Summertime Buttercream

Great anytime but this recipe REALLY holds up in hot humid weather. I made nearly 400 cupcakes for an outdoor event in SW FL in August and they held up perfectly - not to mention tasted great. I personally used a blend of vanilla, butter and almond extracts combined. Recipe kudos go to IndyDebi, a professional caterer from, you guessed, Indianapolis, who kindly shares her recipes.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 8-9" cake

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄3 cups  Crisco (or a high-ratio shortening)
• 3  tablespoons  powdered  Dream Whip
• 2 -3  tablespoons  , desired extracts
• 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup milk, depending on consistency desired
• 2  lbs powdered sugar

Directions

1. Blend the shortening, Dream Whip and flavoring for a 10-15 minutes and then gradually add the sugar and milk. The longer it mixes, the smoother it gets. Sifting the powdered sugar first is a plus but optional.
2. Of course you can add coloring as desired.
3. One batch will do a 8-9" cake or a batch of regular cupcakes.
4. Can be kept in air-tight container easily for a week or frozen if making ahead.