Homemade Frosting

Go to http://www.wilton.com and they should have several. And some more great cake ideas and techniques. Good luck!

This is my favorite and I have received TONS and TONS and compliments.......(I sometimes use French vanilla coffe creamer instead of the whipping cream to add more flavor)

Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Directions
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

M.,
Here is a recipe that I use all the time. It works on any cake.
Buttercream Icing
1 cup margarine
1 cup shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla (I actually use Almond flavoring instead)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons cold milk
Whip margarine and shortening add flavor and salt slowly add powdered sugar, add milk little by little until it reaches your desired consistancy. You may not use all of the milk it is okay. You also may need a little more. You can always add more powdered sugar if needed.

Hope this helps. A.

This is an oldie, but a goodie!
1 stick of butter
1 lb. of powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tablespoon light cream or milk (I use skim)

Combine 1/3 of sugar with the butter until smooth. Add vanilla, salt, and milk. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until smooth. If frosting is too thick, additional milk may be added.

I use this butter cream recipe for all my baking. I dabble in decorating myself, and this tastes great and looks great, too.

Butter cream frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter-softened NOT MELTED!

beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy, add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time beat until smooth, add vanilla and beat until well mixed.

I like the wilton recipe that was suggested previously. Before I took the wilton decorating class, I used a recipe that is supposed to be close to hy vee's recipe and it is:
1 c shorting
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2tbls (give or take) milk

(I use 1-2 tsp of almond extract or sometimes 1 tsp almond and 1 tsp vanilla).

My favorite decorator and edible frosting is:

1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 tsp vanilla
3-6 c powdered sugar
1-3 tbs milk

whip the butter vanilla and shortening until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and milk alternatively until you achieve desired consistently.

for frosting the cake itself you will want fairly soft, for flowers and stuff you will want fairly stiff.

vanilla buttercream frosting:
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed in large bowl until creamy. with mixer running, gradually add about 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until well blended. slowly beat in milk and vanilla. gradually add remaining powdered sugar, beating until smooth. add additional milk, if necessary, until frosting is desired consistency.

you can look on taste of home's web site or recipezar they both have great recipes.

have fun cooking for DH's birthday.

Chocolate Frosting
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
To make the frosting, melt together the cocoa powder and butter, set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; stir in the cocoa mixture.

try buttercream frosting, basicly butter powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. you can prob find the recipie online I don't have it off hand

I took 3 decorating classes before having to move:( This is the buttercream recipe that we liked best. It's easy to work with. you'll really need a stand mixer if you have it...it gets tiring with a handheld (plus you can burn up the motor!)

This will be enough for a 1/4 sheet. A tip for baking the cake...make 2 cake mixes then take out 12 cupcakes worth of batter. Pour the remainder into the pan. Cook it at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes. The lower temp and longer time keep the cake from getting that dome in the center.

3 lb. Powdered Sugar (if in a bag you won't have to sift it)
2 Tbsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C Butter (if you can find white margarine that is better)
2 1/2 C Crisco
teaspoons of milk if necessary

Combine butter, Crisco and salt slowly until creamy and combined. Add vanilla and 2 lbs of powdered sugar slowly until combined. Add the last pound of powdered sugar slowly until combined. Add milk with the last pound of powdered sugar if necessary to make frosting smooth.

If you need to make any of the frosting black add cocoa powder to that portion of the frosting before mixing in the black coloring. it tastes better. It will be VERY stiff though.
If you have any questions feel free to email me ____@____.com fun:)

* 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
* 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
* 4 cups confectioner's sugar (approximately 1 lb.) sifted
* 2 Tablespoons milk

This is Wiltons buttercream frosting. You really want to look at using a recipe that uses mostly shortening as trying to decorate anything that is a little fancier is made very difficult with anything that has mostly butter in it as it will get too soft.

Here is the link to the recipe they have some other tips about the frosting on how to use it best depending on what you would like to do with it.
http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing

I have the easiest recipe....
I go to the Hy-Vee bakery and ask to buy the frosting that they use. It's about $5 for a giant tub of frosting and I usually have more than enough to do the whole cake. :) You can also buy the little decorations(rings and the decorative sticks) for the top of cupcakes for 10 cents each :)

One bag of powdered sugar, 2 sticks of butter , 1 tsp. of either vanilla or wilton butter flavoring. and enough water to thin to a good consistanty it should be around 5-10 tablespoons. more or less. enjoy

Good for you for making a cake,this is something that I have come to really enjoy doing for all of our b-days. Something my mom did for us and really remember so something I wish to carry on. Anyway a great resource is www.wilton.com, on the left click on recipes then scroll down to icing, I use their buttercream recipe. Delicious and always get compliments. I don't need to tweek as it's perfect every time. Spreads easily, just make sure your cake is cool. Good luck!