This high ratio frosting recipe is a great option to have in your recipe file of favorites! It is light, fluffy, and has a wonderful flavor.
If you are unfamiliar with high ratio shortening, it is a popular choice because it contains emulsifiers which allow it to absorb more sugar and liquid than regular shortening.
You’ll love the creamy consistency that high ratio shortening lends to this frosting, and there is no greasy aftertaste. There are many different brands of high ratio frosting, but Sweetex is what we use most often.
Probably the biggest advantage of shortening based frostings is that they hold up nicely in warmer weather. Although it isn’t heat proof (no frosting is), shortening-based frostings hold up much better in warm conditions than butter based frostings.
Another bonus to shortening based frostings is the white color. Butter-based frostings have a slight yellow tint, and if natural vanilla flavoring is used rather than clear vanilla, it is more of an ivory shade. If a stark white frosting is what your design (or customer) calls for, this frosting is a great choice.
Due to the absence of butter in this recipe, we have to rely more heavily on extracts to make this frosting flavorful. There is a lot of wiggle room here and so don’t hesitate to do a little experimenting! We hope that you enjoy the recipe!
** We’ve had great results with Domino’s confectioners sugar and US Sugar (we buy ours from Costco). Some brands of confectioners sugar don’t work as well with buttercream frosting recipes. If a package doesn’t say pure cane sugar, it contains beet sugar which is more likely to give you a grainy outcome. In addition to that, we’ve noticed that even some brands that say “Pure Cane Sugar” will give a grainy consistency. So frustrating! One example is Dixie Crystals (although it used to work great for us a few years ago.) Something has changed…it’s a mystery. Anyway, this recipe should not be grainy, and so if it is, experiment with a different brand of confectioners sugar.
High Ratio Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (386 g) high ratio shortening (We use Sweetex and CK brands)
- 2 Tablespoons (24 g) clear vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) butter flavoring
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) lemon or almond flavoring
- 4 lbs. (1820 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup (238 g) or more if needed - milk or heavy cream (you get a softer crust using heavy cream)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2g to 4g ) salt ( I use popcorn salt because of its fine grain or let your regular salt dissolve in the milk) This will cut the sweetness.
Directions
- Cream the shortening and flavorings . Add the confectioners’ sugar and cream, mixing slowing and gradually increasing speed . Mix approx. 8 min. until creamy and smooth, DURING THE LAST 2 TO 3 MINUTES OF MIXING SLOW DOWN THE SPEED TO VERY SLOW THIS WILL ELIMINATE MOST OF THE AIR BUBBLES THAT OCCUR. If you are still seeing what looks like bubbles that have burst (small circles) in your buttercream, continue to add milk a teaspoon at a time until most of them disappear.
- This is still sweet though the salt cuts some of the sweetness.
- Makes approximately 11 1/2 cups
***We slightly altered this recipe from our previous version, which had 2 lbs (910g) confectioner’s sugar. We still really like the previous version, but it has a much lighter and softer consistency and while it crusted, it didn’t crust quite as firm. Using the Viva and “roller” methods of smoothing is easier with the updated version.
How far in advance can I make this icing? Also how can I store it?
Hi Lee, Depending on the expiration date on the milk you can store in the refrigerator approximately two weeks. It can be frozen in an airtight container for two months. Defrost in the refrigerator or on the counter top. You will need to stir or re-mix briefly with your mixer.
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Hi Melissa or Bebe, I️ am new to baking and cake decorating and have a baby shower on the 8th of April which will be my first cake I️ sell so I’d really like I️t to be perfect of course. My question is, can I️ use this for a two tier quilted cake that I️ will be using an impression mat to design with? And will fondant ruffles stick best to the bottom tier? My friend would like her cake to be all buttercream if possible with fondant cutouts and the buttons on the top quilted tier to be placed in the centers. TIA
Sorry I️ should have added a picture…but this is the cake that the mom to be would like but a white quilted top tier and the bottom ruffles purple and lavender ombré.
There used to be a bakery in my hometown and the cake decorators used high ratio shortening in their frostings but used only water as the liquid and no salt to the recipe. Their frosting was extremely white, crusted on the outside and creamy delicious on the inside. No greasy aftertaste whatsoever. Why did their frosting crust when milk wasn’t used as the liquid? By the way, I’m going to try your high ratio frosting recipe using milk as soon as my CK shortening arrives in the mail.
Hi Trica, You can use water in place of milk and it will crust. Some bakers do use water when they do not want any perishable ingredients in the frosting. Water will cause the frosting to crust more quickly than milk, and if you use milk it will crust more quickly than cream. The higher fat content in the liquid determines how quickly it will crust. For some techniques, especially the Viva Towel method of smoothing the outside of the cake it is best for crusting to happen a bit more slowly, that is why we almost always use milk
Hi Bebe or Melissa,
Just wondering if I️ can use this recipe under fondant? I️ live in Florida and have a baby shower that will be outside and thought I️ could pair this recipe with the WASC, since it’s a denser cake. Cake will be outside but not in direct sunlight. Also, any other frosting recipes that would work in a high humidity, warm climate under fondant? I️ have posted the image of the cake below to give you an idea of what I️ will be creating. Thank you in advance and have a great day!!
Is it possible to substitute Crisco shortening since I can’t get hi ratio locally and I need to make this ASAP?
Hi Marilyn, Yes, you can substitute Crisco with no problem. Hi ratio shortening holds more liquid than Crisco so you can decrease the milk by a few tablespoons. If it is too soft, add more milk 1 Tablespoon at a time to reach the spreading consistency you like.
Do you ever use meringue powder in any of your frostings?
Hi Nancy, No, we don’t use meringue powder.
Cookie Gift Can Queen sells Sweetex Hi-Ratio shorting on Etsy for home bakers in small quantities for professional tasting icing. Just wanted to share with my fellow bakers a great find.
Hi Catherine, Thank you for the information
How long is Sweetex good for. I cannot but high ratio shortening in Illinois so I would have to order online
Can I make a white chocolate version of this frosting? I have to color it turquoise so I need to make it ASAP because cake is due Tuesday 8/25/20. Thank you. Sorry for the short notice
Hi Gloria, I am sorry, we have a white chocolate buttercream recipe but it does not use high ratio shortening. Without giving it a try I can’t say for sure how I would adapt the recipe. Also, since white chocolate is not a white white, I am not sure you will get the turquoise color you are looking for. If you give it a try, use oil based coloring.
I make decorated cakes and I use 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1 teaspoon of almond extract to a 2 lb bag of powdered sugar. Your recipe calls for 2 TBSP of v anilla which seems like too much and it will be too sweet. Is this a typo? Please respond .
Thank you
Barbara Garrod
Hi Barbara, We do use 4 Tablespoons vanilla. The recipe uses 4 lbs. powdered sugar. The recipe could cut the recipe by 1/2.
I’ve been making Buttercream frosting for 50 years and this is the first time I have ever had a problem.
I bought a 25 lb box of powdered sugar from GFS, like I normally do.
I use Sweetex. I noticed that my icing was grainy, which has never happened before. I looked on the box and it said 6x. This is the first time I have seen 6x powdered sugar. Well, my question is how do I eliminate the grainy texture. I’m making icing for 25 dozen cupcakes, so I just can’t start over again. Please help asap!
Hi Dianne, I know your frustration, I am so sorry you are having this problem with a large cupcake order. First, I have never used 6X powdered sugar. I had to research to learn that 6X powdered sugar is larger particles of powdered sugar than 10X. The numbers refer to the size mesh screens used to sift the pulverized granulated sugar through when making powdered sugar. I think using 6X could be the problem. I experienced this a few weeks ago, tried everything I could find online to solve the problem and could not. I was using a 7 lb. of 10X bag of US brand bought at Costco. I have used this brand of pure cane sugar for years. I tried so many remedies found online to eliminate grainy buttercream and none worked. I switched to Dominos and all was good. Just for testing purposes I decided to try the US brand one more time. It was fine, no problem. I was thinking that my bag possibly was old but now that I read your post, it could have had 6X rather than 10X in it, by mistake. I now test a new bag by putting a small amount ( 2 T) in a bowl and dissolve with water. It always looks fine but if you rub it between your fingers and can feel a gritty texture, don’t use. I hope you have not made the total amount you need for the cupcakes. I want to add that the brand Dixie Crystals 10X is gritty and has been so for years. It is pure cane sugar but Melissa and I think they have changed their formulation of the amount of cornstarch they use, causing it to be gritty. We used to tell members using pure cane sugar was the answer, but when Dixie Crystals changed we could no longer say that. Wishing you good luck.
Thank you for answering so quickly! The batch I made was for half of the order. I had some other powdered sugar which was fine. My daughter gave me an idea, since they are cupcakes, I can embellish 100 of them with decorative sugars. The other 100 I will add strawberry preserves, which will hopefully confuse the person eating them into thinking it is part of the icing. Lol I have definitely learned my lesson and from now on, test the sugar first. I contact the store I bought the product from, they gave me a refund and I purchase another brand that was in 2 lb. packages, which did test. I also read them the riot act about the 6x. Thanks again!
Hi Dianne, Thanks so much for the follow up, I was thinking about you today. I think you and your daughter have come up with 2 good solutions to disguise the problem, good for you! I am so glad to know your problem had a happy ending.