The Perfect Buttercream Icing Recipe and Cupcake Tip

Join us on Facebook for our latest recipes!

My family is absolutely addicted to frosting! There is even one sister (I won't name names, but her name does rhyme with Bisten- ha ha! I know that is not a word, but what else rhymes with Kristen?) who I save my leftover frosting for and she will eat it straight out of the container! :) I wish she lived closer so that I could share this frosting with her . . . IT IS AMAZING! I use it for all my cupcakes lately and not only does it taste amazing, but it is so easy to pipe with and decorate with. Here you go:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 cups (1 lb) sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla
Food coloring (to get that pink color in the picture, I added 4 drops of red food coloring to my icing)

Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at a medium speed until light and fluffy.

If you need to thin this icing, add a small amount of light corn syrup.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Rewhip before using. Yields 3 cups.

Photo Credit: KellyNeil.com

So, the top cupcake picture is actually from the cupcakes that I baked for my daughter's birthday party (more on that later!). To make them, I actually used a "Funfetti" cake mix (Gasp! I know! I didn't even make them from scratch! But if you do want a Homemade From Scratch Funfetti Recipe, head over to Life's Simple Measures! She has an amazing recipe!) and I saw this little tip on Pinterest, so I gave it a try. I lowered my oven temperature down to 325 degrees and cooked them a little longer . . . they were the BEST LOOKING CUPCAKES I have ever made. I highly recommend trying it!! Hooray for Pinterest!!