My Mom’s 7-Minute Frosting

7 Minute Frosting

I have to admit, today’s post is part recipe, and part love letter. :-) “7-Minute Frosting” has been a central part of my birthday celebrations since I was a little girl. There was nothing better than celebrating my birthday by devouring a slice of my Mom’s rich, chocolate cake topped with this fluffy, gooey, marshmallow-y frosting.  This special cake and frosting combination has become so intertwined with family birthdays that my mom continues to make it for her grandchildren’s birthdays too, and they all love it as much as I do.

7 Minute Frosting

It seems like those recipes deeply ingrained in our family histories are the ones we tend to forget to share. Something about their permanence in our lives makes them easy to overlook. But I recently made this frosting for my sons birthday, and it occurred to me that I needed to share this one on the blog!

My hope is that this special recipe will make its way into your family’s birthday celebrations too. :-)

7 Minute Frosting

7-Minute Frosting

  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

7 Minute Frosting

Start by setting a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. (Since you’re going to be using an electric mixer in the final step, it’s easiest to just use the bowl from your stand mixer.) Add the sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, and a 1/4 cup of water to the bowl.

7 Minute Frosting

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees (this should take about 5 minutes.) You can use a candy thermometer for this step, but I love using my Thermapen! It’s so easy!

7 Minute Frosting

Remove the bowl from the stove and fit it into your stand mixer. Set up the whisk attachment. (If you don’t have a stand mixer, a hand mixer will work just fine too!) Beat the mixture on high speed until glossy and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla extract, and use immediately.

7 Minute Frosting

I love the look of this frosting on bundt cakes, but it doesn’t really matter what your cake (or even cupcakes) look like. Add some sprinkles for a little color, if you want!

All that really matters is that your cake ends up being covered under a mountain of deliciously gooey 7-Minute Frosting. Just ask my kids! :-)

7 Minute Frosting

Did you have a favorite birthday dessert when you were a child?

7 Minute Frosting

My Mom’s 7-Minute Frosting

Jill Nystul
There is nothing better than celebrating birthday by devouring a slice of our Mom’s rich, chocolate cake topped with this fluffy, gooey, marshmallow-y frosting. This special cake and frosting combination has become so intertwined with family birthdays. My hope is that this special recipe will make its way into your family’s birthday celebrations too. :-)
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3
Calories 205 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
  • Add the sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, and a 1/4 cup of water to the bowl.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees.
  • Remove the bowl from the stove and fit it into stand mixer. Set up the whisk attachment.
  • Beat the mixture on high speed until glossy and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Beat in the vanilla extract, and use immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 6gSodium: 110mgPotassium: 97mgSugar: 45gCalcium: 4mg

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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5 from 1 vote

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17 Comments

  1. I see that the most recent comments are 6 years ago, so I’m sorry to be on the late end! My question is: does the frosting only make 3 servings??? I’m sure it covers a whole cake at least, but my need to know is mostly for the nutrition count, specifically the number of carbs per serving. Thanks ahead for responding and also for all you do, especially the daily emails! They are the only ones I still subscribe to after 6 years, because they are the BEST!
    Peace,
    Melanie

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  2. Looks delicious – adding it to my recipe file. One question…you have different amounts for the water in the detailed instructions than in the print version. Which is correct; 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup?
    I really enjoy your site. Thanks for doing all the research & testing for us all. :)

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  3. Dear Jill, my mom made this frosting for every family birthday and she drizzled unsweetened chocolate on the top and sides. Amazingly, we all loved the frosting with the bitter chocolate . She stopped making the cake when we were grown up and somehow we forgot about it. Thanks for the memory!

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  4. I love that frosting but I haven’t made it for a long time. I guess it’s time. In my family, we loved my mom’s lemon pie. So, for our birthday that’s what we asked for.

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  5. Also wondering if it needs to be refrigerated.
    How long can it stay on a counter if it doesn’t need to be refrigerated? What about freezing…maybe for cupcakes etc. I’ve never had this frosting but it looks wonderful.
    Does it stay soft and gooey or does it firm up and stay off fingers if its on cupcakes? Too many question huh?

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    • It’s fine unrefrigerated for a day or two. I’ve never tried to freeze it but I doubt it would hold up too well. It really is best served (and eaten) right after its made. ;-)

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    • It doesn’t need to be refrigerated once you put it on a cake. I haven’t ever saved it because it really only stays light and smooth for about a day. I don’t think it would freeze very well. It does stay soft and gooey on the cake.

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  6. Just wondering if anyone has ever tried tinting this.

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  7. does the frosting need to be refridgerated ??

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    • Not if you’ll be eating it in the next day or two :-)

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  8. This looks sooo good. Now how about the recipe to your mom’s chocolate cake? Yum! I have a very special 98 year old friend who would love this.

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  9. This sounds so good! Thanks for sharing, Jillee :)

    Now you have me curious as to what your Mom’s chocolate cake tastes like! :)

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    • I’ll have to share that recipe sometime soon!

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  10. My mom made it with dark brown sugar. On chocolate cakd it is awesome!!

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  11. Love this stuff. My mom has always & only used it on her famous coconut cakes. I would love getting to lick the spoon & bowl when she was finished. So I know it would be wonderful on anything!

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  12. 7 MINUTE ICING

    2 EGG WHITES

    1 ½ CUP SUGAR

    5 TBS COLD WATER

    1/3 CUP WHITE KARO SYURP

    ¼ TES CREAM OF TARTER

    DASH SALT

    MIX TOGEATHER AND BEAT FOR 2 MINUTES

    PLACE OVER BOILING

    WATER AND COOK TILL IT FORMS PEAKS

    REMOVE FROM HEAT AND ADD

    1 TEAS VANILLA

    1 TEAS ALMOND EXTRACT

    this is how i make mine. so good

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5 from 1 vote

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