What’s the difference between frosting and icing?

Every intrepid baker has asked the question: what is the difference between frosting and icing? What about glaze and icing? We've broken down the different toppings for your baked goods.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

It’s so easy to make: cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixer before adding sifted icing sugar and a touch of vanilla. Perfect for spreading over cupcakes and cakes.

Try it in this moist coffee cake with buttercream

CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

This is the delicious reason why we love carrot and red velvet cakes. The thick, creamy, tangy frosting is made by creaming cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer, then adding sifted icing sugar and vanilla before spreading it onto your cake of choice.

Try: the carrot cake or this natural rainbow cake with cream cheese frosting

ICING

Usually made with icing sugar, milk and vanilla or a flavouring of your choice, it’s generally thinner than frosting but thicker than glaze.

Icings (including ganache) set quickly and harden as they dry, while glazes don’t because they contain less sugar. Drizzle over cakes and other confections.

Try: moist chocolate cake with coconut ganache.

GLAZE

This mixture of icing sugar and milk, lemon juice, rose-water or water can be made to the consistency you prefer and drizzled over cakes, Chelsea buns and hot cross buns.

Try: pea cake with lime icing