Better-Than-Buttercream Frosting

• 3/4 cups Vegetable Shortening
• 1/4 cups Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 6 cups Confectioners (Powdered) Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Water (may Not Need This Much)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine shortening, milk, vanilla and salt. Beat until creamy.
2. Gradually add confectioners' sugar (about 2 cups at a time), beating well between additions. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, you may need a small amount (1-3 tablespoons) of water beaten in to reach a perfect consistency, depending on your needs.
3. Add any desired food coloring or extract flavoring and beat until well mixed. Refrigerate unused frosting with plastic wrap plastered down right on the top layer of the frosting in the bowl, or cover your piping tip and store chilled in parchment bag for up to a week or so.
4. ***Note: To achieve an easy, smooth look when frosting on a layer or sheet cake, add a couple of tablespoons of egg white or meringue powder when beating. Then, frost cake, allow frosting to "crust over" for 10-15 minutes, and then place a piece of parchment paper or smooth-textured paper towel (like VIVA brand) over the surface and rub gently with a fondant smoother or flat-surfaced jar lid in a circular motion all over cake until smooth and even. The longer you spend rubbing it, the more uniform the frosting layer will become.

vegetable shortening, ubc, vanilla, salt, confectioners, water

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/better-than-buttercream-frosting/ (may not work)