This is a really great icing, but every time I make this, the flour/milk combo beads up in the butter/Crisco mix. Any suggestions?

Use butter and not Crisco. Let butter set out for 30 minutes or so. It should not be too soft or warm.

Try mixing / shake the milk and flour in a separate container (such as a tupperware) and then continue to mix it with the rest of the ingredients . This usually helps me.

This is the best icing!!! Made it at Christmas for red velvet cup cakes and everyone loved it. Already have request for birthday cakes!

My Icing calls for both butter and Crisco. It also says to let butter, Crisco, and milk come to room temp (no cooking needed) with sugar, flour.... then beat like crazy! I also use Almond instead of Vanilla... it makes a big difference. This icing is so much better then that awful cream cheese stuff most people use. It just won't be Red Velvet without it.

Never use "soft" (i.e. spreadable out-of-the-refrigerator margarine) It won't work. You must use 'hydrogenated' fats like 'hard' margarine, lard, or preferably 'real' butter. Be prepared to beat the cold mixture for a very long time. It looks 'curdy' what seems like forever, then poof! it turns in appearance to the consistence of whipped cream.

I got this recipe from my home economics teacher in the eighth grade. My 14-year-old son requested it for his birthday "With blue frosting" and that's what he got. He's now 50.

Tracey - KEEP MIXING! At one point it actually looks like it is curdled, but if you keep mixing it all comes together.

So I tweaked it a bit, too. It was fabulous though so I have to share because I am not much of a cook normally. I added 1/2 package of White Chocolate Instant pudding to the flour which I had reduced to 2 tbsp. I did NOT cook the flour/pudding/milk mixture. I had let everything come to room temperature like previous reviewer suggested. For the milk, I used 1/2 cup 2% Milk and 3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream - both at room temp. For the butter part of the recipe I used 1/2 cup unsalted butter AND 1/2 cup Crisco Butter Flavor Shortening. After everything was mixed very well, I added a pkg Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Room Temp also) and beat all that for another 2-3 minutes until it was nice and smooth. This icing is amazing. I know it's a lot of ingredients but this cake was a true hit!

This is a great tasting and easy to do frosting. Have never tried it before and did it all by hand no electic beater. No lumps or problems at all, will be doing this one again.

Mindy: I agree!! It drives me crazy to see cream cheese or whipped cream frostings for Red Velvet Cake. No no no!!! Even Martha uses cream cheese. Lost lots of points with me!

I've made this recipe numerous times and just love it. The only thing I've changed in it is I use 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup Crisco shortening. I use a good brand of vanilla like Penzey's. The real secret for me is that I learned to cook the paste in a non-stick pan. It's much better than a regular stainless steel pan.

My mother got this recipe in the 50's. One of her friend went to NY and ate at the Wardolf hotel. She got served this cake and asked for the recipe. The chef came out and said you want my recipe sure. He took her address and sent it to her with a $800 bill. My mother and all her friends scraped to together the money and sent it to him. I grew up on this having it on my birthday which is today.