sure the almond extract is fully incorporated, use another trick to elevate store-bought icing and whip it with a handheld or stand mixer. This will ensure the extract is evenly dispersed and will give the icing a homemade consistency. And if you don't have almond extract in the kitchen, vanilla extract will also amp up the flavor of the icing. 

Do you need a recipe to try your store-bought icing enhanced with almond extract? Lean into the flavor and use it with our blueberry and almond Chantilly cake recipe instead of the homemade icing. The almond extract's flavor will also complement this classic yellow cake recipe. Our final option to use the almond-flavored icing is with our classic white cake recipe to get it on the table even quicker.