This has been my go-to frosting recipe for a while now. I don’t even recall how I discovered it but once I tried it I was sold. I’ve tested so many buttercreams in the past and so many times have failed, I feel bad for my family for having to be my guinea pigs. Many a times the recipe will call for powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. What does that leave me with? An extremely thin icing that won’t adhere to the cake. So I would have to add more powdered sugar to thicken the frosting and that left me with a tooth-achingly sweet icing. The shortening gives the frosting a really light texture that just melts in your mouth. It is a fluffy and not overwhelmingly sweet buttercream that can be easily adapted to any flavor. Give it a try, it frosts beautifully and pipes effortlessly!

Buttercream Frosting

Yields: about 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1/2 cup shortening

Directions:

1. Using the whisk attachment on stand mixer, combine the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk at low speed until smooth.
2. Add butter, one slice at a time, until fully incorporated.
   

   Frosting after butter is added.

3. Add shortening and whip at highest speed for 10-12 minutes. The volume will increase by 50%.
   

   Buttercream after it has doubled in volume