Need Birthday Cake Icing Recipe

Directly from the WILTON cake website:

Buttercream Icing

(Medium Consistency)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approx. 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

YIELD: Makes about 3 cups.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and 1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

Came across this super easy recipe...... I haven't tried it but it looks pretty good... has the basics (powdered sugar, butter and vanilla)

VANILLA FROSTING:

2 tbsp. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat ingredients together until light and creamy. Add a little more milk, if necessary, to make it of spreading consistency, or if too thin, add more sugar.

Good luck!

The Wilton recipe is the way to go. I decorate cakes on the side for family and friends and always use this recipe. I would recomend using REAL butter rather than margarine though. I have found that margarine makes the icing very greasy and seems to break down (meaning it looks like it is seperating) very quickly. Have fun with his cake!

I second the WILTON recipe. It perfect for decoratig!! I just made a cake using this recipe. It turned out great.

Don't know what flavor you're going for but I love cream cheese icing. I use a box of the confectioners (sp?) sugar and then one thing (8oz. I believe) of the cream cheese. It's so sweet and yummy!!!It comes out white so you can use food coloring if you need to decorate.