Jena's Butter Cream Icing

One of my Grandchildren ate 5 pieces of cake at our recent family reunion!! When I asked I found that Jena Holmes the fiance of my cousin Ron Gibson had brought it.

Of course I asked for her "secret" and she kindly shared it with me!! The cake was a Pillsbury Devil's Food and the frosting was the secret ammunition I was assured!!

She sent me the recipe in a package from Ron with all sorts of wonderful genealogy information on our family dating back to the Revolutionary War. Such a treasure trove I found in that big manila envelope!!

Today I baked the same box cake and carefully prepared the frosting. It is very light, almost like whipped cream. It is mildly sweet and I added a teaspoon of vanilla which her recipe does not call for. I had not tasted her cake because of this infernal diet I am on, but tomorrow is my binge day so I have tried to duplicate it. ( I did take a tiny lick of the beater....just one tiny!!) 

It has made a lovely cake that will go well with home fried chicken my son Mike requested for Sunday dinner. So many thanks to Jena and Ron for that wonderful package I received Wednesday.

Ingredients:

5 T. flour
1 C. milk
1/4 pound butter or margarine (1 stick)
1/2 C. shortening (Butter flavor Crisco)
1 C. powdered sugar, sift through a sieve to remove lumps
1 t. vanilla

Cook the flour and milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan until it is very thick and paste like. Pour into a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap so a skin cannot form and cool completely in the refrigerator.

Using an electric mixer (a stand mixer with a whipping attachment if you have it) beat the butter, shortening, and sugar until it becomes very light and fluffy. Add the cold flour and milk mixture and vanilla and beat until again very light and fluffy. Using a stand mixer it took about 3-4 minutes and I scraped the sides and bottom of the bowl 2-3 times.

Frosts 2, 8-9" layers.