Not everyone is fortunate enough to live near a Publix, but you can make frosting that tastes almost as good as theirs does. I have had this from Publix, and it is outstanding.
1/2 pounds butter
2 cups Crisco Vegetable Shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 pounds confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon meringue powder
1 tablespoon milk if needed
Mix butter, Crisco, and salt together on low speed for 5 minutes. Add vanilla, butter flavor, and almond extract, beat until well blended. Turn mixer off and add meringue powder and 1/2 confectioners sugar. Turn mixer on the slowest speed the mixer has, add remaining confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at a time until the sugar is mixed in. Turn mixer up to medium and beat until smooth and creamy, this should take about 5 minutes.
Meringue powder and butter flavoring can be found where cake decorating supplies are sold. The recipe can be made without these two ingredients, but the icing tastes better if you use the butter flavoring, and the icing with hold its shape better with the meringue powder.
I highly recommend sifting your confectioners sugar before using, sifting eliminates those clumps that sometimes form in the confectioners sugar. Once you have sifted the confectioners sugar it blends together better than unsifted confectioners sugar. If you don’t have a sifter you can use a regular colander, it works well.