Carolyn's Buttercream Icing.

[MAK]

Carolyn’s Buttercream Icing
Carolyn Lawrence - Bridal1@aol.com

2 cups Crisco (I now use Best Choice or Sweetex)
1/3 cup powdered milk mixed with enough hot water to make 1 cup

Add to the milk:
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. clear vanilla
1/2 tsp. clear butter flavoring
1/2 tsp. almond
1/2 tsp. Creme Royale or Creme Bouquet (optional)

Blend the milk mixture and the shortening together until smooth.

Sift together 4 pounds powdered sugar + 1/2 cup cornstarch

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the shortening/milk/extract mix...

Beat well for about 15 minutes.


This can be kept out of the refrigerator for around 2 weeks.
I usually use it so fast that I hardly ever get it in the refrigerator unless
I am going out of town for a few days and then it can also be frozen.
The cornstarch helps humidity as well as helping to cut the sweetness.

Play with it and use whatever flavorings you like. For chocolate icing, I just add Hershey's cocoa (any cocoa would work) and some extra hot water. If you want a darker brown color, you can also add brown coloring.

Enjoy!

[2sdae]

cool, very similar to sugar shacks too!

[puzzlegut]

Hmmmmmm, this sounds like an interesting recipe. Does it have to use the powdered milk? Could it be replaced with the powdered coffee creamer or powdered whip topping mix? Also to make the chocolate icing, do you replace some of the powdered sugar with the cocoa and how much cocoa do you use?

[MAK]

Puzzle, this isn't my recipe. If you'd like to e-mail Carolyn [in the initial post], I'm sure she'd be happy to answer your questions if what I've written below still leaves you wondering.....

Here's my "feel" on it though.... you could use powdered creamer or powdered whipped topping....just as long as you get in that amount of liquid - e.g., mix whatever powder you'd like per the directions of that product and then use a cup of it. I'm also guessing she does not replace any powdered sugar for cocoa,....and....she didn't give me amount on the cocoa. I'm thinking you dump it in to taste.

[puzzlegut]

Thanks. I might have to try it.

[Sugarshack]

Just an FYI; the big difference between this recipe and mine is the ratio. I use 1:1 ; 1cup fat to 1 pound of sugar. This is one cup fat to 2 pounds PS, so it will be drier and crust faster ( and I do not mean that in a bad way, just an FYI way)

[MAK]

Originally Posted by Sugarshack

Just an FYI; the big difference between this recipe and mine is the ratio. I use 1:1 ; 1cup fat to 1 pound of sugar. This is one cup fat to 2 pounds PS, so it will be drier and crust faster ( and I do not mean that in a bad way, just an FYI way)

Sharon is completely correct about that. I've seen Carolyn put the icing down and she's using a Viva on it within a couple minutes. She can ice a 3 tier wedding cake and decorate it in 45 minutes flat. It's pretty amazing to watch.

[2sdae]

Originally Posted by Sugarshack

Just an FYI; the big difference between this recipe and mine is the ratio. I use 1:1 ; 1cup fat to 1 pound of sugar. This is one cup fat to 2 pounds PS, so it will be drier and crust faster ( and I do not mean that in a bad way, just an FYI way)

That's what I was thinking too, cool to know.

[puzzlegut]

I'm wondering how all of you make Carolyn's buttercream? Normally when I do my buttercream, I cream the shortening with the liquid, and then add the powdered sugar.

[MAK]

Puzzle - I'm positive she creams the shortening with the milk + extracts and then adds the powdered sugar + corn starch.

I copied/pasted this recipe from one she gave me and it wasn't very clear. I edited the initial post to reflect those changes.