White Frosting

If you make a buttercream frosting with butter or margarine it is never absolutely white.  Several years ago I was looking for a white frosting recipe and came across a good white icing recipe on allrecipes.com.  I made the recipe for a daughter's birthday cake.  It worked well and was very sweet, but good (better than bakery frosting).  I've used it for different cakes over the past few years.  Now I like it because it is also an egg-free and dairy-free frosting.

White Frosting

1 cup solid vegetable shortening (Crisco)

½ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. clear imitation vanilla extract

¼ tsp. almond extract (optional)

½ cup water

8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Add the shortening, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and half of the powdered sugar into the large bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix for at least 5 minutes (or more).  It is important to mix it a long time. 

Gradually add the remainder of the powdered sugar and beat enough to combine. 

If it is too thick add more water as needed.

Notes: This is the frosting recipe I used for the Superman Cake.  I know it doesn't make much sense to post a blue cake picture for a white frosting recipe--but the white lettering is the untinted frosting and the blue frosting shows that it takes color well.