Decorators Icing Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the shortening, water and vanilla. This will take some time to mix up but it will eventually.
• Add the meringue powder and powdered sugar.
• Mix well - beat for about 3 minutes
• If this is way too stiff you can add a little water at a time. Just remember you want this to be a little thick so you can spread it.

Steps:

• Beat together all ingredients except food coloring in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderate speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and beat icing, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until it holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 to 5 minutes with a handheld. Beat in food coloring (if using). If you plan to spread (rather than pipe) icing on cookies, stir in more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency.

Steps:

• 1. Cream shortening and butter with an electric, handheld, or paddle-whip mixer. Add flavoring and salt. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time. Add meringue powder. (The mixture will appear dry.)
• 2. Add liquid of choice and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 5 to 8 minutes). Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
• Storage: Store the icing in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Yield: 2 1/2 quarts (2.37 L)
• MASTER CHEF'S HINT
• Add extra liquid to soften the buttercream or extra 10X confectioners' sugar to stiffen it.

Steps:

• Cream butter and shortening then add vanilla.
• Add sugar a cup at a time beating on medium speed.
• Add milk 1 Tbls. at a time and beat on high until completely blended.
• TIP: To cut the sweetness I usually sprinkle some salt in the vanilla (so it will dissolve) before proceeding with recipe as instructed.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream butter until smooth, but not airy. Add milk, vanilla and salt and mix to incorporate.
• Sift powdered sugar over the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated and smooth. Do not overmix, to avoid air pockets in your frosting.
• Divide the frosting and add gel food coloring as desired.
• Use a piping bag fitted with desired tip to pipe flowers onto parchment paper. Freeze the flowers for at least 20 minutes.
• Use a knife to lift frozen flowers from parchment and onto a frosted cake. Arrange as desired.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Using electric mixer (prefereably not handheld), cream shortening until very soft.
• Add salt, a little powdered sugar and flavorings.
• Alternately add water and powdered sugar, beating on medium speed until frosting is smooth after each addition.
• ***Do not mix on high speed as it will cause bubbles in the finished frosting.
• ***NOTE: This frosting makes enough to frost a 2-layer cake with enough left to make decorative roses, etc.
• for the top of the cake.
• DECORATIONS: Roses, leaves and other decorations can be made by adding tasteless food coloring paste (Wilton is one brand) to the frosting.
• Make decorations, place on plastic wrap on cookie sheet and cover gently with plastic wrap.
• Freeze for up to 1 month.
• ***If you decide to freeze your frosted cake, DO NOT put the decorations on it until after you have thawed both the cake and decorations, as the colored decorations will bleed into the cake frosting when they thaw.
• ***Defrost cake and decorations separately and then place decorations on the cake.
• VARIATIONS: For chocolate frosting, add 3 tbs powdered cocoa to the sugar mixture.
• For lemon, omit butter and vanilla flavorings and add 3 tsp.
• lemon extract.
• COLORED FROSTINGS: Frosting can be made any color you want with tasteless food coloring, but be sure to mix well after adding the coloring.
• WEDDING CAKES: Five recipes of this frosting will decorate wedding cakes as follows: top layer 6-inch cake, middle layer 14-inch cake and bottom layer 18-inch cake.
• This will serve 50-60 people.

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, beat together shortening and salt. Gradually add vanilla, confectioner's sugar and water. Beat constantly until fluffy. (Icing will be stiff.) Cover bowl with a damp cloth while using so it doesn't dry out. Food coloring or color paste may be added to match wedding colors.
• Use a decorator bag and tips to pipe desired shapes onto cookies. Use writing tips for initials and highlights. Use leaf tip for flowing wedding gowns etc.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, water and vanilla. Beat on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for a full five minutes. It won't look like Icing at first, but keep the mixer going for a full five minutes, and then you're done!
• Note: If you're not using this for decorating, but just for icing the cake, thin the icing by adding 3 tbs. of corn syrup, or water to the icing.