Christina's Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter (Real Butter – not lite, not unsalted)
1 cup Crisco
Two dashes of salt

Mix well then add:

3 oz. Milk
flavoring (see below)
@ 1 lb. powdered sugar

Mix well, then slowly add while mixing:
1 lb. powdered sugar (the recipe needs 2 lbs. Total)

Flavoring choices:

2 t. vanilla (use clear vanilla unless you want an ivory frosting) or
2 t. almond or
2 t. maple (this is wonderful on spice cake – deep ivory colored icing) or
1 t. peppermint (scant)

Chocolate variation:

7 oz. milk instead of 4.5 oz.
2 t. vanilla
Add 1 ½ cup Cocoa powder with the milk,
mix well, then add powdered sugar.

Cream Cheese:
Instead of the butter use 1 cup cream cheese, and use 1 t. vanilla flavoring. This is a soft frosting, so some decorating techniques will be difficult and will droop. Don’t even try roses in this icing.