I have been making this since the late 50's. I use butter (Margarine works also) instead of Crisco. Add 1/4 tsp. Rum flavoring and 1/2 tsp. Vanilla. The other trick is to add sugar a TLBS at a time mixing well after each addition. This de-solves the granules so you have a smooth texture. Give it a try this will make such a difference to the end results.

I thought I would give this a go as I had never made this type of frosting with shortening. It tasted too much of shortening for me. I added about 1.5 tbl of vanilla to try mask the flavour. I wouldn't make it again.

This recipe is similar to the filling in good old fashioned twinkies and the original filling type for Whoopie Pies(or Gobs) before the invention of Marshmallow Fluff. To tweak this recipe for flavor: add 1 cup of real butter to the existing ingredients, the shortening must be the Crisco brand or it really doesn't have quite the same flavor/texture,(using butter flavored crisco instead of butter AND Crisco doesn't seem to work). Change the white sugar to powdered sugar and double it to 2 cups, it won't be overly sweet. The powdered sugar also has cornstarch in it that will help to thicken the mixture. The flour can be cut back to 2 Tbsp because of the powdered sugar effects. Double the vanilla to 2 tsp, use clear vanilla if you would like a really white frosting. A faster way than to "cook"(Ermine or boiled milk frosting method): have all ingredients at room temperature. Using a stand mixer (helpful as the mixing process can be long)keep mixing until frosting comes together. (a hand mixer can be used, just have to stand there mixing and mixing for quite some time). The mixture starts off as a runny, globby mess, and the longer it is mixed, it magically comes together into a fluffy white frosting. Depending on the size of the cake, all of the recipe ingredients could be cut in half. One reviewer made an excellent observation, this frosting IS stable at room temperature.

I love this icing!!!! This is what my mother and grandmother made for the red velvet cake!

I have made this icing 2 times now, the first time I made it with half butter and half softening. We really liked it, but I was still concerned about eating so much softening. The second time I used all butter and added cocoa powder. WOW, It was the best icing ever!!! This is now my go to icing. No more icing powder for me.

This is the best and the Original Recipe, which was handed down in my family 3 generations. This is the true icing for Red Velvet Cake.

I have to agree with another viewer that this frosting tastes too strongly of shortening. It actually has left an aftertaste in my mouth, so I will have to try something else for my red velvet cupcakes. I suggest maybe using butter instead in this recipe. It is easy to make, but not to my liking.

Finally!! This is the only (and best) way to frost a Red Velvet Cake. I grew up in the South and this is the way we like our RV Cake.

The frosting was easy to make and had a good texture. However, the taste was disappointing. It had a strong after taste of vegetable shortening.

I've never written a review here before, but this recipe stunned me into amazement so I had to share. I ran out of icing sugar and needed a last minute recipe to make some cupcake frosting before running off to a pot-luck. Looking at this recipe I was skeptical that it would work, but had little other choice. Even as I was mixing it together, I envisioned a granular crunchy icing. I couldn't have been more wrong. This was so silky, smooth and delicious! It's better than my go-to icing recipe even. I may never buy icing sugar again. I did make a couple modifications: I used half a cup of butter and half a cup of vegetable shortening, and I didn't have any milk so I used half a cup of whipping cream and half a cup of water. Sooooo delicious!!!!