Small Batch Icing- to Write on Cakes

Sometimes you just need a small amount of icing to write on a cake or cookies. I don't like buying those ready made tubes because they're so expensive for such a small amount of icing. They don't taste that good either. Here's the recipe I use when I just need a small batch. You can tint it any color you want by adding food coloring. The paste coloring is best but the drops will work fine, too.

• Ready In: 11 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

• 1  cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄4 cup shortening
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons water
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  clear vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, water and vanilla. Beat on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for a full five minutes. It won't look like Icing at first, but keep the mixer going for a full five minutes, and then you're done!
2. Note: If you're not using this for decorating, but just for icing the cake, thin the icing by adding 3 tbs. of corn syrup, or water to the icing.