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Royal Icing

Published: Updated:

3 Reviews

Prep Time
5m
Serves 1
Serves 1
easy
Easy

About our Royal Icing recipe

Celebration and Christmas cakes look truly wonderful finished and decorated with traditional royal icing and it is so simple to make too.

Your leftover icing won't get wasted either as it can be used to make decorations to go on your cake. This recipe will create enough icing to cover an 8" cake.

3 ingredients8 steps

    Method

    1. Step 1

      Place the egg whites and glycerine in a bowl and whisk until slightly frothy.

    2. Step 2

      Add a quarter of the icing sugar and using an electric mixer, whisk on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

    3. Step 3

      As the volume increases, gradually add the rest of the icing sugar whisking well after each addition.

    4. Step 4

      Transfer to a bowl with a tight fitting lid, cover the surface of the icing with clingfilm to prevent drying out and seal the bowl.

    5. Step 5

      Leave to stand for 24 hours to allow the air bubbles to rise to the surface. Before using, gently beat the icing with a wooden spoon.

    6. Step 6

      If the icing appears to be quite runny, simply add a teaspoon of icing sugar to your icing until it reaches the desired consistency. Extra water can also be gradually added if you icing becomes too hard.

    7. Step 7

      Alternatively, you could try an all-in-one royal icing sugar that simply requires adding water.

    8. Step 8

      Royal icing is best eaten within 3 days, however, if stored in the fridge can last longer. Alternatively you can make it in advance and freeze but it will need to be fully defrosted before icing with it.

    Ingredients

      • 2Large egg whites (free range) 
      • 10mlGlycerine 
      • 450gSilver Spoon Icing Sugar 

    Utensils

    • Bowl
    • Whisk
    • Clingfilm

    3 Baker Ratings

    I bought a box of Royal Icing by mistake and there are STILL NO INSTRUCTIONS on the packet as the review below pointed out last year. I've been hunting the internet and there's no mention on this website of the product's existence except in step 7 of this recipe and that's only very vague. So are you suggesting below that 35ml of water should be added to the 500g box for an 8" cake? What is the 'remaining water'? And the 'Smart Thinking' tip about glycerine on the box is gobbledygook if you've never made icing before. Come on. Put a few clear comprehensible sentences of instructions on the packet.

    Baking Mad

    Thanks for your feedback. Please be advised that changes have been made for instructions to be added to the Silver Spoon Royal Icing packaging moving forward. For a piping consistency icing (suitable for biscuit decoration) we would recommend adding approximately 35ml of water to 250ml of Silver Spoon Royal Icing Sugar and beat until it is thick and glossy. We would suggest adding the water in gradually and mixing between each addition as you may not require the full 35ml depending on the consistency that you are looking for. If you do use too much water and the icing is too loose, you can always correct this by adding some more icing sugar and mixing again.  

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    Why no instructions for using your royal icing on the pack

    Baking Mad

    Please see below the full instructions for using Silver Spoon Royal Icing Sugar. 

    - Put 35ml of water in a deep bowl and carefully add the royal icing sugar

    - Start mixing slowly and then gradually increase to a higher speed, adding the remaining water until you reach the desired consistency. Beat until the icing stands in soft peaks. 

    - Apply the icing to your cake in a thick layer, using a palette knife and leave to harden overnight in a cool dry place. 

    - This will make enough to ice an 8" cake. 

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