# Frosting or icing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 2, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366 "2024-03-02T19:07:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/21 "2024-03-03T00:31:49Z")
[Food & Wine](https://www.foodandwine.com/the-difference-between-frosting-icing-and-glazes-used-for-baked-goods-7642230) says > Frosting is a thick, creamy garnish for cake, that is also used as a filling between layers. > Icing is thinner in texture than frostings, and so rather than being spread like frosting, it is often poured or piped over [Bundt cakes](https://www.foodandwine.com/desserts/cake/bundt-cake), [pound cakes](https://www.foodandwine.com/cardamom-yogurt-cake-mango-lassi-icing-7499045), eclairs, and some styles of doughnuts. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/22 "2024-03-03T00:32:45Z")
The reverse, for me! ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/23 "2024-03-03T03:43:18Z")
My favorite frosting that Mom made was used only on her spice cake. I think she called it penuche and it was a carmely kind of thing that hardened into a semi-brittle topping. It was like candy on top of your cake. Unfortunately I lost the recipe years ago. Sour cream frosting on spice cake is as close as I get today. And why don’t bakeries sell spice cake anyway? Hmm, got make some tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/24 "2024-03-03T18:52:56Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Icing in the UK (or at least in my experience/locality). Frosting is a term that is sometimes used, but only comparatively recently introduced from the USA. Icing only in South Africa, too. Royal, glacé, buttercream, fondant, cream cheese. It’s all icing. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/25 "2024-03-03T19:37:19Z")
Philly guy here. Hmm. I think we’re in the icing tribe, but nobody would look at you cockeyed if you said frosting. I think. Anyway, I say icing. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/26 "2024-03-03T20:23:19Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Frosting on brownies is EVIL. A combination of a) that’s not how my mother did them, so it’s R.O.N.G. Wrong. b) maybe every “frosted” brownie I’ve ever eaten was done with bad frosting. Sure, if it’s frosted brownie or no brownie at all, I’ll eat the frosted one. I agree. Except for the frosted brownies in the snack vending machines at my high school over 50 years ago. They didn’t taste like real brownies – they didn’t even taste much like chocolate – they vaguely tasted like playdough. But I was addicted to those damn things. Haven’t had one since. Hopefully, my tastes have evolved. > [@mixdenny](#): > > My favorite frosting that Mom made was used only on her spice cake. I think she called it penuche and it was a carmely kind of thing that hardened into a semi-brittle topping. Oh, man, that was my favorite cake that _my_ mom made. So good. As to the frosting vs. icing divide, I’ll say whichever pops into my brain first. Either will do. No royal icing, though. That stuff is nas-tee. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/27 "2024-03-03T20:27:12Z")
I grew up in and lived most of my life in central Illinois, and in my experience both words are pretty common. I’ve always called it “frosting” because that was what my parents taught me to call it, but I remember hearing other kids refer to it as “icing.” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/28 "2024-03-04T04:41:11Z")
Icing is a thin sugar glaze. Bundt cakes had icing drizzled on them. It adds just a hint of sweetness. Frosting is a thick covering on a cake or brownies. Cupcakes always have a thick frosting on top. A good frosting provides a lot of flavor. I rarely heard the term icing. The Bundt cake mixes came with a packet for icing. My grandmother bought cake mixes. She always made her own Frosting. She didn’t buy canned frosting at the store. That’s been my experience in Arkansas. ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/29 "2024-03-04T14:58:00Z")
Growing up in Southern Maryland we used _icing_ exclusively. _Frosting_ was only what some people on TV said. Oh, and the icing that’s a thin sugary glaze? We called that … a glaze. ---
**Author:** ![Rangerdanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@Rangerdanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rangerdanger)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/30 "2024-03-04T15:31:27Z")
Icing is when the puck crosses the goal line, frosting is when it doesn’t quite, the forward beats the defender back, or the AR just blows the whistle to give fans a reason to yell, spit, and threaten for days. Hey fan, the real chant is," Hey fans, you suck!". ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/31 "2024-03-04T15:42:05Z")
You brownie-eaters need to try my Grandma’s brownie topping recipe: melt 4 oz semisweet chocolate with 2 Tbs unsalted butter, cool slightly, spread/pour over the pan of just-out-of-the-oven brownies, let it all cool together. You end up with a slightly tender chocolate veneer on your tender fudgy brownies. My chocolate-loving friends (I’m allergic myself) fight for this stuff. And yeah, specific types of icing/frosting often favor one term over the other. I suppose there can be both “buttercream frosting” and “buttercream icing”, but there’s no “royal frosting” or “fondant frosting” AFAICT. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/32 "2024-03-04T15:42:43Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > No royal icing, though. That stuff is nas-tee. Royal icing is great if you’re doing really fancy decorated cookies; nothing else will do, for that scenario. I’ve never noticed any taste issues with that; then again, I’ve never used it myself, nor do I eat decorated cookies often at all. Dries super-hard; of course, if you bite into one, are those flecks in your mouth icing? or broken-off tooth? Oh yeah: for those of you who prefer to make your own (whatever you call it): Butter? or shortening? I was horrified, 30+ years back, when chatting with colleagues at lunch, and several of them said they used Crisco in their frosting. It wasn’t clear to me whether they meant “in addition to” or “instead of” butter. I dunno, maybe a Crisco-saturated frosting holds up better in a Southern environment or something, but ewwwww. My mother was no master baker, but she’d never have done that (then again, the only thing she EVER used Crisco for was greasing cake pans). I think most store-bought cakes use it, as well, judging by the waxy mouth-feel. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/33 "2024-03-04T18:49:03Z")
> [@Bayaker](#): > > Growing up in Southern Maryland we used _icing_ exclusively. _Frosting_ was only what some people on TV said. > > Oh, and the icing that’s a thin sugary glaze? We called that … a glaze. This is my take as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/34 "2024-03-04T19:02:57Z")
Growing up in Cleveland, it was frosting on cupcakes, and icing on cakes and cookies, regardless of what was technically applied. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/35 "2024-03-04T19:36:08Z")
I am just reminded of those iced pink animal cookies. Must stay out of grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/36 "2024-03-04T19:56:02Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > No royal icing, though. That stuff is nas-tee. How do your gingerbread houses stand up? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/37 "2024-03-04T20:01:00Z")
I’ve only made on gingerbread house in my life, and I used buttercream frosting. It survived a 35 mile drive to work and still was standing by lunchtime. And _still_ was standing after a coworker ripped half the roof off! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/38 "2024-03-04T20:40:04Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > No royal icing, though. That stuff is nas-tee. Royal icing is simply egg whites, powdered sugar, and a tiny bit of lemon juice or cream of tartar (which gives it strength so filagree work doesn’t crumble). No idea what you find unpleasant about that. Same ingredients as meringue. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/39 "2024-03-04T20:43:54Z")
Eh, some people really don’t like the texture of royal icing. Too shardy and shattery for them. Me, I never met an icing/frosting I didn’t like, except some of the chemical-tasting commercial bakery buttercreams. And yeah, most canned frostings are… not great. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366/40 "2024-03-04T20:49:00Z")
When I was a baker (Iowa, in the late '70s), the word “frosting” was never used. The crunchy stuff that doughnuts were dipped in and was drizzled over pastries was “roll icing”, while the fluffy stuff spread on cakes was “cake icing”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frosting-or-icing/998366.md?page=3)