Icing for fire truck birthday cake!

blackbnz, Apr 29, 5:12am
My son is making his brother a fire truck birthday cake I have food colouring but all the recipes say frosting..How do you make frosting?Is it the same as icing and anyone know a good recipe for this?The fire truck is red,grey and white so he will have to make quite a bit to cover it all!

blackbnz, Apr 29, 5:17am
oh and he is going to put the frosting in a piping bag and make shapes on the firetruck so I presume it will need to be a certain consistency?help please!

heidsguy, Apr 29, 5:27am
I use this icing when I make birthday cakes - it has a really great consistancy, perfect for piping

Buttercream Frosting

100g butter, softened
2½ cups icing sugar, sifted
Juice of 1 lemon
Food colouring of choice, as required

1. Place butter, icing sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and beat until combined.

2. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed until mixture is pale and creamy.

3. Beat in colouring, as desired. Use to spread over cakes to cover, or for piping cake decorations.

heidsguy, Apr 29, 5:29am
You dont have to use lemon juice.I find it is also best not to use food colouring but instead use pastes or gels instead which you can buy from Millies kitchen store

blackbnz, Apr 29, 5:34am
thank you..Yes I looked at the gels but thought they were too expensive for a first cake!Would have cost over $20 just for the gels!We will try our luck with the good old fashioned food colouring..thanks for the icing recipe

heidsguy, Apr 29, 5:39am
No probs, I have actually made the cake I think you might be making (is it from the Australia Womens weekly cake book?I wont tell you how long it took!

Yeah the gels are expensive but they last for ages and it is the best way to get the colour the exact shade but I'm sure the cake will turn out wonderful and his son will love it!