Fondant looking Buttercream Icing

I had to share this recipe with you guys! It tastes like Costco frosting...which to some of you is awesome and others will shrink in disgust. But...here is the thing...you can get this buttercream to be super smooth. So, when you want the fondant look without the cost of the fondant...go this route. And if you don't love the flavor of the icing, use a different frosting in between the layers of the cake to compensate...no problem. Best of both worlds! This photo is not great quality and this cake is well...very mediocre. It was a final project for one of my classes. But the photo does show how smooth this frosting really can get.

Fondant-Looking Buttercream Icing
Source:Helen Sembra-my wonderful cake decorating hero!

2 pounds powdered sugar
4 Tab. meringue powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup Crisco
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
2 tsp. vanilla or flavoring of your choice

Combine in a mixer at low speed until smooth. If the frosting is too stiff to spread easily, up the water to 1/2 cup water. Spread evenly over cake. Let it set a few minutes, take a Viva paper towel and place the smooth soft side to the cake. If the frosting sticks to the towel, wait a few more moments and then smooth.