Aunt Margie's Decorator Icing
(This is not a true white icing.  It's more of an off-white.  But it has a WONDERFUL flavor!) 

1 stick of Parkay Margarine, softened
1 C Crisco
1 tsp vanilla (sometimes I leave this out if I want the icing color lighter, or I'm out of vanilla.  You could also use the clear vanilla to keep it lighter.)
1 lb powdered sugar 
Dash of milk

Cream margarine and Crisco.  Then add vanilla.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating thoroughly between additions.  Add very small amounts of milk.  You don't need much.  Too much will soften it too much to hold it's shape.   Beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes until nice and creamy.

When decorating a cake I usually double this recipe.  Just add cake colors (liquid or paste) to color.  Remember a little bit goes a long way, especially if you want a light color.  Store unused icing in the frig.  It lasts for a number of weeks. 

This is also wonderful between two graham crackers!  My kids loved it.

This is dedicated in loving memory to my Aunt Margie, my mother's sister.  She made wonderful cakes for our family events.  She is one reason I wanted to learn to decorate cakes.  After she died her daughters gave me all her cake supplies.  They have been very special to me.

In Memory of Margie Baker
Okla. City, OK

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX

White Buttercream
(I use this recipe when I want a true white icing for a wedding cake.)

This recipe makes a large quantity.  Occasionally I'll half the recipe if I'm not doing a large cake.

2 (2 lb) bags of powdered sugar
2 C shortening (I prefer Crisco)
1 C milk
Dash salt
1 tsp. clear vanilla
3 tsp butter flavoring
4 tsp corn syrup (Karo)

Cream Crisco and add vanilla, butter flavoring, salt, and corn syrup.  Alternate small amounts of powdered sugar and milk until all is used.  Try to do it proportionately.  When you have used one bag of powdered sugar you should have 1/2 C of milk left to use with the second bag of powdered sugar.

Beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes until very creamy. 

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX

Chocolate Wedding Icing
(Used for Groom's Cakes)

2 sticks Parkay margarine
2 C Crisco
2 lbs powdered sugar
Dash of milk
1 1/4 C cocoa (for light chocolate, add more for dark chocolate.  I just go by the looks and taste.)

Cream margarine and Crisco until creamy and blended.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time and add very small amounts of milk to make it creamy and blend better.  After all the powdered sugar is added, start adding the cocoa in small amount, blending thoroughly between additions.  After all is added, blend on high speed for 3-5 minutes.  This may lighten the chocolate color some.  Taste the icing and see if you want to add more cocoa or not.

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX

Cake Mixes

When I make cakes I prefer to use Duncan Hines Brand in all flavors.  Over my 20 years of cake decorating, I have constantly had people ask me what I use.  Most can't believe it's a cake mix.  I have lots of people tell me they just LOVE to know the wedding cake (or any cake) was made by me because they just love it.  The cakes and icings on this page contain ALL my "trade secrets".. not that they are really all that "secret".  But I know people like these, so I stick with them!

I do occasionally use Betty Crocker cake mixes if I can't get the flavor I want in Duncan Hines, or the sale is just so good that I can't resist.  It does very well too.  I do prefer Betty Crocker's Angel Food cake mix over the others.  Just a personal thing!

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX

After Dinner Mints
(Beautiful on the Bride's table colored to match her wedding colors.)

1 lb powdered sugar
1 egg white, unbeaten 
1 T milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 heaping tsp Crisco
3-6 drops of mint (or to your taste)
Food coloring (otherwise mints are white)

Combine egg white, milk, vanilla, mint flavoring and color.  Be SURE to only add small amounts of color, as a little color goes a LONG way!  Blend well then add powdered sugar, all at one time (with mixer turned off).  Turn mixer back on gently, as it will kick powdered sugar up all over the place!  Add more Crisco or sugar if necessary to form a firm, fairly unsticky small ball.  Roll ball in granulated sugar.  Push this ball into a small mint mold in a shape of your choice.  Release from mold onto waxed paper and let dry.  The outside will be a little "crusty" but the inside will be soft.  After these are set, store covered with plastic wrap or a well sealed container.  You can also freeze them at this stage.  They thaw out rather quickly.  These are VERY popular.  

Recipe given to me by
Billie Brazell
Dumas, TX

Wedding Cake Tip

When you have two tiers stacked together there will be a cardboard cake circle between the tiers.  After the top tier has been served and you get ready to take off the cardboard.. the icing of the bottom tier usually wants to stick to the bottom of the cardboard circle.  To prevent this... when decorating your cake, sprinkle some coconut on the top of the bottom tier in only the area when the next tier will be covering it.  That way the cardboard will come off practically "icing free" and it will remain on the bottom tier to be served to your guests and still look pretty!

Brenda

Royal Icing
(This icing is used to make roses and flowers that will become "hard", yet still be edible.  They are very good.)

   Wilton makes a Meringue Powder that can be used to make Royal Icing without using raw eggs.  I just still prefer using this recipe, as I feel I have better luck with it. I've been using it for 20 years and my mother-in-law, who gave me this recipe, used it years before that. You can NOT use this icing if it is humid or you are using an evaporated air conditioner. The icing will not get stiff enough and hold it's shape.

3 egg whites, room temp
4 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

   Combine all ingredients into a large bowl.  Start mixer out on low until all ingredients are mixed, then run on high speed for about 8-10 minutes.  This will be until the icing will hold a stiff peak.
   If you want to color the whole batch of icing to make a batch of flowers, add the coloring AFTER you have beat the 8-10 minutes.  If you add it before the beating the color will "fade" as it is beaten.  Add it after.. and again.. add just a little at a time because a little goes a LONG way!!
   Do not mix this recipe up until you are ready to use it.  You will need to work fairly quickly.  Have all your tools out, such as flower nail, cake tubes, waxed paper squares, etc. before you mix it up, or while it is beating.  After you have it ready, you will want to cover the bowl with a slightly damp towel.  Not too damp or it will be just like a humid day.  The dampness keeps it from drying out too much while you are working with it.  Sometimes I alternate between a damp and a dry towel.
   If you should stop between flowers, be sure to cover cake tip with a damp cloth to keep the icing from drying inside the tube and stopping it up.  Sometimes it dries a little in the tube and the icing won't come out evenly.  If that happens, take the tip off and rinse it out, making sure all dried icing is rinsed out.
   I like to make the large, open roses first, while the icing is fresh and at the perfect consistency.  Then make the rosebuds, sweetpeas, or smaller flowers.

Recipe given to me by
Billie Brazell
Dumas, TX

Baking Wedding Cakes

When baking wedding cakes, you want them to rise evenly and slowly.  To do that, set your oven at 325 degrees instead of the 350 listed on the cake mix box.  I also cut towels into strips the width of the side of the cake pan  (about 2 inches).  Wet the towel strips, then wring thoroughly getting out all excess water.  Pin them onto the side of the pan.  You might want to zig-zag stitch the strips on a sewing machine before you use them, as they are very ravelly.  I haven't done that, but I do have to watch for the ravels in the cake!  You may have to bake these cakes a little longer, but they will be much more even when they rise.  Test by using a toothpick that come out clean when it is done, or a touch on the top of the cake will spring back up.

As soon as I take the cakes out of the oven, using a hot mitt, I press the cake down into itself.  This will make for a firmer, flatter cake to work with.  Otherwise you will either have a "hump" to deal with, or you will have to cut it off.  I'd rather not waste any cake and I do like the firmer texture it gives the cake on the inside.  Better for serving.  It will still be light and fluffy.

Let the cakes set in the pan a few minutes, then turn out on waxed paper to cool completely.  At this stage I wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.  It is much easier to stack wedding cakes when they are frozen.  I always set them out on the plates and stack them the night before I am going to decorate them the next day.

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX

Pan Coating

This wonderful little recipe is what you use to coat your cake pans with to keep the cake from sticking after they have been baked.  It doesn't leave the thick "stuff" on the sides like "flouring" the pan does.  It can be used for anything that needs to be kept from "sticking" in the pan.

This recipe can be mixed in any amount, depending on how much you want of it.  Just keep the proportions equal when you make adjustments in the amount.

1 C Flour
1 C Cooking Oil
1 C Crisco

Combine all together in a bowl and beat until smooth.  When using on the pans, keep this out so it is room temp.  Otherwise, store in the refrigerator until the next time you want to use it.

A lot of times I make it only using 1/2 cup of all ingredients.  If I am doing a lot of cakes I make it with the 1 cup measurements.

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX