Icing Basic Recipe: Easy & Fast

Ingredients

Here's how it works: put the sifted powdered sugar in a small bowl or large glass. Then add water by a spoonful. Mix everything very well with a whisk - done. Depending on which pastry the icing is for, a different consistency is desired. The amount of liquid is always only a guide. In any case, be sure to stir it in only gradually. Icing quickly becomes too liquid (but can be "saved" with a little more powdered sugar).

• Regular icing, for example, for sheet cakes: 250g powdered sugar and 4-5 tablespoons liquid. 
• More solid frosting for decorating cookies: 250g powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons liquid. It becomes really the best thing, firm and opaque.
• Almost transparent icing, e.g. for Elisen gingerbread: 250g powdered sugar and 6 tablespoons liquid.

How to make the Basic Icing

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Quick and easy: First, sift the powdered sugar. Gradually add the water in mini sips and stir well with a whisk. Use as much or as little liquid as you like until you like the consistency.

Then, use the icing immediately and apply with a brush, spoon, small cake palette, or piping bag, depending on the consistency or type of pastry.

Top Tip

Depending on the recipe, brushes, small cake palettes, easy spoons, or piping bags are suitable for immediate application. Then you can add sugar sprinkles or chopped nuts. The quantities mentioned are enough for a sheet cake, 12 muffins, or roughly 80 cookies. Depending on the consistency you choose, the icing will set faster or slower. Often it takes about 20 minutes.

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Basic Icing

With this basic recipe, you can make icing for cookies, muffins, cakes, and Co. easy yourself

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Servings: 1 portion

Calories: 73kcal

Ingredients

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Classic, medium consistency

• 250 grams (2 cups) powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons water, up to 5

Thick consistency

• 250 grams (2 cups) powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons water

Thin consistency

• 250 grams (2 cups) powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons water

Instructions

• Sift the powdered sugar. Gradually add the water in mini sips and stir well with a whisk. Use as much or as little liquid as you like until you like the consistency.
• Use the icing immediately and apply with a brush, spoon, small cake palette, or piping bag, depending on the consistency or type of pastry.

Notes

• For white, very opaque icing, use milk instead of water.
• For the lemon icing, substitute juice for about three-quarters of the water.
• Add a teaspoon of baking cocoa and minimally more liquid for cocoa icing.
• For flavoring, a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla, for example, are suitable.
• For colored frosting, mix powdered food coloring into the powdered sugar and add liquid or gel color or paste to the liquid.

Ingredient substitutions

Do you want to replace some ingredients? Here you find tips for baking ingredient substitutions!

Variations

The foundation can be wonderfully modified to give pastries a special pizzazz. The following versions are undoubtedly the best known:

• With lemon: For this, replace part of the water with lemon juice. Also works with orange.
• White-covered one with milk: Replace all or at least part of the water with milk.
• Cocoa: Mix baking cocoa into the powdered sugar, sift both, and then add liquid.
• Colorful icing: If using powdered food coloring, mix it into the sugar. Add liquid (gel) colors to the water. Note: You may need a little less of the latter.
• A particularly aromatic one, add a pinch of vanilla or cinnamon.