Nothing is so sweet and cloying as confectioner's sugar icing. Professional pastry chefs rely on a fondant-based buttercream. Ask your neighborhood baker or pastry chef for fondant (beg, plead), see a cake decorating supply house, or try a mail order source (fondant lasts forever). This is the silky icing that everyone loves and associates with store bought cupcakes. (See additional notes on fondant below). This is for those great home made birthday cakes and cupcakes. For fondant online: check out http://www.pastrychef.com/PASTRY-FONDANT_p_786.html orhttp://joepastry.site.aplus.net/index.php?cat=63