Birthday's and Buttercream

Besides cooking, I love to bake - cakes, cookies, those special holiday recipes!  Any one who knows me can attest to this fact, especially chocolate!  Well this weekend I was busy with Grand baby Jayla's very 1st birthday cake.  The bottom tier was done with 2 10" round yellow cakes and the top tier was 2 8" inch round chocolate cakes filled with butter-cream. The sides were decorated with those little candy coated chocolate candies and on top was a small chocolate bear that was Jayla's cake.

Her Mommy (our daughter) wanted the cake covered in butter-cream icing.  So that's just what I did and thanks to my wonderful husband (he gave me a wonderful 7 quart mixer for my birthday/anniversary) that made mixing up all of that icing a breeze.  I whipped 2lbs of butter, all that vegetable shortening and almost 4lbs of confectioner's sugar in no time.

"Is that all for me Mommy?"

Even though I love to bake, I hate anything overly sweet (butter-cream is not one of my favorite things), so I have adapted the standard butter-cream icing recipe more to my taste buds and everyone seems to love it!  However, if you plan on using it for decorating you will need to add more confectioner sugar for the firmness.  The cake was a hit with everyone (about 40 people) especially Jayla!  And to my husband, Thank You dear, I love my new toy!

My Butter-cream Icing

1/2 cup unsalted butter - softened
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
3 1/4 cups confectioner sugar (sifted)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. salt

In the the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and shortening with paddle attachment until well blended.  Add vanilla and mix.
On lowest speed of mixer begin adding sugar until completely blended.  Add salt.  Turn mixer to medium and beat well for about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low, add milk and mix until well blended.
Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle.  Switch to the whip attachment and on medium high speed, whip for about an additional 5 minutes until very creamy.

For chocolate buttercream, add unsweetened cocoa to taste at the same time as the sugar.