My Favorite Buttercream Icing For Decorating

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups crisco shortening
• 1 teaspoon butter flavoring (wilton's makes the best flavored version)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (i use wilton's clear vanilla)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 lbs confectioners' sugar, pure cane
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon meringue powder (optional but the texture will be smoother)
• water, as necessary (i usually add about 2 tablespoons but you may need more or less depending on the humidity in your ne)

Recipe

• 1 * you can purchase meringue powder at your local grocery store under the brand name of just whites.
• 2 in the mixer, mix butter, crisco shortening, and salt together to incorporate, about 5 minutes on low.
• 3 add almond, butter and vanilla extracts. mix together well. add about 1 pound of powdered sugar and the meringue powder and mix.
• 4 add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time and mix until you get the consistency you want.
• 5 add a little milk, a teaspoon at a time, if necessary to thin the frosting. blend well on low for several minutes.
• 6 use immediately or cover and refrigerate. note: buttercream icing will last for weeks as long as it is well sealed.
• 7 this icing is used for icing cakes and cookies as well as for borders and art work on cakes. it also makes a good tasting filling between layers of the cake and under a fondant icing.
• 8 you can make roses, but the drying time is 3 or more days depending on the humidity.