This rich icing can also be used as a filling.

Ingredients

• 100 grams butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups icing sugar
• few drops vanilla essence
• about 1-2 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Beat the butter until it is pale and fluffy.
2. Sift the icing sugar and beat into the creamed butter with the vanilla essence and sufficient milk until you have a fluffy light mixture. If you need the mixture to spread more easily, then add a little more milk.

Cooks Tips

Variations - Almond: Add 1 drop almond essence to the mixture and about ½ cup finely chopped toasted almonds. - Chocolate: Heat the 2 tablespoons milk and dissolve 2 tablespoons cocoa in it. Allow to cool before adding to the icing. - Coffee: Heat the 2 tablespoons milk and dissolve 1 tablespoon coffee in it. Allow to cool before adding to the icing. - Lemon: Add the grated rind of 1 lemon and use lemon juice in place of the milk. - Mocha: Heat the 2 tablespoons milk and dissolve 1 tablespoon cocoa and 1 teaspoon coffee in it. Allow to cool before adding to the icing. - Orange: Add the grated rind of 1 orange and use orange juice in place of the milk. - Passionfruit: Add the pulp of 1 ripe passionfruit.