Store-Bought Frosting Gets An Instant Boost Once You Throw In This Crunchy Add-In

Store-bought frosting is easy and convenient. But it's also a bit, well, blah when it comes to taste. Readymade frosting isn't bad necessarily, but it can often taste a bit one-note, leaving a lot to be desired. Luckily, you can upgrade your store-bought frosting as quickly as you can dress up a boxed cake mix, while also giving it some much-needed personality and pizazz. To give your tub of frosting an instant boost, simply add texture. Nuts are the perfect addition because you have so many flavor options to play with that go with all sorts of cake and frosting flavors.

There are a lot of choices on the market, but regardless of which brand you pick, this crunchy hack will work like a charm every time. You have plenty of nuts to choose from, but almonds, macadamia nuts, and peanuts are always great choices. They'll give you both texture and flavor, whether you stir them into your frosting for a hidden crunch or simply sprinkle them on top for a fancier aesthetic. If you really want to dig deep into the nutty flavor, toast your pieces before you add them, which brings out the oils, deepening the natural flavors and increasing the crunch factor. 

You should definitely toast walnuts nuts, in particular, beforehand to reduce any of the natural bitterness present in them. The best part of this hack is that, while it will turn any store-bought frosting into something that seems more like a homemade delight, it will also bring more personality to homemade frosting too, so you can up your baking and decorating game regardless of what you're working with.

Nuts are a versatile ingredient that bring flavor and texture to just about everything, sweet or savory. They make a great crust for a beautiful filet of fish, pair perfectly with a wide variety of rich and creamy cheeses, and, of course, provide the perfect flavor companion for sweets. In fact, nuts in desserts are a part of many cuisines, like Greek food, which features nuts in treats like baklava. American classics such as pecan pie and brownies boast plenty of nutty crunch and flavor, and nuts even appear in Chinese-American cuisine with the classic almond cookie, a treat that pre-dates the fortune cookie.

Baking nuts into desserts is just the tip of the iceberg. If you're a fan of German chocolate cake (which, coincidentally, doesn't actually have anything to do with Germany), then you already know all about the magic that nuts bring to frosting. And if you haven't, then it's time to bake up one of these delicious treats and see for yourself. Frosting comes in many flavors, as do nuts, which gives you plenty of different combinations to play with.

Of course, if you have a nut allergy, you'll want to skip this upgrade completely and either leave your frosting plain or incorporate another crunchy addition like toffee bits. You'll still get that satisfying crunch and rich, nutty flavor that pieces of almonds or peanuts will bring to your finished product.