Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Easy White Icing for Cupcakes and Other Treats 3.2 (795) 19 Reviews All you need are three ingredients and a few minutes. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 19, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cups, enough for 12 standard cupcakes Use our white icing recipe to make a fluffy, white topping for all kinds of treats. It looks impressive, but is incredibly easy to make. All you need are three ingredients and a few minutes to whip it up. After mixing unsalted softened butter with confectioners' sugar and a dash of whole milk, this icing is ready to decorate cakes and cupcakes. You can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or mix it by hand. It’s a versatile frosting you'll use to dress up your favorite baked goods. Rachel Marek How to Choose the Right Type of Frosting for Your Wedding Cake Icing vs. Frosting There are a lot of opinions about whether your dessert topping is frosting or icing, and to add to the confusion, the terms are used differently in different places. Both are used to decorate cakes, both are made with lots of sugar, usually confectioners’ sugar. In broad terms, icing is simpler and frosting more complex. Frosting often contains egg whites for a fluffy more stable texture, whereas icing is simple to make with butter, sugar, and liquid. Our easy white icing is a fairly thick icing and requires spreading, though some icings are thinner and pourable. Ingredients 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 pound (3 ⅔ cups) confectioners' sugar 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (optional) Directions Rachel Marek Cream butter: In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth. Rachel Marek Add confectioners' sugar and beat: Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. If the icing is too thick to spread, beat in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Rachel Marek Rachel Marek Frequently Asked Questions Which frosting is best for beginners? Glaze is the easiest frosting and is best for beginners, but glaze is quite thin and can’t be piped. The frosting that is best for beginners to pipe is an American buttercream icing. What is the key ingredient in icing? The key ingredient in icing is sugar. All types of icing and frosting, from buttercream to royal icing, are based on sugar, usually powdered or confectioners’ sugar. The sugar provides sweetness, bulk, and structure to the icing. What can I use instead of buttercream? Instead of buttercream, try using another similar type of frosting, such as cream cheese frosting or whipped frosting. Alternatively, try a meringue buttercream frosting, which has more structure than regular buttercream. Our go-to is Swiss Meringue Buttercream. 5 More Easy Icing and Frosting Recipes to Try: Simple Vanilla Frosting Easy White Icing Whipped Frosting Cream Cheese Frosting White Chocolate Buttercream Originally appeared: Everyday Food, October 2003 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.