Creating The Perfect Wedding Icing: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding cakes are often some of the most beautiful and best-tasting cakes you'll ever eat. The icing is a crucial element that can make or break the overall flavour and design of the cake. From fondant to Swiss meringue buttercream, there are many types of wedding cake icing to choose from. This guide will teach you how to make some of the most popular types of wedding cake icing, so you can create a delicious and beautiful cake for your big day.

How to make buttercream icing

Buttercream is a popular choice for wedding cakes due to its texture, taste, and durability. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to make delicious buttercream icing:

Ingredients:

• Butter (unsalted or salted)
• Powdered Sugar (also known as confectioners' or icing sugar)
• Heavy Cream or Milk
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt (a tiny pinch)

Optional Ingredients for Flavour and Colour:

• Lemon zest
• Orange zest
• Vanilla extract
• Food colouring

Method:

Firstly, set your butter out ahead of time so that it softens, ensuring a smooth and creamy frosting. Use two sticks of butter, which is equal to 1 cup or 230 grams.

Beat the butter with a mixer for about 1 minute until smooth. You can use a handheld or stand mixer.

Next, mix in the powdered sugar. Most recipes call for 3 cups of powdered sugar, but some use up to 8 cups for a larger batch. If desired, sift the sugar before adding, although this step can be skipped. When first mixing the sugar and butter, use a low speed to prevent a mess.

Once the butter and sugar are combined, mix in the heavy cream or milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.

Your buttercream frosting is now ready to use! You can pipe it onto cupcakes or use it to frost and decorate a cake.

Storage:

This frosting can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator to stay fresh longer. Bring it to room temperature and mix well before using. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Flavour Variations:

The above recipe creates a delicious vanilla buttercream. However, you can easily modify it to make different flavours:

• Chocolate: Sift and mix in 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Add extra heavy cream and/or powdered sugar for a smoother and/or sweeter frosting.
• Caramel: Mix in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of homemade or store-bought caramel sauce. Omit the salt for salted caramel frosting.
• Strawberry: Blend a 1-ounce bag of freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and mix into the frosting base.
• Lemon: Add lemon zest or lemon curd for a citrus twist.

Experiment with different extracts and flavourings to create your unique buttercream!

How to make fondant icing

Fondant icing is perfect for adding impressive finishing touches to cakes. It is an edible icing that can be used to decorate cakes, cupcakes and pastries. Unlike most icing, fondant has a much thicker texture that can be sculpted into different shapes to create amazing designs and patterns. That’s why fondant icing is great for celebration cakes and adding personal touches to your bakes.

To make fondant icing, you will need:

• 250g of fondant icing sugar
• 4-5 teaspoons of water
• 1 tablespoon of icing sugar
• 1 dessertspoon of cornflour

• Sift your icing sugar with a sieve into a large bowl and make sure it is free of lumps.
• Make a small indentation in the centre of your sifted sugar.
• Add in the water, one teaspoon at a time, and mix with a wooden spoon. Keep mixing until the sugar becomes too tough to stir.
• Use your hands to shape the icing into a ball, then place it on a counter dusted with icing sugar.
• Knead your icing sugar for a few minutes until there are no lumps and it’s smooth. It shouldn’t be sticky or dry after kneading. If it is sticky, add more icing sugar. If it is dry, add a tiny bit of water.
• Dust your counter again with icing sugar and cornflour, then roll out your fondant icing until it is thin enough to cover your cake.
• Ice your cake! If you are prepping the fondant icing in advance, it will keep for 3 days but you will have to wrap it or put it in an airtight container and refrigerate it.

How to make royal icing

Royal icing is a sweet, hard icing that is perfect for decorating sugar cookies or gingerbread houses. It is also a great option for wedding cakes, as it dries with a smooth, shiny finish. Here is a simple recipe for royal icing that you can make at home:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (480g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 Tablespoons meringue powder (not plain egg white powder)
• 9–10 Tablespoons room temperature water
• Optional: gel food colouring

Method:

• In a large bowl, pour in the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and 9 Tablespoons of water.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the ingredients together on high speed for 1.5–2 minutes.
• To test if the mixture is ready, lift the whisk attachment up. If the icing drizzles down and smooths out within 5-10 seconds, it is good to go. If it is too thick, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too thin, keep beating or add more confectioners' sugar.
• Divide the icing into small bowls and add gel food colouring if desired.
• Transfer the icing to piping bags and decorate cookies, outlining the design first and then filling in the middle.

Tips:

• For the best flavour, use real vanilla extract instead of artificial vanilla.
• If your icing has started to harden, add a drop or two of water to adjust the consistency.
• Make sure the bowl you use is super clean, as any residue of water or fat will prevent the egg whites from becoming fluffy.
• If you are making this icing ahead of time, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Alternative Recipe (without Meringue Powder):

If you don't have meringue powder, you can make royal icing using the following ingredients:

• 1 and ½ cup (180g) powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons (30mL) warm water
• ½ Tablespoon (10g) light corn syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

This alternative recipe is ideal for flooding and outlining cookies, as well as for gingerbread houses and royal icing drip cakes.

How to make chocolate fudge icing

Wedding cakes are often frosted with buttercream or Italian meringue, but if you're a chocolate lover, why not opt for a chocolate fudge icing? Here's how to make a delicious and indulgent chocolate fudge icing that will take your wedding cake to the next level of decadence.

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter
• Unsweetened chocolate (bars or squares)
• Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners' or icing sugar)
• Milk (whole milk is recommended, but regular or almond milk can be substituted)
• Vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt (optional)

Method:

Start by placing your butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape down the sides to avoid scorching, until the mixture is melted and smooth. This should take around 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

In a separate large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. You can use an electric mixer to slowly blend in the melted chocolate mixture. Gradually add the remaining milk until you achieve the desired consistency. The mixture should be thick and spreadable.

Let the frosting stand for 5-10 minutes until it thickens enough to spread. This waiting period is crucial, as it allows the frosting to cool and set properly. If the frosting seems too runny, simply give it some more time to cool.

This chocolate fudge icing is now ready to be spread or piped onto your wedding cake. It will add a rich and indulgent touch to your special day.

How to make cream cheese icing

Wedding cakes can be decorated with a variety of icing and frosting types, including buttercream, Italian meringue, chocolate fudge, and cream cheese. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to make cream cheese icing, which is a popular choice for wedding cakes.

Ingredients:

• Cream cheese (full-fat brick style, not spreadable)
• Butter (softened, unsalted)
• Vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

Optional ingredients for flavour:

• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Fresh vanilla bean seeds
• Pumpkin spice
• Lemon zest
• Fresh berries
• Sprinkles
• Chocolate shavings
• Granulated sugar

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients. Ensure that the cream cheese and butter are softened before use.
• Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until the mixture is light, creamy, and lump-free.
• Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth.
• If desired, add a dash of salt to enhance the flavour.
• For a thicker consistency, add more powdered sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired thickness is achieved. Alternatively, you can add cornstarch, starting with 1 tablespoon at a time.
• For piping, it is recommended to sift the powdered sugar before mixing it with the other ingredients to prevent clogging in the piping tips.
• Your cream cheese icing is now ready to be used! It is perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and more.

Storage:

Cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated and can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you intend to freeze the frosting, it can be done for up to 1 month, but the texture might change slightly.

Frequently asked questions