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.

Table of Contents

Advantages of Shortening Based Frostings

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.

More Extracts may be Needed in shortening-Based Frostings...

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!

Have Gritty Buttercream? It Could be Your Powdered Sugar...

** 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.

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

This easy high ratio frosting pipes perfectly and is a good choice for higher temperatures as it is more heat resistant than butter-based frosting.

Ingredients

*This Recipe makes a lot of frosting. It can be halved!
2 cups (386 g) high ratio shortening (We use Sweetex and CK brands)
2 Tablespoons (24 g) clear vanilla extract
½ teaspoon (2 g) butter flavoring
½ 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)
½ 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.

Instructions

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 holes) 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 ½ cups

Notes

***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 paper towel method of smoothing is easier with the updated version.

191 Comments

Hi Sarah, We are in Greensboro and we buy Wesson Hi Ratio shortening from Crawford's Creations, here is a link to their products . I have just recently used this brand and find it equal to Sweetex. They also ship. Their number is 336-688-5094.

I'm curious - what size stand mixer are using to make this large recipe in? I'm making a wedding cake this weekend, but I don't know if my 7qt mixer is large enough

Hi Kim, I have a 5 qt. KitchenAid......it is full

Hi there! I love your tutorials! I am planning to do a painted cake with this recipe, and I was wondering how far in advance can I make the frosting and should I just keep it covered or should it be kept cool/ in fridge? And if I frost one day and then paint another day (1-2 days later) should I keep the cake in the fridge and then let it come to room temp? Thanks!!!

I will be making a buttercream transfers this week...will the recipe be good? Also, is this a good crusting frosting?
Ansa

Hi Ansa, this is a good crusting buttercream, though it would not be a good choice for a buttercream transfer. When the buttercream is all shortening it does not get as firm when frozen so it just isn't a good choice for a transfer. The buttercream you use should be at least 50% butter and 50% shortening....of course, an all butter, buttercream would work great.

Thanks for clearing that up for me BeBe.

Ansa

@Liz~ The frosting is not highly perishable but if you are using milk as your liquid I would probably not leave out more than 3 days. In the refrigerator, a bowl of the buttercream would be fine for at least a couple of weeks although we often freeze our leftovers.

If you chill your cake or your crumb coated cake before frosting, you'll want to allow it to come to room temperature before applying the final coat of buttercream so that it will crust properly. --

If you frost one day and paint another, I would allow the cake to come to room temp before painting, just to be absolutely sure that there will be no condensation issues. Hope this helps!