Classic White Frosting Recipe


I recommended my amazing buttercream recipe for everyone to use with if you want to frost your cake with a paper towel. The only problem with that frosting is that it doesn't form a "crust" and your paper towel has a greater chance of sticking to the frosting. It also isn't completely white because of the butter. If you want an easy frosting that will work perfectly when you frost with a paper towel then this is it! It is also very white and easy to color.

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk

Beat the shortening, vanilla, and almond extract on medium speed for 30 seconds. Then gradually add in 2 cups of powdered sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of milk. Gradually add in the last 2 cups of powdered sugar. Then add some more milk until you get your desired consistency. 

(makes about 3 cups)

Try this when you frost your cake with a paper towel and you will have success with it! Let me know how it turns out for you! Good luck!


Don't forget to pin this to Pinterest to save the recipe!

 



56 comments:

  1. Hi Brooke, lovely website, great recipie! Just one thing, can I use this as a buttercream base for my cake and then cover it with fondant?

    Divya

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    1. Thank you! You most definitely can :) This would work great!

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  2. I used this icing recipe with your Viva paper towel technique, and it came out BEAUTIFULLY!! The bride was thrilled with her shower cake, and I heard several people say, "That's not fondant?!". :-)

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    1. I am so happy to hear that it worked out great! Thanks for letting me know :) I would love to see a picture of the cake!

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    2. Do you have to use viva paper towel. Can you use bounty

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  3. Hi Brooke
    I am planning to make a vanilla cake with your frosting recipe, and since I live in Paris, France we do not have Viva paper towel. I was wondering if I could use any paper towel?
    Please advise.
    Thanks
    Amarja

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    1. Hi Amarja!
      You can use any paper towel, but look at the patterns that are on the towel because they will probably transfer onto the cake. If there is any other brand that has a smooth paper towel go ahead and use that! Thanks!

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  4. I tried to use the paper towel with this frosting but it stuck to it....should I have refrigerated it first or let it sit a bit???

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    1. It does need to sit for a little bit in order to form a "crust" which means the frosting has hardened. Then you can definitely use the paper towel.

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  5. Hi Brroke, i was wondering what is a shortening?

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    1. Hi - not Brooke, just some random guy - but I can answer your question. It's basically a fancy name for vegetable fat. I prefer using white margarine though - in South Africa (where I'm from) it's sold under the Wooden Spoon brand. Since it tastes like margarine and not fat, there's no need for almond essence. Just the margarine, milk and sugar. Hope it helps!

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  6. Is it possible to add color to the icing or will it change the texture too much? I want to try the paper towel technique...looks brilliant! Fondant is such a pain to work with.
    Also, how far in advance can you make/frost a cake before an event? Do you wait until the day of the party or will it last in the fridge?
    Thanks!

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  7. Hey Brooke,
    Just wondering, can you add food coloring to this recipe without it changing it at all? Will the paper towel technique still work if I add food coloring? Thanks so much!

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    1. You can definitely use food coloring, but for the best results use Americolor or Wilton colors. The paper towel will definitely still work! :)

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  8. Hi there! I’m going to attempt this frosting this weekend, and I was wondering what you suggest for keeping the cake fresh over night? My sons party is Saturday morning, so I’m going to do the cake on Friday night. With this frosting recipe, should I cover the cake and refrigerate it over night? Or leave it at room temperature? Thank you!!

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    1. That is so exciting! I would definitely cover it and refrigerate it over night so the cake and frosting will stay fresh :)

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  9. I'm planning on trying this for my son's birthday cake this weekend. Like Kayla, I was hoping to use food coloring. I wouldn't imagine it should make a difference, right? Also, I'm putting it on a chocolate cake so I'm not sure how the almond might taste. Think I could just leave it out? or add some extra vanilla?

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    1. You shouldn't have a hard time with food coloring, but just make sure it is either Americolor or Wilton just to be safe :) You can definitely leave out the almond extract. I think a little more vanilla would taste great (just don't overdo it)!

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  10. Do you know if cream cheese frosting wOuld work with the paper towel method?

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    1. I definitely think that cream cheese would work! Don't be afraid of the paper towel sticking. Just pull it off slowly and then I think you will have success with it :)

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  11. Hi, I would like to know if there is a similar recipe or way to do this with cream cheese frosting as well.

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    1. Go ahead and try this recipe:

      8 oz. package cream cheese
      1/2 cup butter
      2 teaspoons vanilla
      6 cups of powdered sugar

      Make sure you freeze it so that it will still form a "crust". Don't be afraid of the paper towel sticking because it most likely will. Just pull it off slowly and then you're good to go!

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  12. hi Brooke,

    i love your site!! I am going to try the paper towel method for my daughers 4th birthday cake, i really like the taste of 50/50 shortening butter as opposed to all shortening (maybe its in my head that it should have a buttery taste) will it still 'crust"? Or would you recommend just using a butter flavouring?
    Thanks so much for time!
    Lisa

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    1. Thank you!!

      That is a very interesting idea! I have never tried doing it 50/50 but I think it just might work! I know I hate putting shortening in anything! I would go ahead and try it! Just make sure that you freeze it to speed along the process of "crusting".

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  13. hi i love your site its amazing! i was wondering can i use the store bought frosting? and will it work with the viva paper towel method

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    1. Thank you!! If you use store bought icing it is already very sticky and thick, so when you use the paper towel it will get stuck pretty easily.

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  14. Just made the frosting and I am gonna get working on the cakes later tonight for my daughters 3rd b-day tomorrow!! I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for such great ideas!

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  15. If i add food coloring to this will it change it much on the paper towel technique?

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  16. did this recipie change? you say it's not pure white cause of the butter but there is no butter. just the shortening. is it the vegetable shortening of the butter flavored shortening?

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    1. This recipe is different than the one that I showed in the video tutorial because people were having difficulties with it. I use vegetable shortening for this recipe. This one should work a lot better!

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  17. Hi Brooke!!!Ilove your site!!!great recipies!!!!!

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  18. Do you have a chocolate frosting recipe that would work for this frosting?

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    1. Yes! Try this:

      1 cup shortening
      1/3 cup cocoa powder
      3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
      2-3 Tbsp. milk
      2 tsp. of vanilla extract

      Hope this helps :)

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  19. Hi Brooke! :)
    You know I was wondering the same thing thar Lid D^ is asking....do you have a chocolate frosting recipe that would work with the Viva Paper Towel? If you do please let us know? I'm making a cake for my sister in law and she really likes chocolate and wants her cake to look like fondant smooth, but she's not a very huge fan of it/:

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    1. Yes! Try this:

      1 cup shortening
      1/3 cup cocoa powder
      3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
      2-3 Tbsp. milk
      2 tsp. of vanilla extract

      Good luck with your cake!! :)

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    2. Yay!!! Thanks so much!you're amazing!(:

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    3. Oh and also when I make this should I melt the cocoa powder and shortening together and then mix the ingrsients together? Or just mix them all in without melting the shortening and cocoa powder? Thanks!(:

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    4. Theresa, you don't melt the shortening at all!

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  20. Can you use vanilla extract instead of almond?

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  21. Brooke,
    I use my regular buttercream recipe for this very same technique, it does not form a crust but it works fine if the frosting is allowed to sit for about 20 minutes

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  22. I am looking forward to trying this today! FL is so humid that my buttercream never forms any type of crust so that I can smooth it (even if I leave it sitting with a fan on it for hours), so I feel like I'm "stuck" using fondant. I'll try this one today...I figure if it doesn't crust, I'm not out anything. :0)

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  23. Hi Brooke,

    I was wondering if the recipe would still be successful using the paper towel technique if we substitute champagne extract for the vanilla extract? Thanks in advance!

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  24. For use in humid weather try adding a couple spoonfuls of meringue powder. You can usually find it anyplace that sells Wilton products. Frost cake and let sit a bit and the icing will crust. I live in Indiana and our summers get pretty humid, I use tbe meringue powder to help stabliize the icing. Also the almond is very good with chocolate cake.

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  25. I love your tutorials.

    For a standard size rectangle sheet cake (9x13), can I use the same ingredient measurements?

    Thank you!

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  26. Can you please show us a video tutorial to make this white frosting?

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  27. Hi what about flavored icing? Did you hav a tut about tht? I'd love to try this.

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  28. Hello!
    I was wondering if it's possible to do this with wax paper instead of the paper towel. I'm not sure of any brands of paper towel with no design on it. Thanks!!

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  29. Does the powdered sugar need to be sifted first?

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  30. Awesome recipe!! I also now understand needing a viva papertowel, I tried a different cheap brand and it didn't work!! :( I also used a 1/4 of almond extract instead of a half Bc we don't care for almond extract. I'm aboslutely loving this site! Cant wait for more post.

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    1. Hi Kianny, Thank you for your kind words. Brooke is out of the country for 18 months so there won't be any more post for awhile. :) She will be back in June of 2014. Glad you like it! Brenda (Brooke's mom)

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  31. love it!!! does it work with soy milk?

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  32. Hello do you have a Butter cream recipe for this technique? Thank you in advance.

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  33. Have you ever tried with Nutella?

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  34. My husbands birthday is Sunday and I want to do a strawberry creme cheese frosting using the paper towel technique any recipes you can think of that would possibly help me

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  35. Am I correct in thinking you want this frosting to be a little thinner then usual to make it a perfect smooth covering on the cake? Have not frosted a cake in a few years and taking on a big project.

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  36. I make this and it does crust and the paper towel works great. Just let it sit for a while. I have also used was paper.

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