Butter-cream frosting (Traditional and Crusting)

When you plan to use a butter-cream frosting on your cake (or cookies) you pretty much have to battle between ease/beauty and taste.  A traditional, mouth-watering butter-cream frosting recipe would look like this:

Vanilla Butter-cream Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter - softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

Mix sugar and butter, add vanilla, gradually add milk to desired consistency.

TASTES GREAT!  But difficult to do much in the way of roses; the butter simply won't hold it's form once soft.  S many professional confectioners use something like this one:

Crusting Butter-cream Frosting:
1 cup butter -softened
2 cups vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla (clear)
2 lb. powdered sugar
Add milk or water as necessary

This will allow you to make BEAUTIFUL roses, if you don't mind eating vegetable shortening as your frosting.

In trying to find the middle ground, I prefer this recipe:

Amanda's Crusting Butter-cream Frosting:
1 1/2 cup butter - softened
1 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 - 1/3 cup milk
2 lb. confectioners sugar.

Because of the changes, this will not be brilliant white.  However, I think the ivory color is nice, and it improves the taste.  If I REALLY need crisp roses I will use a higher percentage shortening, but for most cakes this will look nice and not make you gag.  For a chocolate version simply add 1/2 cup of cocoa to this (more if you like the richer flavor).

The real beauty of the crusting butter-cream is the ability to make a smooth (almost fondant-esque) finish.  When frosting a cake you should start with a crumb-layer.  This is a layer of frosting that seals in the crumbs, and has no need to look good, because it will be covered up later.  (You can skip this for cupcakes)

Allow this to crust-up for a half hour at least, sealing in the crumbs.  Next, you want to frost the entire cake with the crusting butter-cream, getting it as smooth as possible.  Allow it to stand for 15-20 minutes.  This will give the frosting a chance to partially set.  Take a Viva brand paper towel (the only brand without any type of quilting that will leave an impression on your cake) and lay it over the frosting, running your hand (or the bottom of a flat measuring cup) over the top to smooth the frosting underneath.  The result is what you see on the pink and blue cakes above, and on the base of these birdie cupcakes:

Allow a few more minutes for the frosting to set before adding further decorations.

For better step-by-step photographs and an explanation by a professional, check out the link to the "My Cake School" blog in the credits section, or run a search for Crusting Butter-cream Frosting Viva Paper Towel Technique.