Recipe: Irrisistible, Easy Buttercream Frosting

Each week Grosse Pointe Patch lets its readers in on a Chef's Secret--something a local chef, baker or cook does to make a dish extra special. We've opened the field to readers, who want to share their secrets as well and have learned about homemade barbeque sauce and even good guacamole.

This week, it's my turn. Having made three birthday cakes in the past week, I realize all too well how time consuming it can be, especially if I want to do any special decorating. Sure, canned frosting is convenient, but homemade frosting is always so much better.

Many people who chose the former do so because it's quicker, easier and predictable. But this recipe for a simple buttercream frosting is fool-proof, that is to say, I've never had a problem creating the same wonderful taste each time over the past 30-some years. Yikes, that's a long time.

What's great about this recipe is that it contains ingredients you most likely already have in your cupboard or refrigerator, except the small can of evaporated milk. I usually keep two or three in the cupboard just in case.

And if you have a stand-up mixer, you're in good shape. You can add the ingredients, turn on the mixer and come back in 10 or 15 minutes to a completed batch of frosting. Even better, this frosting freezes well.

The only drawback is if you will be taking your cake out into high heat and humidity (in excess of 90 degrees) as it can droop a bit because of the milk. This can be solved by keeping the cake in the refrigerator until it's nearly time to serve.

OK, here are the ingredients that make a batch large enough to frost the top of a 13 x 9 cake. If you are doing a layer cake or want to frost the sides of a 13 x 9 cake, just double the recipe. You will even have some left over to mix with food coloring to decorate!

• 1/2 cup of shortening
• 1 stick of butter (1/4 cup)
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 small can of evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the shortening and butter, then slowly add the sugar. Once blended, slowly add the milk (be careful, it splashes if you add it too fast), and then the vanilla. Beat at high speed for 10-15 minutes so that you cannot detect any sugar granules when you sample it. That's it. You're done.

Now you can have the creamiest frosting on any cake. This frosting is also a great topper for banana or zucchini breads.

If anyone has a really good recipe for chocolate frosting, please submit it to cyndynehr@gmail.com so that we can round out our frosting coverage in Chef's Secret!