Icing-Gate

Yesterday I posted a shortcut for those, like me, like me that do not have the patience or ability to bake complicated cakes, the kind that take precise measuring, delicate flavor pairings and fine-tuned focus.  I shared the post on Facebook, as I often do,  and for the first time one of my posts initiated a discussion.  Part of that discussion focused on the fact that I used store bought icing.

Here is the discussion, I have removed the names to protect the innocent...

• Friend I: Have you tried this? I'm always wanting too try it.

• Me: I made one last night for choir practice snack. It went very quickly.

• Friend I: What combination did you use?

• Friend II: And the cream cheese icing was amaaaaaaazing!  He made the ginger spice cake. And it was awesome and moist.

• Me: cannot take credit for icing, it was store bought.

• Friend III: Store-bought???? Huh?? Next time......

• Me: I have never made icing before.

• Friend III: Well, now's the time. Even the failures will be edible, so it's fun to experiment.

So for next time...

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.4 oz.) pkg. sugar-free instant pudding mix
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
• 1 (8 oz.) container lite frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. 
• Mix well and let stand until thickened. 
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. 
• Add pudding and mix well. 
• Finally, fold in whipped topping.

One final thought on the subject, something that occurred to me as I was writing this.  Why does it matter if the icing was store bought, when it was a packaged cake mix?