for the ladies...

Many of you have asked me for this peanut butter icing recipe...here you go! It is the BEST when you use the DH dark chololate fudge cake mix, I have used devils food before and it's just not as good.

Bea's Icing

1 stick butter or Land O' Lakes margarine
1 1/2 C Crisco Vegetable Shortening
2 lb. bag Confectioners Sugar (I actually prefer WalMart Brand over Domino's)
dash salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 to 8 oz. heavy cream
optional for peanut butter icing: 18 oz. jar your favorite brand creamy peanut butter

Cream the butter and shortening together, then gradually add the confectioners sugar. At about halfway through the bag of sugar, I add the salt and the vanilla and beat it pretty well, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of my mixer bowl really well. Begin to add the rest of the confectioner's sugar, and at about 3/4 of the way through the bag, I start adding up to 4 oz. of the cream, to keep the icing workable. When all the sugar is added, I mix it well on med speed, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again. I beat the icing for about 6 to 8 minutes, to help break down the sugar so it is less grainy. I then check the consistency, turn the mixer up to med -hi speed and begin to add more cream oz. by oz. until I get the consistency that I want. **If you want to make PB icing LOOK below! When it is almost "there" I turn the mixer up to the highest speed to whip the icing a bit. (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes). Done!

Peanut butter variation: Before the very last step, turning the mixer up to high, I will add the peanut butter. Add the entire jar, and beat on medium speed scraping the sides and bottom to make sure it all gets mixed in. I check the consistency again, because adding the peanut butter cuts the creaminess, and I usually end up adding up to another 2 oz. of heavy cream. If you run out of cream, you can add some milk. Beat on high for a minute or so to whip, and you are ready to go.

Garnish with shaved chocolate or chopped chocolate chips on top! It looks pretty!!

FYI The peanut butter icing will be milder the first day, and will taste stronger after sitting a day or two. This recipe will easily frost a layer cake up to 10" round, a 1/4 sheet cake, or even a 1/2 sheet cake, with enough left to do borders. For smaller cakes, you will definitely have leftovers, but this frosting will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. I do freeze it and it's great!