Personally, I don't think butter has any business in my frosting. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE butter, but I love it in my cakes and other baked goods; just NOT in my frosting. That's why I love this Crisco-based Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting. It's buttercream without butter! And although it's called 'whipped cream' buttercream, there is no heavy whipping cream in this recipe.
It's made with shortening and no butter, making it the lightest, airiest, and most delicious homemade icing you'll ever taste! As a kid, I always loved grocery store birthday cake frosting and I wasn't sure exactly why I preferred it over most homemade cake frosting. Eventually, I realized that it was because there was NO BUTTER in it! This is the perfect frosting for vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, a sheet cake, a layer cake, or anything you'd use frosting on. I've been told by many people that this is the best frosting they've ever had!
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When I started cake decorating I searched long and hard for a homemade shortening-based icing recipe I'd love and it was surprisingly hard to find. And then I discovered this icing and fell in love....
I am sharing this little gem with you today, not only because it's my FAVE icing in the world (and keep in mind that I'm super picky when it comes to frosting,) but because I can't seem to find it online anymore; it appears to have vanished off the face of the internet. And since I think that the world needs to know about this, I see it as my public duty to share it. Well, my duty as a food blogger (and cake decorator, die-hard cake lover, and foodie) anyway...
🥘 Ingredients
Unlike American Buttercream, which is basically butter and sugar, this recipe uses meringue powder and shortening instead of butter. And despite the name, you don't need any heavy cream for this recipe either. You'll need the following simple ingredients:
- powdered sugar
- Crisco (or another brand of white vegetable shortening)
- vanilla extract (or any flavor you prefer, such as almond extract)
- hot water
- white granulated sugar
- salt
- meringue powder
*See recipe card for quantities
💭 Top tip
You will never get a clean and fluffy pure white frosting using butter. Butter will always give it that tinge of yellow and it will look off-white. If you really want a fluffy white frosting, the trick is also to use CLEAR VANILLA (affiliate link).
🔪 Instructions
This shortening frosting is made in two parts so you have to be a little patient with the whipping time, but trust me, it's worth it! The end result is the lightest and most airy frosting you've ever had! The secret lies in all that whipping. And everyone agrees, it's not too sweet, as frosting can often be.
🍽 Equipment
Therefore, you will need an electric mixer for this recipe and it's actually easier and better to use 2 mixers (it will take you less time and you don't have to worry about washing the beaters in between steps).
I use a stand mixer for Part 1 and a hand mixer for Part 2. Although I have 2 stand mixers, it's a bit of a pain to get them both out for this job. Plus, my hand mixer (affiliate links) is powerful enough for the job (as most are nowadays)!
If you're looking at buying a stand mixer, unless you are doing a lot of big mixing jobs, you could do with a 4.5 - 5-quart. I have a 7-quart pro because I like to do larger baking jobs (double and triple recipes). But just keep in mind that the Professional series line is better quality and the gears are still made with metal (unlike the Artisan line) so a pro will last you longer, in my opinion. Cuisinart (affiliate links) also makes an excellent mixer and it's less expensive (that is my second mixer).
🎂 Cake Decorating
As a cake decorator, this was and still is my GO-TO frosting for cake decorating!
What I also love about this recipe is that it can be used as a crumb coat and you can add a little more meringue powder, based on whether you want a bit more crusting for decorating. And if you're looking for the perfect cake to serve it with, then check out my Secret Ingredient Vanilla Birthday Cake!
📖 Variations
But here's my VERY FAVORITE PART - you can make it into a CHOCOLATE frosting too! All you do is replace one part icing sugar/powdered sugar with an equal amount of cocoa and voila! you have Chocolate Whipped Cream Buttercream! Because chocolate just makes everything better, right?
Chocolate Whipped Cream Buttercream: to make the chocolate variation, simply replace 1 cup of icing/powdered sugar with 1 cup of cocoa. And it pairs perfectly with my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake!
You can color this frosting any color using food coloring. I would recommend using gel icing color (Wilton or Americolor).
👪 Serving size
This whipped buttercream frosting recipe will frost 1- 10 inch cake or 24 regular-sized cupcakes. If you need more, double or triple it.
💭Storing
This homemade frosting may be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 months. Whip with a spoon each time you use it to restore fluffiness. Or you can do a quick whipping in your mixer (for about 30-45 seconds)
🌡️Freezing
This frosting freezes really well and I have frozen fully frosted cakes with it many times. But be sure to freeze it ON a decorated cake, not on its own. Since it keeps so well in the pantry, you don't need to freeze it.
So, if you're looking for a Crisco icing that tastes just like grocery store whipped icing, you'll love this whipped cream buttercream frosting!
⭐ Reviews
Did you make this recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below.
Here's what others are saying:
"This is the lightest, most delicious frosting I've ever tasted!"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Whipped Cream Buttercream Frosting recipe (with shortening)
Ingredients
Part One:
- 1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted 4 cups
- 2 ½ cups Crisco or white vegetable shortening
Part Two:
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 2 tablespoon meringue powder ***add 1 additional tablespoon for slight crusting
- ½ cup boiling water, less 2 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or flavor of your choice) * Be sure to use a CLEAR extract if you want the frosting to stay white
Instructions
Part one:
- Add shortening to the large bowl of a stand mixer and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat with stand mixer (paddle attachment NOT whisk attachment) on low speed until powdered sugar is combined, then increase to medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is very creamy and fluffy. Set this aside.
Part two:
- In a very clean bowl mix dry ingredients. Add boiling water and immediately beat with mixer on high speed. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. When mixture begins to get stiff add flavoring. * you can use a hand mixer for this part
Combine:
- Combine both mixtures and beat together for another 8 minutes with stand mixer.
- When finished, use a rubber spatula to down beat a little to remove some of the air bubbles. Frosting will be very light and creamy. Cover. ***DO NOT REFRIGERATE. Can be stored for up to 2 months at room temperature (I keep it in the pantry).
Laurie
The recipe calls for granulated sugar, but directions call for powdered sugar. Which sugar is it
Terri Gilson
Hi Laurie,
The recipe calls for both types of sugar. In part 1 you use the powdered sugar. Part 2 calls for granulated sugar, but it's part of the 'dry ingredients' in the instructions. Hope that helps!
Terri
Grace villegas
Do you only use the flat beater and not the wire whip?
Terri Gilson
Hi Grace,
I just use the flat beater/paddle. I use my hand mixer for part 2 and my stand mixer for part 1 with the flat beater/paddle. Then when I combine them, I use my stand mixer with the flat beater/paddle as well. Hope that helps!
Terri
Renea
Is this frosting good for piping roses?
Terri Gilson
Hi
It's not the best for something like roses, as you should use a thicker frosting. You could try adding more powdered/icing sugar to part 1 (about 1/4 cup) - this may work. But I never used it for roses. I would recommend using this recipe: No butter frosting and simply replacing the cocoa with icing sugar (and adding icing sugar until you get the right consistency for roses). I'm assuming you've made roses so you know how thick it should be. Good luck!
Felisha
Can food coloring be added to the frosting and what type of coloring should be used?
Terri Gilson
Yes, absolutely! I would recommend using gel icing colors like Wilton or Americolor.
LaKeisha Washington
Can this recipe be frozen? Or placed in freezer when making the crumb coat on your cake?
Terri Gilson
Hi LaKeisha,
Yes to both! I've frozen it as a crumb coat and a fully frosted and filled cake. Enjoy!
Victoria
Can I make a regular meringue for the Part 2 and add the shortening & powdered sugar mixture to the meringue? A carton of eggs is cheaper than meringue powder and I can use the yolks for other recipes and eggshells in the garden.
Terri Gilson
Honestly, I have never tried that and am not sure it would work. Plus I’d be concerned about using unpasteurized egg whites in a frosting.
Thanks
Terri
Malory
Hi! Does this recipe taste like Albertsons, Safeway, Publix frosting? I’ve been looking for a grocery store tasting frosting forever!!
Terri Gilson
I live in Canada so I haven't had Albertsons or Publix icing. BUT I grew up with Safeway icing, love it and think this is very similar - actually, in my opinion, it's even better! Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Mona L Hutchinson
Can you tell me why it's so important to NOT REFRIGERATE? I want to try this with pasteurized eggs and would be leery to leave it out and I don't want to freeze it.
Terri Gilson
Hi Mona,
You don't need to refrigerate it, but it doesn't mean you can't - it will just make it harder to work with. And if you've frosted the cake, refrigerating cakes just dries them out. But if you are going to try to use pasteurized eggs, you have to refrigerate and should NOT freeze it.
Terri
Lynne
Hi. I’ve had a recipe for peach wedding cookies for 30 years - and now that my daughter is getting married, I have lost it. I can find several recipes for the shell that seem familiar but absolutely nothing close to the filling. I know it was made with CrIsco because that always seemed odd to me but none of the recipes I find are similar to what I remember. Do you think this recipe could be flavored with peach brandy or peach schnapps? Thanks in advance for your help!
Terri Gilson
Hi Lynne: Absolutely! Just try replacing the flavoring with peach flavoring. A peach extract (affiliate link) might work better! Please let me know how it turns out!
Terri
Jo
Hi, would this recipe still work if I don't put in meringue powder? If not, are there any substitutes because I can't find it in stores. Thanks!
Terri Gilson
Hi Jo,
Pasteurized egg whites are a substitute and they may work in this recipe, but I've never tried them (please do not use plain raw egg whites, as that is not safe). If you try it, I'd love to know how it turned out!
Good luck and enjoy!
Terri
Terri Gilson
I served this cake a my daughter's birthday party and of the mom's that tried it (a fellow baker and cake decorator), texted me afterwards to say that it was THE BEST frosting she'd ever had!
Kimberly Markey
I've made this recipe 3x now in the last couple weeks. The 1st time it was perfect. The last 2 times, something is wrong. When I color it, its like its separating and the colored icing turns out speckled looking. Then, after it sets for a few minutes, its like its becoming runny. I've been beating it for at least 8 minutes separately then more than 8 minutes once combined. I did think i was overbeating it but then I put it back in the stand mixer and whipped it for a few more minutes and it thickened back up. This is a paint though because its usually after I've added the coloring. I know its not the coloring either because even the white with no food coloring does it (looks runny but isnt). I also noticed the last 2 batches didn't become crusty even though I used additional meringue.
Terri Gilson
Hi Kimberly,
Sorry you are having issues with the last 2 batches! Are you using icing colors (not food coloring from the grocery store)? And double check that your meringue powder is not expired- that could cause the issue. Hopefully we can figure this out! 🙂
Terri
Sherry
Hi Terry
I have tried a couple of times and I can’t get stiff peaks. Any idea why or I can do?
Terri Gilson
Hi Sherry,
You can try adding a bit more meringue powder. And even a bit more powdered sugar!
Good luck!
Terri
Brenda
Hi Terry, this is the closest recipe I’ve found to grocery store icing. I would like to try to make this with butter or maybe half butter half shortening. What are your thoughts?
Terri Gilson
Hi Brenda; Yes, you could try it. Personally, I have never done it because I don't like butter in my frosting. But I would do half butter and add it to the shortening portion at the same time and whip it as long (that will make it lighter)! Hope it works for you!
Terri