Video:Homemade Frosting

SHARE ON                

Transcript:Homemade Frosting

Hi, I'm Rachel Edelman for about.com food.

Today I'm going to show you how to make frosting from scratch. I'm going to make chocolate, vanilla and even use some food coloring for decoration.

Homemade Frosting Base

You will need 1 cup of shortening to start. To flavor it, add 2 tsp of vanilla. I'm going to use clear vanilla to keep the frosting a nice white color. Beat together the shortening and vanilla for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Sift in 2 cups of powdered sugar in small amounts while beating.

Homemade Frosting Ingredients

Now add 2 tablespoons of water or milk. I'm using water instead of milk so I don t have to refrigerate the frosting. Slowly add 2 more cups of powdered sugar and the rest of the water or milk so you get a thick frosting. You can always add water to make it thinner later on.

I'm going to take out 3 servings of frosting to color later.

Chocolate Frosting

With the rest of the frosting, I'm going to add cocoa powder. You can also use melted chocolate squares instead. Add 1 teaspoon of water to keep the consistency the same.

Use a toothpick to carry the food coloring from its container into the frosting. A little goes a long way, so mix the frosting completely and add a little at a time until you reach your desired color.

Other Frosting Colors

It's good to have a few colors when decorating with frosting. I'll make yellow, purple and green. I'm going to make the green frosting a little thinner by adding a little more water.

Applying Homemade Frosting

One way to lay down your frosting is to use a plastic bag. Slightly cut the corner of the bag, insert your frosting, squeeze and design. If you have a pastry kit, use a pastry bag and tips of your choice.

Thanks for watching, to learn more visit us on the Web at Food.About.com.