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  4. 25 Decadent Flavored Frostings to Elevate Boxed Cake Mix

25 Decadent Flavored Frostings to Elevate Boxed Cake Mix

Zoe Denenberg
By Zoe Denenberg December 13, 2019
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Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake
Credit: Southern Living

While we can't resist a homemade cake, on some days we just don't have the time or patience to whip up a three-tiered layer cake. In a perfect world, all of our cakes would be made from scratch, but we'll admit that there have been many forgotten school bake sales or church potlucks when boxed cake mix has come to the rescue at the last minute. Boxed cake mix is much more versatile than it may seem, and we're here to show you how to pass that Duncan Hines off as homemade. Our #1 tip for upgrading your boxed cake mix? Fancy frosting.

Frosting is much simpler (and quicker) to make from scratch than cake batter. While your cake is baking, you can whip up a batch of one of these creative flavored icings to top it off. From holiday-party-ready Eggnog Buttercream to a Strawberry Frosting meant for summer potlucks, these fun frosting recipes will carry you through the seasons. With these decadent frosting and icing recipes, none of the guests will ever guess that the cake came from a box. And while you're at it, upgrade your boxed cake mix with this simple hack from our Food Editor.

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Salted Caramel Frosting

Gingerbread Latte Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Salted Caramel Frosting

Use this sweet-and-salty caramel frosting—made with three different types of sugar to achieve depth of flavor—to dress up a vanilla cake.

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Whipped Chocolate Frosting

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Whipped Chocolate Frosting

Nobody can resist a swirl of decadent chocolate frosting. Use this frosting to top a chocolate cake or cupcakes for a double-chocolate punch.

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Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting

Lemon Cheese Layer Cake
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting

This bright, citrus-packed frosting is worthy of a prime place on the dessert buffet.

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Strawberry Frosting

Strawberry Frosting
Credit: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff

Recipe: Strawberry Frosting

Loaded with fresh chopped strawberries, this frosting pairs beautifully with any fruity cake.

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Caramel Frosting

Caramel Cake
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Caramel Frosting

This caramel frosting can pair with vanilla, chocolate, or spice cake, making it the ultimate versatile choice for your baking year-round.

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Buttermilk Frosting

Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Buttermilk Frosting

Southerners love to use buttermilk in everything, including in our frostings.

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Coconut Buttercream

Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Coconut Buttercream

Bring a bit of tropical flair to your cake with this double-action coconut buttercream, made with unsweetened coconut milk and coconut extract for extra flavor.

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Eggnog Buttercream

Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream
Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Eggnog Buttercream

Spice cake and eggnog buttercream go together like peanut butter and jelly. Your holiday dessert spread never looked so pretty.

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Coconut Ermine Frosting

Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Ermine Frosting

Slightly lighter and easier to spread than your traditional buttercream, Coconut Ermine Frosting will be your new holiday go-to.

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Coconut-Pecan Frosting

Mama's German Chocolate Cake
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Coconut-Pecan Frosting

We use this Coconut-Pecan Frosting to top our German Chocolate Cake, but it's truly delicious all on its own.

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Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ultimate Carrot Cake
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting

Brown sugar brings warmth to the classic cream cheese frosting, making it the perfect pairing for a carrot cake.

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Peach Schnapps Frosting

The Lane Cake
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Peach Schnapps Frosting

A light, airy frosting made from egg whites and sugar, this Lane Cake frosting gets a boozy kick from 1/2 cup of peach schnapps.

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Peppermint Buttercream

Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Peppermint Buttercream

Pretty pink peppermint buttercream? Sounds like the holiday frosting of our dreams.

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Fudgy Coca Cola Cake Frosting

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Fudgy Coca Cola Cake Frosting

A fudgy chocolate frosting gets a hint of cherry spice with the addition of your family's favorite soft drink.

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Cherry Swirl Frosting

Cherry-Swirl Frosting
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Cherry Swirl Frosting

A two-toned swirl of white and pink frosting means that these cupcakes look as good as they taste.

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Coca Cola Frosting

Coca-Cola Cake
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Coca Cola Frosting

This cream cheese frosting is spiked with a few cups of cola to add tang and zing.

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Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

7-UP Bundt Cake
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

Fresh lime and lemon juice combine with lemon zest to create a creamy frosting you'll be using to top all your springtime cakes.

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Strawberry-Sour Cream Buttercream

Cream Soda Confetti Sheet Cake
Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Strawberry-Sour Cream Buttercream

Strawberry and sour cream? Don't knock it until you try it. This topping delivers just the right ratio of fruity sweetness to tang.

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Pig Pickin' Frosting

Pig Pickin' Cake
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Pig Pickin' Frosting

This Pig Pickin' Cake frosting involves frozen whipped topping, pineapple, and vanilla instant pudding—it's probably the lightest, easiest frosting we could dream of.

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Brown Butter-Pistachio Frosting

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Brown Butter-Pistachio Frosting

If you lean more towards savory than sweet, this creative frosting recipe is for you. Use it to top a decadent chocolate cake.

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Orange Buttercream

White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Orange Buttercream

Pair this fruity orange buttercream with cranberry at Christmastime or strawberry in the summer—you simply can't go wrong.

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Browned Butter Frosting

Butter Pecan Layer Cake with Browned Butter Frosting
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Browned Butter Frosting

Pair this Browned Butter Frosting with toasty, buttery pecans and you've hit a home-run.

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Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Peanut Butter Frosting

The dreamiest way to upgrade your chocolate cake? With a heavy dollop of Peanut Butter Frosting.

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Strawberry-Lemonade Frosting

Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Strawberry-Lemonade Frosting

With fresh strawberries and a hint of lemon juice, this frosting will transport you back to childhood lemonade stands.

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Caramel Frosting

Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Caramel Frosting

Thicker, creamier, and heavier on the caramel than your average buttercream, this Caramel Frosting perfectly complements pound cake.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 25 Salted Caramel Frosting
    2 of 25 Whipped Chocolate Frosting
    3 of 25 Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting
    4 of 25 Strawberry Frosting
    5 of 25 Caramel Frosting
    6 of 25 Buttermilk Frosting
    7 of 25 Coconut Buttercream
    8 of 25 Eggnog Buttercream
    9 of 25 Coconut Ermine Frosting
    10 of 25 Coconut-Pecan Frosting
    11 of 25 Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting
    12 of 25 Peach Schnapps Frosting
    13 of 25 Peppermint Buttercream
    14 of 25 Fudgy Coca Cola Cake Frosting
    15 of 25 Cherry Swirl Frosting
    16 of 25 Coca Cola Frosting
    17 of 25 Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
    18 of 25 Strawberry-Sour Cream Buttercream
    19 of 25 Pig Pickin' Frosting
    20 of 25 Brown Butter-Pistachio Frosting
    21 of 25 Orange Buttercream
    22 of 25 Browned Butter Frosting
    23 of 25 Peanut Butter Frosting
    24 of 25 Strawberry-Lemonade Frosting
    25 of 25 Caramel Frosting

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    25 Decadent Flavored Frostings to Elevate Boxed Cake Mix
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