The Best Buttercream Icing I Have Tasted!
Decorating By Amberslilzoo Updated 7 May 2007 , 7:53pm by bakincakin

I wanted to share this Buttercream Recipe! I don't know if others will love it as much as I do but it doesn't hurt to try. And it is very simple!!
I found this on the internet, copied it down and love love love it!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.
It makes 2 1/2 cups of icing!



I think that is the wilton class butter cream recipe. I agree that it is yummy.

This is kind of the recipe I use, but I changed it a little. I use 3/4 cup all-veg. shortening (not Crisco, though) and 1/4 Blue Bonnet. Then sometimes I change the vanilla and use different flavors of liquers or rum to change the flavor of the frosting to go with the cake flavor. Super delicious and great for decorating!!!

I use this recipe too, but I weigh my shortening to 3/4 lb. and 1 stick margarine. I use 1 3/4 lb. 10x sugar, sifted, and 1/3 to 1/2 c. meringue powder, depending on the season. i live in florida where its very hot and humid, and i need it to set up, but i don't like the all crisco flavor. i also occasionally add an extra tsp. of butter flavor if i add too much sugar. its really yummy with that extra butter flavor, but thats just my preference.
Thanks for sharing, Amberslilzoo!

I suggest you try this recipe, not as sweet. I don't remember where I got it. It makes a lot you may want to cut it in half.
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
2 Cups Butter, room temp
2 Cups Crisco
4 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
¼ Cup flour
3 lbs. Confectioners Sugar (12 Cups)
2-4 Tlb. Milk
Cream butter, shortening, and extracts until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.
Add flour to creamed mixture. Beat until thoroughly combined. Add powdered sugar, about ½ lb. at a time beating until combined. When all Sugar has been added and combined, add 2-4 Tlb. Milk, depending upon consistency desired. Beat for an additional 6-9 minutes on medium speed.

Yah, that sounds like the single batch recipe for the Wilton class icing, only using 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening and milk for the water. I started out using that and have tweaked it to more to my liking. I sometimes still just use it straight from the book though. I've never had a single complaint with it.

Is it better to use milk or water in buttercream recipes? My Wilton instructor said if we used water the frosting would last longer. What do you all think? Have any of you changed the milk to water in either of these recipes or any other ones you use?


Oh I am to have to try that less sweet version of the buttercream. I want to tone down the sweetness of the cakes so this might help

I was told by my dec instruc to sub the milk for yogurt to make it less sweet...Haven't tried it yet.
The meringue powder helps to stiffen the icing and to hold shape when decorating...I believe.

My family are such critics. I have been trying different recipes for Buttercream and when I got to this one they said not to look anymore that this was the one.
I find that most don't like the Wilton recipe. I see a lot of scraping the frosting off when I use it.

Yes, I have had the same problem too. Alot of people find the Wilton buttercream too sweet and my huband says, "it's sickeningly sweet"..LOL



I actually stopped using meringue powder in my frosting because I found it added a funny after-taste. My frosting still held up well and still crusted, so I really don't use it at all. I'm sure on hot, humid days, though, that it might help to stabilize the frosting.
Angie

I have only tried the Wilton icing from class (I am such a newbie) with water, per my instructor. She said it would last in the fridge longer and the icing would hold up better "sitting out" on the cake.
So, please explain to me the difference in the recipe using half butter and half crisco. I need guidance on this yummy icing and all the options available that I have yet to discover!

I just tried buttercream dream (in the recipe section) this weekend. It's very similar to the Wilton recipe, but a little less sweet. It got a big thumbs up from my family (and neighbors). I get a lot of complaints about sweetness, too, although I could eat it out of the bowl!!
I always use milk in my BC and haven't ever had a problem. Also, I've never used meringue powder and it crusts really well, unless it's REALLY hot.




that is the wilton buttercream not the class buttercream! one of my gf's loves their BC because its sooo sweet about twice a month she requests that i make a batch (3 cups) and bring it to work for her, and she eats it all... eeeekkk but she enjoys it!

She can eat 3 cups of icing Well, if she enjoys it, more power to her! I know I would get sick as a dog. What I wanted to know was, Janette, you said you beat the butter, shortening, and extracts for 5 minutes, add the other stuff, beat that, and then beating an additional 6-9 minutes? I know my instructor told us that if you beat it too much you will get air bubbles and I have always had a problem with that because no matter what I do I always still have a lot of bubbles. Do you not get the bubbles beating as long as you say with this recipe?

Omicake,
I am sure that must be an error...I use 1 tbsp meringue powder in the Wilton recipe.
Jenette,
I don't think that the yogurt will make too much of a difference in flavour.
I believe my instructor meant to sub all the liquid ie., milk or water with yogurt. As I said, I have not tried it yet. Pls, let me know how it goes if you do.
Jeffer01,
In class the all crisco recipe is fine with only water but, the flavour with i/2 crisco and 1/2 butter is better in my opinion...maybe that's why they call it "buttercream". All butter though, in my opinion is too hard to work with especially if you have hot hands. I have to keep a bowl of icewater by me to dip into now and then if I am doing alot of decorating, otherwise my icing in the bag melts.
Brooke208,
I also tried adding a pinch of salt to the recipe but found no difference in the sweetness and my husband still said the same thing "It's sickeningly sweet".
There is one other option, Wilton makes a product called "Whipped Icing" and it is delicious! Just a nice smooth vanilla flavour & not too sweet atall. It is in a box and you just add ice cold water and whip it. I have used that to ice some cakes and then used the buttercream or Royal Icing to decorate.

Brooke208,
I also tried adding a pinch of salt to the recipe but found no difference in the sweetness and my husband still said the same thing "It's sickeningly sweet".

There is one other option, Wilton makes a product called "Whipped Icing" and it is delicious! Just a nice smooth vanilla flavour & not too sweet atall. It is in a box and you just add ice cold water and whip it. I have used that to ice some cakes and then used the buttercream or Royal Icing to decorate.
I've heard some people say that they use popcorn salt to ease down the sweetness as opposed to regular table salt. Also, some have said to use salted (sweet) butter instead of unsalted. Again it's suppose to cut down on the sweet taste of BC. I haven't tried either of these personally. Only relaying what I've read/heard.

To add to the salt discussion......I add salt to my all-crisco buttercream and it definitely cuts the sweetness.....I made a batch this weekend and tasted the buttercream when I was done and Oh My I forgot the salt - it was soooooo sweet!
My recipe makes about 3 cups of icing and I dissolve the salt in the water before adding it to the crisco. I cup my hand and sprinkle salt in until I get a "circle" a little smaller than a dime, and that's how much I put in.
Hope this helps someone!
~Chelle

Cassie, the recipe is how it was written, to tell you the truth I didn't even pay attention to that part. I just turn my mixer on and let it run while I'm putting things away.
I never heard over over beating. I alway beat the frosting enough so the sugar is mixed well. So there are no lumps when piping to plug up the tip.

Actually I have heard of overbeating BC. My Wilton instructor said that she let's her BC mix for about 15 minutes or so, but she once had a student whom was having a very difficult time with the BC she brought in. The instructor questioned her on how she made the BC and they figured out (easily) that is was way overmixed. Turns out this student got distracted by the TV and left the mixer going for 2 HOURS!
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