July 23, 2008
We all learn the basic decorating frosting in our first cake decorating class, confectioner’s sugar, shortening, water. This is fine for borders, flowers, and other decorations but if your going to serve it to guests you may want something a little tastier to frost the entire cake.
While I use several different frosting recipes, such as boiled frosting and Italian meringue buttercream, here’s a little tip to make your basic decorator frosting more tasty. Add 1 can of store bought vanilla frosting to your basic decorators frosting recipe. I use Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting. I find it accomplishes too things, it adds flavor that just adding clear vanilla extract doesn’t and it makes it easier to spread.
I love using this for birthday cakes and someone always seems to comment on the frosting. Note this is best to use when you are going to color the frosting. Adding the can of store bought vanilla will give the frosting a slight ivory color and is not suitable if you are trying to achieve a pure white color such as with a wedding cake.
I suggest you experiment with the amount of store bought frosting you use based on the amount of frosting you are making. You may want to added more or less to suit your taste and desired consistency.






commercially available “Pan-free’ products also. But I find that the larger the cake, the more likely you are to have trouble getting it to release without tearing. After watching an episode of PBS’s America Test Kitchen, I’ve learned to line the bottom and sides of the pans with parchment paper. I very lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan with shortening first. Just enough to make the paper stick. When I say lightly, I mean lightly. You don’t want to use so much that the shortening affects the batter. I’m sure many have used this method for years but beginners don’t hear much about this. Let me tell you, the cake comes out perfect. And best of all, it reduces the amount of crumbs on the cake. And when you’re doing your crumb coat, that means a lot. 
