Easy White Icing Recipe (With Video and Step by Step)

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.

pale pink plate with cupcake with white frosting, cup of tea and tray of cupcakes — Credit:
Rachel Marek

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.

Directions

overhead view of mixing bowl with flour and bowl of butter sticks — Credit:
Rachel Marek

Cream butter:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth.

Credit:
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.

Credit:
Rachel Marek

Credit:
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.