Perfect Royal Icing for Cake Decorating!

Have you ever wondered how those bakeries get the smooth texture and delightful colors to their icings? It's really no secret, although some bakeries use their own secret icing recipe, many more use the good ole standby Royal Icing to create their works of art.


Cake icing is basically a mixture of butter, sugar and flavoring. It is used between cake layers, drape and cover the cake, and it is used to make the edible decorations on top and around the cake. Each icing has individual properties, and choosing the correct icing for your cake is very important.

Icings, such as butter cream, have a sweet buttery flavor, and is perfect to frost cakes, create borders, rosettes and other decorations.

Royal Icing can be stiffened to use in molding figures.  Royal Icing is made with meringue powder, and has a sweet taste, dries hard, and is best for flowers, figure, and filigree or lace work. Often, this icing is used for gingerbread houses because it hardens and holds the house parts securely together.

Rolled fondant-icing provides a smooth flat surface when used to cover cakes. This icing is rolled out like dough and then molded over the cake. However, it remains semi-soft on cakes, which give assurance that the cake decorations will not get too hard or slip off the cake.

Poured fondant icing also produces a smooth flat covering for cakes. This icing is poured over the cake and dries to a semi-hard covering. Many novice cake decorators enjoy using a poured fondant icing because it is the easiest and quickest to use.

Cake icing serves three purposes: (1) to make the cake look great, (2) prolong the cakes life, and (3) hold in the cakes moisture.

Piping the final touches on your cake must be done carefully and with a steady hand. If you have trouble filling the piping bag, try putting the piping bag in a tall glass and fold the edges over the rim of the glass. This will let both hands free for ease of filling the bag properly. Many times decorating accidents happen because the bag was not filled correctly.

Successful decoration creation depends on the type and consistency of icing. There are three icing consistencies: Stiff, Medium, and Soft.

Stiff icing is used to make flower petals that need to be shaped in an upright stance without drooping.

Medium icing is used for cake borders, shells and ropes.

Soft icing is used mostly to write names or messages on cakes. This type of icing can also be used to shape (or level) a cake top.


Royal Icing

1 lb confectioners' sugar

3/8 cup milk

3/8 cup light corn syrup

desired flavoring

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and milk. Then add the corn syrup just until combined. Divide to flavor or add color.

Royal Icing with Meringue Powder

(Note: add ingredients in the order given, and beat with a mixer)

6 Tbsp warm water

3 Tbsp Meringue powder

¼ tsp CLEAR almond extract

Then add gradually:

1 lb confectioners' sugar

Combine warm water, meringue powder and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until the meringue powder and water mixture resembles frothy egg whites, and all the meringue power is dissolved. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, beating on low to medium speed until the icing is light, fluffy and holds its shape. It should stand up in peaks and have a dull appearance. This can take up to 15 minutes.

(Tip: If you need increased icing strength, add ½ tsp Cream of Tartar.

Be sure to keep the icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. Once a crust forms, it cannot be used! Re-beating will restore the icing texture. If the icing is beat on too-high speeds, air holes will cause the decorations to become very brittle and break. The icing can be stored un-refrigerated up to 2 weeks, and will keep indefinitely if it is refrigerated.

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