You’re standing in your kitchen, looking at a bowl of pale, fluffy clouds. One side of the internet says butter is king, the only way to go if you have a soul. The other side—the side that actually has to transport a three-tier wedding cake in a 90-degree July humidity—is reaching for the blue can of vegetable shortening. Honestly, the "butter versus shortening" debate is one of those kitchen wars that never really ends. But here’s the thing: Crisco and butter frosting isn't a compromise. It’s a strategy.
It works because science says so. Butter is delicious, sure, but it's a fickle beast. It melts at roughly 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. That is basically body temperature. If you’re at a backyard BBQ, your pure buttercream is going to turn into a puddle before the birthday girl even blows out the candles. Shortening? It stays solid up to about 115 degrees. When you mix them, you get the flavor of a French patisserie and the structural integrity of a skyscraper.
The Identity Crisis of American Buttercream
Most people don't realize that what we call "bakery frosting" in the States is almost always a hybrid. Go to a high-end grocery store or a local corner bakery. That crusting, sugary, perfectly piped rose on your cupcake? That’s likely a blend. Pure butter doesn't "crust" the same way. The sugar in a Crisco and butter frosting interacts with the fats to create a thin, protective shell on the outside while staying creamy on the inside. It's why you can touch a decorated cake five minutes after it's done and not leave a fingerprint.
It’s about the air, too. Butter has water in it—about 16 to 18 percent. Shortening is 100 percent fat. When you whip shortening, you’re folding in thousands of tiny air bubbles that don’t have any water to weigh them down. This results in a volume that butter just can't match on its own.
The Ratio That Nobody Wants to Admit They Use
Look, if you ask a "purist," they'll tell you that using shortening is a sin. They’re wrong. Professional decorators like Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Cake Bible, have spent decades explaining the chemistry of fats in baking. The most common "golden ratio" for a reliable Crisco and butter frosting is a 50/50 split.
One cup of unsalted butter.
One cup of vegetable shortening.
About eight cups of powdered sugar.
A splash of heavy cream and some high-quality vanilla.
You start by beating the fats together until they look like one cohesive, pale substance. If you see streaks of yellow butter, you haven't gone long enough. Stop. Scrape the bowl. Go again. Most home bakers quit too early. You want that mixture to look almost like whipped cream before a single grain of sugar hits the bowl.
Then comes the sugar. Add it slow. If you dump it all in, you'll end up in a white dust cloud that covers your toaster and your dignity.
Why the "Mouthfeel" Argument is Half-True
People complain that shortening leaves a "greasy" film on the roof of the mouth. This happens when you use cheap, store-brand shortening with a low melting point or when you don't whip it enough. Name-brand Crisco has been reformulated over the years—notably removing trans fats back in 2007—which changed how it behaves.
If you find the texture too "heavy," the secret is the liquid. Most people use milk. Don't. Use heavy whipping cream or even a tablespoon of boiling water. The hot water trick, often used in "Ermine" frosting or old-school bakery recipes, helps dissolve the sugar crystals and smooths out the shortening's waxy edges.
The flavor issue is easy to fix. Shortening has zero flavor. It’s a blank canvas. This is actually an advantage if you’re making something delicate like a lemon or almond cake. Butter can sometimes overwhelm subtle notes. When using a Crisco and butter frosting, you have to be aggressive with your extracts. Use a good vanilla bean paste. Toss in a pinch of fine sea salt to cut the sweetness. The salt is non-negotiable. Without it, you’re just eating flavored grease and sugar.
Handling the Heat: A Practical Reality
Let’s talk about the "Sweat Factor."
Have you ever seen a cake "sweat"? It’s gross. It happens when moisture moves out of the cake and gets trapped under the frosting, or when the butter begins to separate. Because shortening is an emulsified fat, it holds onto moisture better. In humid climates—think Florida or East Coast summers—a 100% butter frosting is a death wish for a tiered cake.
- Stability: Shortening provides the "shoulders" for the frosting to stand on.
- Whiteness: If you want a true, snowy white cake, butter is your enemy. It’s yellow. Even "pale" butter is yellow. Shortening is stark white.
- Cost: Let’s be real. Butter prices are insane. Mixing in shortening stretches your budget without sacrificing the "homemade" vibe.
I once worked a wedding where the bride insisted on "organic grass-fed butter only" for an outdoor reception in July. By the time the speeches were over, the top tier had slid six inches to the left. It looked like a Salvador Dalí painting. If we had used a Crisco and butter frosting, that cake would have sat there like a soldier.
The Crust Factor and Why It Matters for Decorating
If you’re into piping intricate borders or those trendy "vintage" piped cakes with all the ruffles, you need a crusting buttercream. This is where the shortening really earns its keep. As the frosting sits, the outer layer dries slightly. This "crust" locks in the moisture of the cake. It also allows you to use the "Viva Paper Towel" method—a trick where you use a non-textured paper towel to smooth out the frosting until it looks like fondant.
You can't do that with pure butter. It’s too soft.
Common Mistakes That Ruin the Experience
The biggest mistake is the temperature of the butter. If your butter is too soft (greasy to the touch), the whole batch is ruined. It should be "cool room temperature"—around 65 degrees. You should be able to press it and leave an indent, but it shouldn't be shiny.
Crisco, on the other hand, should stay in the pantry. Don't refrigerate it.
Another fail? Not sifting the sugar. I know, it’s a pain. Nobody wants to sift eight cups of sugar. But shortening is very good at "trapping" lumps. If you have a clump of powdered sugar in your Crisco and butter frosting, no amount of beating will get it out. You’ll end up with a clogged piping tip and a very frustrated afternoon.
Is it Healthier? (Spoilers: No)
Let’s not pretend we’re eating a salad. Shortening is processed. Butter is saturated fat. Both are calorie-dense. However, for those with certain dairy sensitivities, you can actually increase the ratio of shortening to butter (or use a vegan butter stick) to reduce the lactose content while keeping that classic American frosting texture.
Crisco is made from soybean and cottonseed oil. It’s vegan. It’s kosher. It’s incredibly shelf-stable. While it doesn't have the vitamins found in high-quality butter, it serves a functional purpose that butter simply cannot fulfill in a professional kitchen environment.
The "Wedding Bouquet" Flavor Profile
If you want that specific "wedding cake" taste—the one that triggers nostalgia—you need the "Holy Trinity" of extracts.
Mix your Crisco and butter frosting with:
📖 Related: Bigfoot vs DB Cooper: What Most People Get Wrong About These Northwest Legends
- Two parts Vanilla Extract.
- One part Almond Extract.
- One part Butter Flavoring (yes, the clear imitation stuff).
This combination, paired with the shortening/butter blend, is exactly what high-end bakeries use to get that "expensive" flavor. The almond extract rounds out the sweetness, and the clear butter flavoring reinforces the dairy notes that might get diluted by the shortening.
Troubleshooting Your Batch
If your frosting looks curdled, your butter was probably too cold. You can fix this by taking a small bowl of the frosting, microwaving it for 5 seconds, and beating it back into the main batch.
If it's too soft, don't just keep adding sugar. You’ll make it sickly sweet. Instead, try chilling the whole bowl for 15 minutes and then re-whipping. Or, add a tablespoon of cornstarch. Cornstarch is often already in powdered sugar to prevent clumping, but an extra bit can help stabilize a sagging frosting in a pinch.
Final Steps for the Perfect Finish
To get the most out of your Crisco and butter frosting, you need to think about the "final beat." After you’ve mixed everything and it’s fluffy, turn your mixer to the lowest possible speed for about two or three minutes. This knocks out the large air bubbles. It makes the frosting silky smooth, which is vital if you want to achieve a professional finish on your cakes.
- Store it right: This frosting lasts in the fridge for two weeks. Just let it come back to room temperature before trying to use it.
- Coloring: Use gel colors, not liquid. Since shortening is fat-based, liquid food coloring can sometimes cause the frosting to separate or "bead" up.
- The Taste Test: Always taste a glob of it on a piece of the actual cake. Frosting on its own always tastes sweeter than it does when paired with the sponge.
When you're ready to start, make sure your kitchen isn't a sauna. Turn on the AC. Grab the blue can and the gold sticks. Mix them with intent. You aren't just making a topping; you're engineering a delicious, structural masterpiece that will actually survive the car ride to the party.
The reality is that Crisco and butter frosting remains the industry standard for a reason. It bridges the gap between flavor and function. It’s reliable. It’s nostalgic. And when done right, it’s absolutely delicious. Start with the 50/50 ratio, don't skip the salt, and whip it longer than you think you need to. Your cakes will thank you.