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Decorating 101: Icing & Glazes 

Icings, frosting and glazes add flavor and a protective shield that preserve freshness in the cake. Fillings and frostings should compliment the cake inside; one should not overpower the other.

Is it icing or frosting ? It is both. Icing is a more professional term used when talking about frosting that is stiffer and pipes well. But, it is a much debated topic of discussion. Some feel that frosting is considered homespun or creamier and softer than icing. Others feel that frostings are the thickest and creamiest, followed by icings and glazes, which are thinner.

Anytime you use a perishable icing or decoration, the baked good must be refrigerated.
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Icing & Filling Choices

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How Much Icing or Glaze Do You Need ?

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Icing Consistency

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How to Frost or Glaze a Cake

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How to Apply a Glaze

Cake Icing & Filling Choices:

How Much Do You Need ?:

 Icing 

Glaze -- spread, drizzle or pour:
Cake Size Top Only Top & Sides Top, Sides & Filling Cake Size Top Only
8 " 2-layer   1-1/2 cups 2 cups 9" or 10" cake 1 cup
9" 2-layer   2 cups 2-1/2 cups 10" x 15" sheet cake 1-1/3 cups
9" 3-layer   2-1/2 to 3 cups 3-1/2 to 4 cups    
8" square 3/4 cup 1-1/2 cups      
13" x 9" 2 cups 2-1/2 cups      
9 or 10" tube   3 to 4 cups      
9" x 5" x 3" loaf 1 cup        
12 cupcakes 3/4 to 1 cup        

Some cakes scream out for icings and fillings. Cookies can be decorated with icing to give them a special touch. Special occasion cakes become more festive with frosting and decorations. It also adds flavor and interest and provides a smooth surface for decorating on. Icing serves other purposes: it seals in moisture and flavor, allowing a cake to be eaten over a couple of days and keeps the cake crumbs out. 

NOTE: You must ALWAYS refrigerate a cake prepared with a perishable frosting or filling. Cakes with frostings are best stored in airtight containers such as cake domes.

However, because there are literally hundreds and hundreds of icing and filling recipes, it makes choosing one a daunting task. They range from fluffy to smooth and glossy and can be tinted and  flavored with whatever your imagination desires. You can mix and match icings and fillings on one cake to make unique combinations. Some are best used on cakes that will be served on a hot summer day, while others can be served anywhere. However, which one do you select? The Icing, Glaze and Fillings Selection Chart will help you make those important decisions. Happy Baking911, Sarah.

How much filling do I need? Believe it or not, the most you'll need to fill a cake layer is sometimes no more than 2 to 4 tablespoons for an 8- or 9-inch cake! You don't need to overdo it! Sometimes, I use 1 cup for a pudding or mousse type filling in an 8 or 9 inch cake, depending on the stability of the filling, always insuring it is lower than the 3/4 inch icing dam. I use about 1 1/2 cups - 2  for a 12 inch round or square or a 9x13 sheet, about 2 - 2 1/2 cups for a 16 inch round or square or 11x15 inch sheet. Some fillings are less stable so you go sparingly, and some are too rich to go generously. You cannot be totally accurate in a chart because cake decorator's vary in their opinions on what they like and the fillings will affect how much you would want to use. Hugs, Squirrelly Cakes.

There are different types of icings: some types are cooked, such as meringue-based frostings and chocolate glazes. Others, such as Royal Icings and certain Buttercream frostings, are simply mixed together without any cooking on the stove.

How do I store a cake without ruining the frosting? If you don't have a covered cake top, just invert a large bowl over it. Or, insert toothpicks about an inch apart on the top frosted surface. Then, carefully drape plastic wrap over them. This works for a tray of cupcakes too, or anything with a sticky surface. To not mar the frosted cake's surface when refrigerating, let it harden first in the refrigerator, then cover with plastic wrap. When you take it from the refrigerator, immediately remove plastic wrap and let it sit to soften before serving. However, don't store this way if the cake has piped decorations. More.

The basic frosting recipe contains butter, sugar, and a liquid such as water or milk. More liquid is added for a glaze. Flavorings such as extracts, fruit zest or juice, and chocolate are often added. Sugar is the most important ingredient in all types of frostings, providing sweetness, flavor, bulk and structure.  For richer flavor, unsalted grade A butter is used instead of margarine or shortening, but icings made with shortening hold up better in a warm room. Eggs are used in cooked frostings. For safety, frostings containing raw eggs should be heated to kill any bacteria. Frostings containing egg whites should be whipped with oil-free utensils. Any oil on utensils or in the mixing bowl will prevent the egg whites from whipping into peaks. 

ICING, GLAZE & FILLING SELECTION CHART: Proper consistency is the key to decorative icing. Each has unique properties making it proper for use in making the petals of a flower, the details of a border, or for covering the surface of a cake. RECIPES
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information -Some recipes need refrigeration.
Boiled Icing:  
Marshmallow-like flavor, 100% fat free because made from cooked egg whites..   Very fluffy consistency, sugary and slightly sticky. Sets quickly. Icing cakes smooth and fluffy. Borders, figure piping, writing, stringwork. Yields pastels and deep colors. Use within 24 hours. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature. Does not freeze well.   Will deflate if mixed with ingredients containing fat such as chocolate or whipped cream.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Buttercream: Several styles. Is most popular choice for frosting cakes with because it is light and delicious. Click for some flavor combinations. NOTE: Bettercream from www.richs.com: whipped buttercream icing used to decorate cakes that store bakeries use. Purchase from www.sugarcraft.com (click on the word "icing" on the right side of the page at the top under the heading).
Sweet, buttery flavor. Tastes the best and looks beautiful for most decorating. Can use shortening, instead of butter, to make. Fluffy and soft. Thin-to-stiff consistency depending on the amount of milk or powdered sugar added (sugar stiffens). Use as an icing and filling Can be piped for smooth, borders, writing. Most decorations including roses, drop flowers, sweet peas and figure piping. Flowers remain soft enough to be cut with a knife. Use or serve at room temperature.  Yields all colors. Most colors deepen upon setting. Let icing set overnight for deep color. Some colors may fade sitting in bright light. Icing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 weeks or frozen. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. To not mar the frosted cake's surface when refrigerating, let it harden first in the refrigerator, then cover with plastic wrap.    Does not hold up well in warm weather. Jams and ganache are always great alternatives to buttercream fillings and hold-up well in warm weather.

Some recipes need refrigeration.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Buttercream, Meringue - Italian and Swiss. Mousseline Buttercream.
Sweet and delicate.
 
Medium-to-thick consistency.

 

 Icing on cake. Make a filling dam if used as a filling otherwise will squish from cake. Yields all colors. Most colors deepen upon setting. Let icing set overnight for deep color. Some colors may fade sitting in bright light.   Italian Meringue Buttercream holds up well in warm weather and is more dependable. Swiss Meringue tends to deflate a little quicker and doesn't hold up as well in warm environments. Mousseline Buttercream holds up well in 75 degree F weather.

Some recipes need refrigeration.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Buttercream, Rolled
Sweet. Similar to Fondant but easier. Dough-like consistency that is rolled out before applied to cake. Covering cakes Natural color is dark to medium brown or white.   Melts in warm weather because is made out of buttercream.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Candy Clay
Edible and sweet. Texture like Play Dough. Also makes a delicious chocolate candy.
 Dough-like consistency that is rolled out before applied to cake. Can be modeled, as well. Covering cakes, hand-molding and decorating. May also be mixed with gumpaste if more strength is needed or it needs to hold a shape Yields all colors if using white candy melts. Knead in color until well blended.
 After making, handles best if hardened overnight. Several weeks at room temperature in a well-sealed container.
 Will be very hard at the start; knead a small portion at a time until workable. If  gets too soft,  refrigerate briefly. Sprinkle  surface when rolling with cornstarch to prevent sticking; roll to 1/8 inch thickness.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese flavor is especially good with spice cakes and carrot cake.   Thick and creamy. Thin to medium consistency. Cream cheese frostings get really soft quickly after you take them out of the fridge. Look for Handy Pac cream cheese frosting and filling available online or in cake supply stores. Covering cakes and/or used as a filling.   Iced cake must be refrigerated.

Handy Pac cream cheese is shelf stable vs. using the actual cream cheese which needs to be refrigerated. 

 

 To not mar the frosted cake's surface when refrigerating, let it harden first in the refrigerator, then cover with plastic wrap. When you take it from the refrigerator, immediately remove plastic wrap and let it sit to soften before serving.

Some recipes do not need refrigeration.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Fondant: Rolled or Poured comes ready-to-use or can be made from a recipe. 
OTHER FONDANT TYPES:

Fondant Candy Centers: Candy corn, seen most during the Halloween season, is a common Fondant candy. But it is also the basis of most chocolate-covered creams. Fruits, nuts, flavoring, and coloring are added to make the variety of creams found in boxes of chocolates.

If you mix one recipe of white candy clay with Fondant, you get a taste similar to Choco-pan with the consistency of Fondant.

Choco-Pan Fondant: was formulated by Linda Shonk owner of Sweet Art Inc, for use in her custom bakery Sweet Art Galleries. Choco-Pan was first made available for sale to the public and the baking industry in 1993. Since then it has become a very popular alternative to traditional rolled fondant products. This popularity is due to the rich white chocolate flavor and the soft creamy texture. Its pliability and ability to be molded are also strong points. Choco-Pan is available in different flavors.

White Chocolate Fondant: I get many recipe requests for White Chocolate Fondant. I don't have an exact recipe, but Candy Clay can be used, instead. It is made from a mixture of 1 pound melted white chocolate and 1/3 cup corn syrup. It won't be snow white, but more eggshell to off white. Then it is used just like Rolled Fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant: An easy to make fondant from marshmallows that is becoming very popular as a cake covering.

Rolled Fondant: Originally called “plastic icing" in England, this thick, malleable dough is made of sugar, glucose, glycerin and gelatin. It is rolled out and then draped for a flawless matte finish. Is ideal for keeping larger cakes fresh when they become too large to refrigerate. It acts as a smooth base for Pastillage flowers and Royal icing details. Fondant can also be used to make scrolls and flowers.  
Used for its special look on wedding cakes. Rich, sweet flavor. Covers cakes with a perfectly smooth,  matte finish resembling porcelain. Seals in freshness and moisture. Knead in flavor of your choice with candy oils.   Dough-like consistency that is rolled out before applied to cake. 

Not as hard as royal icing and stays semi-soft on cakes.

   Use on any firm pound or fruit cake. Gives a perfectly smooth, satin-like surface.  Yields pastel to deep colors. White-white color. The best choice for outdoor events. Excess can be stored 2 months in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Good for warm weather. However, will soften in warm or humid weather, but will not melt unless subject to direct heat. Prior to applying, cake must be covered in apricot glaze, buttercream icing or marzipan to seal in freshness and moisture. 
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Fondant, Poured: Ready-to-Use or Homemade
Very sweet flavor. Covers cakes with perfectly smooth, satiny iced surface. Seals in freshness. Pours and dries to a semi-hard, smooth surface. All cakes, petit fours and cookies. Yields pastels. Excess may be refrigerated, reheated and poured again. Will soften in warm, humid weather.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Ganache:  Most popular is made from chocolate, usually dark, heavy cream and sometimes butter in varying ratios depending on what you're making. Can be poured like a glaze or whipped.
Dark: decadent, rich, and very, very chocolatey. 

White: Rich velvety taste - a little more complex flavor than a buttercream.

 Pours and dries to a semi-hard, smooth surface. 

Can be used as a fluffy, whipped icing. 

 Fillings and frostings Natural color is dark to medium brown or white. May need refrigeration. Keep excess with a piece of plastic wrap pushed on its surface. The better the chocolate used, the better the ganache. Good for warm weather.

Some recipes need refrigeration.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Glazes & Syrups: Homemade
Simple and sugary. Made from confectioner's sugar and water.

 

 Do not have to cover entire cake. 

Are applied with a spoon or pastry brush.

 Glazes are used for fluted or bundt style, or Angel Food Cakes. Syrups are used for genoise layers. Can tint a clear glaze.   Syrups turn dry cakes into moist and flavorful ones. Tortes: Applied first with thin layers of strained preserves. Then, ganache.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Gum Paste
OTHER TYPES:
bullet Pastillage: is a special form of Sugar paste especially suitable for molding and rolling.  Similar to Gum paste, pastillage is glycerin, corn syrup or shortening and it dries even harder. It can be rolled very thin and is used primarily for decorative ribbons, shapes and appliqués, as it dries bone-dry and crusts more quickly than Fondant. It is also used to make sugar greeting cards, picture frames, bells, boxes or other containers which can then be decorated with piping or sugar flowers. It is considered "technically" edible, but if eaten, it will not harm you, but it is not palatable.
bullet Sugar Paste: An icing sugar (sugar paste) or a gum based paste (Gum Paste). Easy to mold, shape, color and roll out and you don't have to wait for the sugar paste to dry before finishing the final decoration on the cake.  
Gum Paste: Also known as candy clay or sugar paste, it is basically made with a gum based paste with a stiffening agent and can be modeled into almost anything. This pliable mixture is most often used for handmade flowers because they turn out realistic looking and for other three-dimensional decorations. It dries very hard, but is susceptible to heat and humidity where it will soften. If properly stored, Gum paste decorations will last for years as keepsakes. 
Fondant-like, ideal for realistic reproductions of fruit, flowers, shells, lace, or appliqué. Gum paste or pastillage decorations can be very simple, or very complex and time consuming. Dough-like consistency that Is thick and malleable. Gum paste is a little easier to work with than pastillage. However, pastillage is more resistant to heat and humidity. Cutting molding and modeling decorations. Yields pastel to deep colors. Excess can be stored 2 months in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Decorations will survive warm days, but is susceptible to extreme heat and humidity where it will soften.   
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Marzipan: is ideal for keeping larger cakes fresh when they become too large to refrigerate. It is made with almond paste, confectioner's sugar, corn syrup and flavorings.
Marzipan, made of almond paste, is used similarly to rolled fondant , because it gives a smooth look. and has a delicious and unique flavor.  However, be sure that the almond flavor of the marzipan works well with the actual cake.   Dough-like consistency that is rolled out before applied to cake. Is stretchy. Stays semi-soft on cakes.  Any firm pound or fruit cake.  It could be used in its natural color or lightly tinted. But, because of its light brown color, leaving it as is, is my preferred color. Keep almond paste well covered and refrigerated, since it contains almonds which can go rancid. Used under Fondant or buttercream icing. Holds up well in warm weather.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Meringue: Homemade
Made from whipped egg whites and sugar, meringue can be used for beautiful, airy decorations, and complements almost any flavor cake. Very fluffy; is whipped to a beautiful stiff and dense consistency. Deflates easily unless baked. All cakes but especially those decorated with fruits. Borders, large tip work, writing. It could be used in its natural color or lightly tinted, but is usually left as is.  Use immediately.

Requires refrigeration.

 

 I would recommend not making it too far in advance. Assemble cake right before serving. You will also need to pipe quickly, as the meringue tends to grow spongy after it sits awhile.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Royal icing: Made with meringue powder and/or raw egg whites and confectioner's sugar. 
Very sweet flavor. Dries candy-hard so it produces delicate and long-lasting decorations. Not the first choice for flavor, but it does make a stunning white cake. Does well for outdoor events. Thin-to-stiff consistency depending on the amount of water added. Flower-making, figure piping, making flower on wires. Decorating cookies and gingerbread houses. Yields deep colors. Some colors may fade sitting in bright light. Requires more icing color than buttercream to achieve the same intensity. White-white color. Icing can be stored under certain conditions. Air-dried decorations last for months. Bowls/utensils must be grease-free. Cover icing with damp cloth to prevent crusting.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Whipped Cream
Creamy, delicate sweetness. Perishable. Light, thin to medium consistency All cakes but especially those decorated with fruits.  Yields pastels only. Use immediately. Iced cake must be refrigerated. Texture remains soft on decorated cake.
Flavor/Description Consistency Best Used For… Coloring Storage or Freshness Special Information
Whipped Cream, Stabilized: Homemade.
Creamy, delicate sweetness. Light, thin-to-medium consistency. All cakes but especially those decorated with fruits. Borders, large tip work, writing. Yields pastels only. Use immediately. Iced cake must be refrigerated. Texture remains soft on decorated cake.
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