This Buttercream Icing recipe is perfect for creating photo cakes, photo cookies, and Designer Cake Sticker Print Cakes & treats!

BUTTERCREAM ICING Recipe

Yields Approx. 6 cups

Shelf life = 2 months refrigerated

Ingredients: Stiff Consistency Recipe (used for roses and flowers with upright petals)

1 tsp clear Vanilla

1 tsp Flavor of choice (vanilla, almond, rum, butter, etc.)

4 TBSP Water

2 cups Shortening

2 LBS Sifted Confectioners Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Directions:

1. Sift the sugar into a bowl and set aside.

2. Cream the shortening, flavorings and water together.

3. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together and until creamy.

Note: If the icing craks when piped out it is most likely too stiff, add a bit more water.

Medium Consistency Icing (used for figure piping, borders, & flowers that lie flat)
To make medium consistency icing, ADD 2 TBSP of water to the Stiff Consistency recipe or 1 tsp per one cup of Stiff Consistency Icing.

Thin Consistency Icing (used for writing, stems, leaves and frosting cakes)
To make thin consistency icing, ADD 4 TBSP of water to the Stiff Consistency recipe or 2 tsp per on cup of Stiff Consistency icing.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING

To make chocolate buttercream add either 3/4 Cup of Cocoa Powder or 3 oz of Unsweetened Melted Chocolate and 1-2 more TBSP of water to the recipe above. Mix until well blended.

Delicious Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

(A great alternative to expensive store bought fondant)

Decorate your cakes just like the professionals with fondant. Store bought fondant can be very costly and doesn’t take very good. You can make your own but need a few special ingredients only found at your local cake decorating supplier. This recipe for marshmallow fondant taste great, is made from simple ingredients and doesn’t cost much. It is great to work with.

 What you need:

16 oz. bag of mini marshmallows (a good brand)

2-5 Tablespoon Water

2 lbs. Sifted Powdered Sugar (Sifted-a must)

½ cup Solid Shortening

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of the water in the microwave for 1- 3 minutes until fully melted, stir until creamy. Add all but about a ¼ of the powdered sugar (set aside for later) to the melted marshmallows a cup at a time. Fold the sugar into the marshmallows until it gets difficult to stir. It will start to get hard to stir after a few cups. Pour what is left of the sugar on top of the marshmallow mixture. Generously grease your hands with shortening as well as your counter and dump the mixture out onto the greased counter and need for about 5 minutes until smooth and stretches without tearing. This will be very sticky so don’t be afraid to grease it up. The shortening will make it more pliable. If it tears it’s too dry just add a little water, a teaspoon at a time, add more sugar if necessary too (use remaining 1/4 cup) . Roll it in a ball coat with shortening and place in a sealed bag in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. When ready to use, microwave for about 15-30 seconds to get it soft again. Use powered sugar or corn starch when working with it to keep it from sticking to your surface. You can dye it with food coloring when melting marshmallows or after needing (you may need to add more sugar as the coloring adds more moisture).

If you get water on the marshmallow fondant when crafting it will make it stickey and will ahere to marshmallow fondant embellishments.

It can take some practice to understand the right consistancy. I made it three times and then it was perfect. If you get little balls of powered sugar in the marshmallow simply remove them or blend in.