Now, let me just say…buttercream frosting is NOT supposed to be fat free or reduced calorie or contain any ingredient that would be considered a ‘diet’ food. Why not? Because frosting is decadent, rich, fluffy, delicious, and yes, even at times very wicked.
My recipe is a version of the recipe I was given when I took cake decorating classes, though I don’t follow either as closely as I follow the taste and consistency I am looking for. I have been making this for so many years now that I know by sight and taste if it’s right.
To get the pink color: there are a couple of different ways to do this. One is to add a drop at a time of red food coloring until you get the color you’re looking for. Red coloring doesn’t generally make the frosting red, just deeper and deeper shades of pink. There are also jars of gel colorings that you can purchase at craft stores like Michael’s, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, etc… Wilton has a whole line of supplies and colors. The lightest pink you can find is the one you want. And just like with the red food coloring, a little dab will do. The colorings, whether food coloring or gel colorings, will not change the flavor of the frosting.
You will notice also, before adding the coloring, that the frosting isn’t pure white. It’s because you’ve added butter and vanilla. There is clear vanilla flavoring that can be used, however, I simply prefer the taste of pure vanilla extract. To get a pure white frosting, you would omit the butter and use 1 cup of solid vegetable shortening and a butter flavoring. Again, my personal preference is the real butter. The clear vanilla flavoring and the butter flavoring can be purchased at craft stores though.
So, let’s get started…
Ingredients:
1 stick of unsalted butter brought to room temperature (unsalted, because this way you can control the amount of salt in your recipes)
½ Cup of solid vegetable shortening (regular Crisco or store brand or Wesson solid vegetable shortening, not Lard and not butter flavor Crisco)
1-2 T water
1 T meringue powder/dry egg whites (this can be found down the baking aisle in most stores. It is not necessary to the recipe, but it does whip up smoother and fluffier with it)
3-4 C sifted powdered sugar (4X or 10X, I have found that it does not matter)
¼ Cup milk or half and half (you can use water here as well, but the milk/half and half make it creamier)
1 t vanilla extract (add a little more if it’s not enough of a vanilla flavor for you)
Pinch of salt (start with just a small pinch, this will be to taste, to cut the sweetness of the frosting, not to add a salty flavor)
Coloring
Directions:
With an electric hand mixer or electric stand mixer, cream butter and shortening until well blended, adding 1T water. Sift powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add to the butter and shortening, little by little (I use a large serving spoon, one spoonful at a time until it’s all incorporated). You’ll notice that the frosting will get thick and hard to mix so add 1 tablespoon of milk until it becomes the consistency you want, which is spreadable. Add your vanilla, mix well, then add a dash of salt.
The last step is to add your coloring. A drop at a time, mix well. If you are adding icing color from the jar, take a toothpick, dip it in the color, then swirl it through the frosting. Mix completely with the mixer. The color we’re looking for is pale pink, just a shade or two darker than white but enough to know that it’s pink.
I usually whip the frosting at medium speed for about 2-5 minutes until it’s nice and fluffy. If you do not plan to use the frosting immediately, cover it and put it in the refrigerator. It has butter and milk, enough said. When you are ready to use it, take it out and let it soften, then re-whip it to get the fluffiness back.
Homemade frosting tastes nothing like the icing in the can at the store, so if you taste it and think ‘This isn’t right. The jar frosting tastes different’ it’s okay. It’s not supposed to taste the same.
This is a vanilla buttercream that can be used on any flavor cake.
Labels: Cupcake giveaway, frosting recipe, lissa Matthews, pink buttercream frosting, romance in the Backseat
