Crispy Buttercream Icing

 

 

I decided to try my hand at the beautiful 'rose' cake that is all over the internet and on numerous baking blogs out there. There are a number of tutorials on You Tube as well. The secret apparently is in the icing. You definately do not want a regular buttercream made with strictly butter as it will melt and slide. (this is what people are saying) i have no experience here since I played it safe and went with Lard! Yep that's right good ol' fattening crisco shortening. P.S. I'm on a diet! Making this was just plain silliness. ;) Well not really because I was baking this cake for a lovely friend who just had a baby boy. This is the cake I made for her shower. This is what I came up with after reading a few different takes frosting using shortening. Apparently icing made with shortening is the cake decorators icing and is more for appearance than taste. By the way shortening is the way to go if you want that bright white frosting. Anyways I've rambled on here is what I came up with for a recipe.

 

 

Crispy Buttercream Icing

(this decorated a 3 layer 8" cake)

 

3/4 cup of shortening

1/4 cup of butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear if you want the icing to stay white)

1/4 teaspoon of almond extract

6-8 cups of icing sugar

1/2 - 3/4 cups of milk or cream

 

Blend shortening, butter, vanilla and almond extracts together. Add icing sugar a cup at a time incorporating each addition well. Add milk/cream gradually if you find the icing is getting stiff. Taste it. If it is too sweet add less sugar! Add enough liquid (milk) to reach desired consistancy.