Easy Powdered Sugar Icing Recipe ~Sweet & Savory (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between powdered sugar and powdered icing sugar? ›

Yes! Powdered sugar, confectioners' sugar (including confectioners sugar and confectioner's sugar too), icing sugar, and 10X (a reference to the size of the particles) are all the same.

Basic Liquid-Based Powdered Sugar Icing Ratio

The liquid can be water, milk, cream, coffee, espresso, or juice (high-pigment ones like pomegranate or beet add color as well as flavor). You can also add extracts, like vanilla or almond, for flavor—just keep in mind these will make the icing even thinner.

"Regular sugar has a larger crystal size than powdered sugar," he explains. "This means, cup for cup, there would be more sugar in a cup of powdered sugar than in a cup of regular sugar." In addition to inconsistent measurements, regular sugar won't dissolve and mix as well into recipes like frosting and icing.

In confectioners' sugar, a very small amount of cornstarch—just about 3 to 5 percent of the weight of the granulated sugar—is added to the sugar before it is processed. In the creation of meringues, cornstarch helps support the sugar by stabilizing the meringue.

Adding more powdered sugar can be an effective way and the easiest way of absorbing too much liquid to achieve thicker frosting.

They insist that the cornstarch imparts a metallic taste to confectioners' sugar, or a chalky consistency. If you have also noticed this, you may want to do a side-by-side test and see for yourself.

You have many of the hydrogen bonding sites, polar sites, on the sugar molecules hanging out in mid-air instead of being neatly associated like in its crystal form. You are tasting these unbalanced charges as metallic. The starch added for anticaking also reduces sweetness and coats the tongue.

If powdered sugar is not sifted before use, it can cause clumps in the final product and make it look uneven. It can also make it harder to mix with other ingredients.

Cups of Powdered Sugar in a Pound

One pound of powdered sugar contains approximately 4 cups. This is the usual size and amount in one box of powdered sugar. Compared to the other sugars listed here, powdered sugar (or confectioners sugar) is fluffier and light, so you get more cups per pound.

How do you make icing sugar if you don't have any? ›

To make icing without icing sugar, start by grinding granulated white sugar in a blender for 5 minutes or until it feels fine and powdery. Then, pour the sugar into a bowl and whisk it to make it fluffier and clump-free. Once you've whisked the sugar, just use it as a substitute for icing sugar in your recipe!

To make powdered sugar at home, you'll need two ingredients: granulated sugar and cornstarch. Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch for every cup of sugar.

If you're looking for a healthier option, coconut sugar is a bit less sweet and has a lower glycemic index than traditional white sugars, and can serve as the primary swap ingredient. Just blend the coconut sugar until it becomes a fine powder.

Although the terms are often colloquially used interchangeably, they are not the same. Powdered sugar is similar to confectioners' sugar but without the cornstarch. Because the words are often mistaken for each other, you will even find "powdered sugar" in the grocery store that is actually confectioners' sugar.

It is possible to simply use granulated sugar in a slightly smaller amount, though you'll have to accept that the texture may not be ideal, especially for icing or other recipes that are supposed to be super smooth. Just substitute 1 cup of granulated sugar for every 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar and proceed as directed.

What is icing sugar? It's a powdered sugar made from finely milling normal granulated sugar into a powdered form. It's so fine that we think it's the best type of sugar for making any type of cake icing. We're going to talk through some of our favourite icings and give you some top tips along the way.

Can powdered sugar be substituted for granulated sugar in recipes? A. It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.