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 James, Butter flavoring is usually not in the grocery store with other flavoring but can be found where baking supplies are sold such as Michael's or JoAnne's, also online.

Hi Cori, We have frozen it for 2 months, and it could possibly be longer. You can let it thaw in the refrigerator or on the countertop. You will need to stir or briefly beat with mixer .

Hi Nilda, Yes, you can use this under fondant, though we prefer using ganache. The ganache makes a nice firm shell for laying the fondant on.

Hi,
do you have a recipe for Chocolate Butter Cream or can this be made in chocolate.

Hi,
do you have a recipe for Chocolate Butter Cream.

Hi Mattie, In the recipe section we have the Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream.
If you are going to use high ratio I would decrease the shortening amount to 1 1/4 cup (236g.) and increase the milk to 1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk or enough to make it the consistency you like.

Hi Melissa !! I love watching your tutorial I live in Australia and I can't find sweetex shortening !! What can I use to make the flowers with a high ratio butter cream ?? Could I use Cisco ??

Try adding 3 cups peanut butter :) I added this in the first step (Jif). In prior attempts, I have also added in the end and it works either way. I did notice I needed to bump up the liquid. (I only had skim milk on hand). I probably used close to 2 cups milk. I still used vanilla and butter flavor but omitted lemon/almond flavoring. I know it seems like a lot of peanut butter, but no matter what flavor you're shooting for, the hi ratio always requires way more flavoring then you would think. When I'm making any flavor of this frosting, I tend to favor the original recipe with 2 or maybe 3 lbs PS. I still think it does a good job of smoothing and crusting without being overly sweet. When my audience is under the age of 18, I use all 4 pounds :) Enjoy!

Hi... Is this a crusting buttercream suitable for piping, flowers, etc? Thanks.

Hi Rob,

Yes- this is a crusting recipe and it works great for piping flowers.

Have you ever made this using water as the liquid?

Hi BeBe, I was wondering if the Walmart brand, Shortening, not the vegetable shortening, would be considered high ratio? I am so grateful I found this program. So many unanswered questions for so many of us. Thank you for all your help!

Hi Terri, I have not used the Walmart brand so I am not sure how it compares with a high ratio shortening. You will not have the greasy mouth feel using high ratio, also high ratio will hold more liquid than a typical vegetable shortening. I have read some threads on Cake Central that were positive to the Walmart brand. We usually order our high ratio online from CK Products because we do not have a bakery supply store nearby. If you give the Walmart brand a try, let us know how it goes.

Ok loving it already. Now I live in the Caribbean (PUerto Rico) and it hot and humid. So what is the best frosting should I learn because of Fondant it is tough for me and I am a beginner and trying to start making cakes.