Empress Frosting

1/3 cup half & half
1/2 cup butter; cut up
2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup ghirardelli sweet ground chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
In 2 quart heavy saucepan, heat half & half with butter and sugar, stirring until blended. Add Ground Chocolate, mixing with wire whip until smooth. Heat on medium low until mixture is thick and shiny and runs [...]

Dark Chocolate Ganache

2 cups Heavy cream
4 cups Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate; finely chopped
In a saucepan, heat cream to almost boiling.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in chocolate.  Continue stirring until spreadable.
This recipe yields enough filling for a 6-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch cake.
Source:  Madge Rosenberg

Caramel Icing

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioner’s sugar; sifted
Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar and cook over low heat two minutes, stirring constantly.
Add milk and continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.
Add confectioner’s sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

Lemon Butter Frosting

1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 tablespoon butter
3 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 dash salt
Add lemon rind to butter; cream well.
Add part of the sugar gradually, blending after each addition. Add remaining sugar, alternately with lemon juice, until right consistency to spread.
Beat thoroughly after each addition. Add salt.
Makes enough frosting to cover tops and sides [...]

Penuche Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly.  Slowly stir in milk and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm. 
Add sifted powdered sugar [...]

Basic Buttercream Icing

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  (use vegetable shortening when pure icing is needed)
1/2 cup milk; room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla or other desired flavoring
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix at slow speed until smooth.  If stiffer icing is needed, or if the weather is very warm, add [...]

Buttercream Icing

3 tablespoons butter
11/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Beat butter until smooth. Cream in the sugar. When smooth add cream or milk and vanilla, beating until creamy.