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Icings
Icing, also known as frosting, is a sweet decorative coating used as a filling between the layers or as a coating
over the top and sides of a cake. It is used to add flavor and to improve a cake’s appearance. Icings can also
extend a cake’s shelf life by forming a protective coating.

Types of Icings
There are several types of icings and other cake coatings. Icings are used not only on cakes but also with other
pastries. Icings are also used to balance and adjust the flavors and textures, making it an important component
of any cakes or parties they are paired with.

Fondant is a type of icing that has two (2) kinds, poured fondant and rolled fondant. Poured fondant is a syrup
that is cooked to a smooth, creamy white mass. It is commonly used for napoleons, eclairs, petits fours, and
some cakes. It is made with a mixture of sugar, water, glucose, or corn syrup. It is poured over the product
and dries easily, producing a shiny, non-stick coating. Rolled fondant, on the other hand, is a very stiff dough
like the type of fondant that is used for covering cakes and making figures that dry to keep its shape. It is
kneaded with powdered sugar until it is pliable.

Buttercreams are light and smooth mixtures of fat and sugar, wherein some varieties contain eggs to add
volume. These are easily made and can be added with almost any flavor to suit any cakes. Butter is generally
used for buttercreams because of its flavor and mouthfeel, but some recipes may require the use of a portion
of shortening for stability. Butter, because it melts easily, makes buttercream icing unstable. It is advisable to
used buttercream icings only when the weather is cool and when shortening is added.

There are five (5) basic buttercreams used in baking and pastry.

• Simple buttercream is also known as American buttercream. It is made by creaming together fat and
fine confectioners’ sugar until desired consistency. Some recipes include milk or cream to add
creaminess to the mouthfeel of the icing. It is the most common and easiest buttercream to make. It
is often used for cakes and cupcakes. A thicker consistency called decorator’s buttercream is used for
piping flowers and other piped decorations. It is creamed slowly to prevent incorporating air and
produce a stiff buttercream that can hold its shape.
• Meringue type buttercreams are a mixture of fat
and meringue. Usually made with a choice of
butter as the fat, these are very light and have the
smoothest consistency. The most frequently used
meringue type buttercream is Italian buttercream
which is made with Italian meringue wherein
slightly soft but cold cubes of butter are added
towards the end. Adding the butter in small
portions ensures that the butter is well
incorporated and emulsifies instead of melting
into the eggs. This type of buttercream can be
used in almost any cakes, multilayered or not. Figure 1. Italian Buttercream
Figure 1 shows the consistency of an Italian Source: Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft, 3rd ed., 2016 p.
467
buttercream once butter is added and when it is
whipped continuously.

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• French buttercream, also known as mousseline buttercream, is prepared by beating boiling syrup and
egg yolks. It is similar to an Italian buttercream but uses egg yolks instead of egg whites. The egg yolks
give this buttercream its distinct yellow color richness in flavor. A rich and light icing, this type of icing
is rarely used because it is the most difficult buttercream to make.
• Pastry cream-type buttercream is made with equal parts thick pastry cream and softened butter and
whipped until it is very light. Also known as German buttercream, this is a buttercream that is rarely
used in baking and pastry.
• Fondant-type buttercream is a buttercream that is simple to make when you have all the ingredients
readily made. It is a mixture of equal parts poured fondant and butter. The use of this type of
buttercream is rare in the pastry kitchen.

Foam icings, sometimes called boiled icings, are simple meringues made with boiling syrup. It is often referred
to as 7-minute frosting because it is continuously whipped at a high speed for seven (7) minutes. This is a light
and fluffy type of icing, but very sweet. Flavors, such as chocolate, can also be added to this, but it is best used
plain to compliment lemon, coconut, and chocolate cakes. Known for its slight instability, foam type icings are
best used immediately and served within the day. Beads of water may seep when foam icings are refrigerated.

Fudge icings are rich and heavy that many of them are made like candy that makes them stable and holds its
shape well. It is a warm mixture of sugar, less fat, and milk or water. Fudge icings may be flavored with a
variety of ingredients and are used on cupcakes, layer cakes, and sheet cakes.

The glaze or flat icings are simply mixtures of powdered sugar and water. It is a type of icing that handles
similar to poured fondant where it is poured or drizzled on top of the baked product. Corn syrup, an invert
sugar, is sometimes added to this icing to prevent crystallization. It is primarily used for added moisture for
cakes that do not need any heavy icings.

Royal icings, also known as decorating icing, are similar to flat icings but are made thicker and contain egg
whites. It is a type of icing that is hard and brittle when it dries and used mostly for decorating especially string
work.

Ganache [ga-nash] is a mixture of cream, chocolate, and sometimes, butter. The chocolate to be used for this
type of icing relies on the choice of the baker. It can come from a wide range of chocolate choices from
bittersweet, semisweet, or dark chocolate. Depending on the desired consistency, this can be used as a filling,
icing, or glaze-type coating on a variety of baked goods. The ratio of the chocolate and ratio determines the
thickness of the ganache once cooled. It can also be whipped for a light and airy icing. For starters, equal parts
of chocolate and cream are best used for fillings and icings. An additional amount of chocolate to the same
amount of cream produces a thicker ganache consistency. Most of the time, a thicker ganache is used as icing
for cakes that are covered with rolled fondant. A thicker ganache is stable and hardens just enough to be stable
under the weight of the fondant.

It is made by scalding the cream or heating it just before boiling, and pouring it over chopped chocolate until
it melts and combines smoothly. Some bakers prefer to heat the chopped chocolate and cream together using
a double boiler.

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Troubleshooting techniques for faulty icings

Problem Cause Solution

Icing breaks or curdles
Icing is lumpy
Icing is too stiff
Icing does not adhere
to the cake
Fat added too slowly or eggs too hot Add shortening or sifted powdered
when fat was added sugar
Butter too cold when added Soften butter before adding
Powdered sugar not sifted Sift dry ingredients
Ingredients not blended Use softened fats
Sugar syrups lump in icing Add sugar syrups carefully
Adjust recipe; add a small amount of
Not enough liquid
milk or cream to thin the icing
Bring the icing to room temperature;
Too cold
heat gently over simmering water
Cake too hot Cool cake completely
Icing too thin Adjust icing recipe
Icing too stiff Adjust icing recipe
Soften icing at room temperature
Icing too cold
before using
Table 1. Troubleshooting chart for icings
Source: On Baking: Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals, 4th ed., 2020

References:
Gisslen, W. (2017) Professional baking (7th ed.). Wiley & Sons.
Labensky, S., Martel, P. & Van Damme, E. (2020) On baking: Textbook of baking and pastry fundamentals (4th ed.). Pearson.
The Culinary Institute of America. (2016) Baking and pastry: Mastering the art and craft (3rd ed.). Wiley & Sons.

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