Many people have asked me for my icing recipe and I am really happy to share it today. I love this recipe. It's soft and fluffy and very easy to work with. You can use it to frost your cakes or even make icing decorations like flowers.
I didn't get a chance to take pictures of all the steps but I will add those as soon as I make another batch of this icing. For now, here are my detailed instructions...
First of all, you will need the following ingredients:
2 cups shortening (I like to use 1 cup shortening and 1 cup butter BUT if you want pure white icing, only use shortening and not butter)
4 - 6 cups powdered sugar (based on your taste preference)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk (I use vanilla flavored almond milk...you can use whatever milk you like)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (If you want pure white icing, use the clear vanila extract and not the brown one. I usually buy mine from Michaels or Hobby Lobby)
1 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp meringue powder (optional...I feel that this helps in stabilizing my icing)
VARIATIONS:
- To make peppermint icing, add 1 tbsp peppermint extract or more if you want it very minty.
- To make rose water icing, add 1 tbsp rose water or even more if you want a very strong flavor and fragrance.
- You can also make rose icing by using 1 tbsp of an indian rose syrup called "Rooh Afza." However, this syrup is very sweet and has a red color which means your icing will end up being pinkish.
Here are the steps:
Step 1:
In a non-stick saucepan, add flour, milk and 1 cup of powdered sugar. The mixture will be lumpy.
Step 2:
Heat this mixture at medium to low heat. You will need to constantly keep mixing with a whisk or a wooden spoon until everything dissolves and there are no lumps.
Step 3:
When the mixture gets thick and starts sticking to your spoon, remove this saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool and come down to room temperature.
Step 4:
Now... in a deep bowl, add shortening and butter (if you are using it) as well as meringue powder and vanilla extract.
Mix until it starts to get a little fluffy.
Step 5: Now, add sugar a little at a time and keep mixing (I add 1/2 cup at a time). 
Step 6: After you have added about 3 cups of powdered sugar...add the flour mixture into this bowl. PLEASE make sure your flour mixture is at room temperature. If it's hot, your butter and shortening will start to melt and it will be a disaster.
Step 7: Mix everything properly again. At this point, taste your frosting to see if you are satisfied with the sweetness. If not, you can add more powdered sugar.Note:
Normally, I don't have to add additional milk or water to smooth out my frosting but if the weather or temperature in your house is being temperamental, you may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to mix your frosting properly.
And you are done!
NOTES:
- Before filling a piping bag and icing your cake, let this frosting sit in the refrigerator for 30- 45 minutes. It's easier to pipe this way.
- Use gel colors to tint your icing. If you want your icing to be red, I have noticed Americolor's red gel color works best. It seems to have a deeper shade of red than compared to Wilton's red gel color.
That's all for now and I promise I will add pictures for all these steps as soon as I get a chance :)