FROSTING AND ICING!!!

Mother Dearest from the great blog "Home Sweet Home" asked me if I had a recipe for homemade frosting.

Well I have a few, and actually growing up I remember any kind of frosting was made from scratch, there were no such things as frosting in a tub, and quite frankly to me it's a bit too sweet. So here are some great frosting recipes:

Buttercream Icing

6 tablespoons butter, softened (no substitutions)
3 tablespoons whipping cream, unwhipped (35%)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups icing sugar

1. In a bowl, beat together the butter, whipping cream and vanilla until smooth (about 3 minutes).

2. Add in icing sugar; beat very well until smooth, adding more if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

3. Note: In order for the icing to have a creamy texture, only whipping cream must be used.

The Perfect Buttercream Icing

1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
1/4 stick butter (2 tablespoons), slightly soft not mushy
1 TBSP to 2 TBSPS (1/8 cup) heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. clear vanilla
1/2 pound (2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted (measure than sift)

In your mixer bowl, beat the shortening until it's smooth, add the butter and beat together until smooth and light and fluffy. Add smaller amount of the heavy cream indicated in the recipe and the vanilla and mix well. Add half the powdered sugar and mix for 5 minutes on low-med. speed. Add remaining sugar and mix well. Add more cream or powdered sugar if necessary to adjust the consistency.

One Bowl Buttercream Frosting

* 6 tablespoons butter, softened
* 2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In medium bowl, beat butter. Add confectioners' sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla.

Thick Vanilla Frosting

1 cup shortening 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted) 4 tablespoons milk

Beat together shortening and vanilla for 30 seconds medium speed with an electric mixer. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar a bit at a time while beating. Then add 2 tablespoons milk. Slowly add in the rest of the powdered sugar and the rest of the milk until you get the right thickness for your frosting.

Those are just a few of the recipes I've used before, and when I want to make a chocolate frosting I just add cocoa to the ingredients. Enjoy!!!