Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Icing, Icing Baby!

Ok, so I tried this Buttercream Icing recipe that I found randomly online over the July 4th weekend - most of the buttercream recipes I found were much like this one, calling for shortening and butter... so I tried it:








Buttercream Dream Icing

Ingredients
1 stick salted butter - room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter - room temperature
1 cup shortening
1 tablespoon Clear Vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
4-6 tablespoons very cold milk

Directions
Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the clear vanilla extract and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk... one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.
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In comparison with my own icing recipe:
1 pound of confectioner's sugar
1/2 stick of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Whole milk to get to desired consistency

- Which I made at the same time, I personally found that adding shortening with butter made it kind of greasy in taste-tecture. The spreading consistency of the online buttercream recipe was much more even than my recipe, but
it wasn't as sweet. Anyone else have good icing recipes?

5 comments:

  1. Interesting contrast - and totally putting my store bought icing with whipped cream to shame :(

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  2. No shame in icing from a can! Every time I use Betty Crocker, I always get compliments lol

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  3. Came over from Bead up- my favorite buttercream recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I do sub in regular (ie diary) butter and milk, but have made it using the Vegan kinds. It's just lighter and less greasy than the typical Buttercream. At least, that's my feeling.

    The other icing I really, really can't get enough of is Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It is so light, not greasy at all, and goes perfectly with a more rich/decadant cupcake. Mmmm.

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  4. Oh- one more thing.

    My Wilton instructor (took classes 1-3 last year) did give me a tip to use Store brand shortening and not the Crisco. Something about the way they make the crisco shortening can mess with your frosting consistency.

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  5. Will have to try this one as my wife has a sweet tooth.

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