An easy to make egg-free frosting that works great for decorating cookies for holidays, birthdays and parties. When you need to add coloring to icing, use color paste.  If you use liquid coloring, you may need to add more confectioner's sugar.

Buttercream Icing

butter, softened

shortening

vanilla extract

confectioners' sugar

milk

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.


I made two batches. One following the exact recipe, and one with all butter. Defenitely use all butter, the icing turns out just as nice and there is no shortening taste.

Great base recipe; I used all butter, no shortening. I used an extra teaspoon of vanilla and about 4-5 tablespoons of milk. I only used 2½ cups of powdered sugar and found it to be more than enough; I can't imagine the coma I'd be in if I had used 4! I used this icing on the One Bowl Chocolate Cake III (pictured) and I had some left over. The key is clearly to beat at medium to high speed for several minutes to ensure maximum peak. I do recommend this recipe provided you make some minor tweaks... I definitely suggest tasting as you go to ensure that you don't accidentally use too much sugar and have no way to remove the excess. Remember, the best recipes on earth still go through trial and error. =)

I liked this.  It had a milder flavor than other buttercream frostings I've tried, and I LOVED not having to cook it, and not using any eggs in it.  As another reviewer pointed out though, it's absolutely unnecessary to beat the sugar in one cup at a time.  Save yourself all that trouble and just pour all 4 cups in at once.  I also used about twice as much milk, but that was just my preference.  I suggest adding milk one tablespoon at a time until you have the consistency you desire.

In fairness to the recipe and its submitter, I prepared this exactly as written--in other words, had I used all butter (as so many others have) instead of half butter, half shortening as the recipe directs, it wouldn't have been this recipe, right? That said, I rated this recipe, as written, 5-star and perfect as written.  Would it be equally as good with all butter?  Probably, but that would be a different recipe to review.  THIS frosting is creamy, not too sweet, spreads easily, and was simply perfect on "David's Yellow Cake," also from this site.

This recipe *IS* the Wilton recipe.  Except that the Wilton recipe goes further, and specifies that this is the consistency to use for piping, not for spreading.  To thin it in order to use for spreading, you need to add up to 2 Tbsp of corn syrup or milk.  And that's not mentioned here.  That's also why it uses shortening -- to help piped decorations hold their shape.  The 50/50 ratio of butter to shortening is the compromise of flavour vs. practicality for decorating.    But if you're only using it for spreading, there's no issue with using all butter.  It will be a softer consistency, that's all.

Awesome frosting! I have made it enought o know that you do not need to put each cup of sugar in at a time though. It's a waist of time & unnessesary. You can put all the cups in one bowl at once and all of the other ingredients and simply mix. It takes less than 5 minutes.

I took others reviewers advice and used only butter. The key is to mix on high to get it to blend into icing. I put all the sugar in at once as well.  I used all 4 cups of sugar and it was sweet. I love sweet, but this is too much for me, will make it again but only use 3 cups

I was looking for a cake and icing recipe to make for my nephews sons' graduation party. I made a cake with this icing. I loved it. I found a recipe that takes one box Duncan Hines white cake mix and add a box of Jello White Chocolate pudding. I made the cake by the directions and just added the dry pudding mix with a 1/2 c. water. The cake is fabulous. I had my neice (mother of grad)come over and try yet another cake and she went nuts. She loved it. She stated "this is the cake this is the one you can stop looking for recipes. The icing is fabulous. It goes great with the cake. It all just melts in your mouth. Oh I'm in heaven. This is the best cake I've ever had." And the grad himself even tried it and loved it. I sent half the cake home with them and they were fighting over who was carrying the cake as they were going out the door. LOL. Well you have made all of us very happy. I get to quit baking bad cakes with so-so to nasty icing and my nephews son knows he is getting a fabulous cake for his grad party. Thanks so much. This was a life saver.

This was really good! I took advise from other reviews and ONLY used Butter. I did NOT use shortening. I also increased the vanilla to 2tsp and reduced the sugar to 3 cups. Although no one else thought so I thought it was a bit thick and i think it may have been that my butter was not at room temp ( i had to warm it in the microwave.) When i make this again i will make sure the icing is warmed properly. Try this recipe! It is really good!

See how to make an egg-free frosting for cookies and cupcakes.

buttercream icing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total: 15 minutes

Servings: 1.5

Cost: $11.99 /serving

Author : Sharon Gerstman

Ingredients

Instructions

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