Frosting!

My girls have a wonderful Sunday School teacher, Miss. Carol (she's married, but that's what my kiddos call her).  She's a retired lady with many talents.  She quilts, paints, sews, and is a whizz in the kitchen!  My girls love going to her house and working in her studio alongside her.  The creations they bring home are so precious; quilted pillows, little purses, stuffed critters.  Miss. Carol even celebrates the kiddos' birthdays in her Sunday School class.  One of the girls brought home the left over cupcakes from her birthday celebration.  They were homemade with a delicious frosting. I had thought for sure they came from a bakery but the girls insisted Miss. Carol made them at home.  We had friends over yesterday for an after-Valentine's Day party. (We're cheap frugal and bought goodies after the holiday at clearance prices!)  So I made cupcakes (from a mix) and Miss. Carol's homemade frosting.  Everyone enjoyed the cupcakes.  We had some left over from lunch so we had them with dinner.  Hubby knows I'm not a great cake/cupcake decorator (one thing I wish I could really do!) so he was really surprised when I told him I made them.  A few of the kids even asked (again) "you made those, mom?"..."for real?".  I think it was the awesome frosting!  I'll share the recipe with ya'll today!

Frosting

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter 
2 t. vanilla flavoring
2 pounds Confectioners sugar
milk

Beat the first three ingredients well then slowly add the sugar.  I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer.  Add a little bit of milk at a time.  Just enough until it's to the right consistency.  Sorry it's not specific, but some things in the kitchen you just need to eyeball!  The secret to fluffy bakery-like frosting is to beat it enough so you don't have a grainy texture.  This recipe was more than enough to frost 24 cupcakes with the fancy decorator tip.