Never-fails-me Buttercream Icing

I was so happy when I made this icing the first time because I knew that I would never need another icing recipe as long as I lived, lol. It was just so light and fluffy, and it still had a very buttery flavor even though it doesn't have any butter in it; probably because of the white chocolate.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Yields: 2 double layer cakes

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips, plus (See * below)
• 1⁄4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract (See ** below)
• 2  cups shortening, at room temperature
• 4  cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the 1/2 cup white chocolate with the 1/2 cup whipping cream for 1 minute on 50% heat/powder.
2. Stir until the chocolate melts then add the 1/4 cup white chocolate and stir until that chocolate melts as well Add the vanilla extract and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the shortening for 30 seconds then add 2 cups of the confectioners sugar and beat until combined.
4. Add all of the white chocolate mixture and beat for 30 seconds (it may become very thick so just add more whipping cream to thin it out).
5. Add the last of the confectioner's sugar and beat until combined and then for 30 seconds more.
6. *You can use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, peanut butter chips, or even butterscotch chips in place of the white chocolate to make the icing fit your cake or brownies better.
7. **Try adding different extracts to the basic white chocolate recipe like this:
8. 1 teaspoon lemon extract+ 3 drops yellow food coloring instead of the vanilla extract for a lemon cake.
9. 1 teaspoon strawberry extract+ 2 drops red food coloring instead of the vanilla for a strawberry cake.
10. 1 teaspoon orange or mint extract instead of the vanilla for a chocolate cake.