This Frosting Hack Will Make You Want To Bake A Cake Right Now

The urge for dessert can come out of nowhere (affirmative, feeling it as we speak), and the last thing you want to worry about when it strikes is following a 12-step recipe and making icing from scratch. Let's face it; the cleanup involved in that endeavor will make you rethink your cake craving altogether. The mixing bowls, the whisk, the spatula for spreading the icing, the spoon you'll inevitably use to "taste test" — who has time to do all those extra dishes? But thanks to an ingenious frosting hack Kroger shared on TikTok, there's now a no-mess way to frost the sheet cake you impulse-baked on a Wednesday night.

Just to be clear, there are times when only a fancy cake will do, but generally, those occasions involve plenty of planning ahead. This hack works best for those days when you're baking with little ones or whipping up a last-minute dessert for book club.

For starters, you can use any cake recipe, including a box cake mix. Just make sure you bake the cake in a sheet cake pan or a loaf pan. While it would be amazing if frosting a three-layer tower of sweetness could be this simple, attempting this hack with a layer cake will definitely result in sticky counters and a major post-baking cleanup. Which, you know, basically defeats the point.

Ready to frost a cake sans piping bags or even a knife? Read on for this sweet time-saving hack.

How to Frost a Cake With Minimal Cleanup

Once you've baked the cake of your choice, you need a store-bought container of icing. The flavor is totally up to you; as long as it's shelf-stable, this hack should work like a charm. Remove the lid and any foil covering from the container and pop the frosting into the microwave. (Alternatively, you can remove the frosting and put it in a microwave-safe bowl if you're concerned about the plastic.)

From there, heat the frosting in 10-second intervals, stirring each time before you place it back into the microwave. Your goal is to keep microwaving until you reach a consistency that is fairly runny or soupy. Once the frosting is smooth enough, you're ready to frost your cake! Simply pour the icing onto your baked cake while it's still in the pan, and tilt the pan back and forth until the cake is completely coated.

If necessary, you can use a bread knife to make the frosting extra smooth — which barely adds to the cleanup since you or your little helper can then lick the excess icing. Set the cake aside until the icing reaches room temperature, and dessert is served!

Tips to Make This Hack Even More Delectable

Here are a few extra ideas to get the most out of this icing hack:

• If you plan on removing the cake from the pan after icing, try lining it with parchment paper before baking. Then you can lift your masterpiece out after the icing cools.
• Let your kids decorate with their favorite toppings. Adding sprinkles, cookie crumbles, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips will give the cake a more polished (and fun!) finish.
• Want extra decadent brownies? This frosting hack will work on those, too.

So, go ahead and bake that cake — dessert night has never felt more attainable. And, hey, if you're really feeling like a baking rebel without a cause now that you're armed with this no-muss, no-fuss hack, forgo plates altogether. Once the cake is cool, slice it into squares and serve it to your fam on paper towels. They're going to wolf it down in 30 seconds anyway; why dirty up plates for that?