When you make a cake, the icing really does make a difference in the overall taste of the cake. If the cake is good and the frosting is not so good, then you'll find that the overall popularity of the cake, will fail miserably.

The frosting on the cake is very important, so in stead of just buying a tub of icing and slapping in on your cake, find the perfect icing recipe, so that you can accent the flavor of your cake. For a homemade lemon cake, top it with a glaze that has a hint of lemon juice to it. For a rum cake, use a rum glaze to top off the cake. You'll find that by adding a little of the main ingredient from the cake to your frosting will set off the flavor of the cake, making it truly mouth watering.

Below, you'll find a good number of recipes for cake icing. You shouldn't have a problem finding the perfect one, whether you're looking for a rich chocolate frosting or a peach frosting.

Rum Glaze

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1/4 cup water

Boil ingredients together for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour over a hot cake.

Chocolate-Nut Frosting

• 1 box confectioners' sugar
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Mix together over low heat, stirring until smooth and gloss. Pour over a cake.

Pineapple-Coconut Frosting

• 1 stick margarine
• 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
  
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup nuts

Cook the first 6 ingredients until thick, stirring. Cool and add coconut and nuts. Spread on a cake.

Chocolate Icing

• 1 box powdered sugar
• 3 squares baking chocolate, melted
• 3/4 stick margarine
• Part of a small can of evaporated milk

Mix all ingredients together, using enough milk to make of a spreading consistency.

Creamy Peach Icing

• 1/2 cup sliced peaches
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Blend cream cheese and margarine well. Add vanilla. Beat in confectioners' sugar until mixture is smooth and creamy. Drain peaches, reserving liquid. Mash or finely chop peaches and stir into sugar-cream cheese mixture. Thin, if necessary, with peach liquid. Spread over a cooled cake.

Fluffy White Frosting

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, syrup, and water in a small heavy saucepan. Stir and heat to boiling oven medium heat. Boil, without stirring until it reaches 240F using a candy thermometer or the soft ball stage. While syrup boils, beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff. Pour hot syrup very slowly into egg whites, beating constantly. Add vanilla and beat several minutes until stiff.

Easy Butterscotch Icing

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
• Dash of salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Combine all ingredients but the sugar. Stir and cook over low heat. When smooth, remove from heat, cool slightly. Now beat in abut 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar.

Hot Fudge Sauce

• 2 1/2 squares semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• Dash of salt
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients but the vanilla in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low, cook 5 minutes longer, stirring often. Add vanilla. Store in refrigerator. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Seven Minute Frosting

• 2 egg whites, unbeaten
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
• 5 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all ingredients in top of double boiler. Beat with rotary egg beater until thoroughly mixed. Place over boiling water and beat constantly for 7 minutes or until frosting stands in peaks. Cool and spread on cake. Makes about 2 cups.

Chocolate Velvet Icing

• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 2/3 cup milk or cream
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients but the vanilla and bring to a boil. Cook exactly 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool slightly and add vanilla. Beat until icing is of a spreading consistency.

Cocoa Fudge Icing

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine everything but the vanilla in a saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil, cook about 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat until of a spreading consistency.

Maple Pecan Frosting

• 1 box confectioners' sugar
• 1 stick margarine
• 2 teaspoons maple flavoring
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• Hot milk

Cream margarine, add sugar and hot milk. (Add milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is of right consistency.) Add flavoring and nuts.