Classic Glacé Icing
Classic Glacé Icing is a traditional British recipe for a classic icing (frosting) made from a blend icing sugar, warm water, colourings and flavourings that has a distinctive glistening sheen and is often used for Christmas cakes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Classic Glacé Icing.
prep time
10 minutes
cook time
10 minutes
Total Time:
20 minutes
Serves:
8
Rating: 
Tags : Spice RecipesCake RecipesBritish Recipes
This is a classic sugar icing that produces a glazed 'wet look' effect and can be used for the top and sides of the cake. The quantities given here are sufficient to cover the top of a single 18cm diameter cake or about 18 small buns.
Ingredients:
120g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp warm water
a few drops of colouring (optional)
a few drops of flavouring (vanilla extract or lemon essence)
Method:
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually work in the warm water (the consistency of the icing should be enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon). Beat in the flavouring and colouring (if desired) and use the icing immediately.
If you want an icing of a finer, less grainy, texture then combine the icing sugar, water and flavouring in a small pan ad heat, stirring constantly, until the icing becomes warm (but do not allow to become too hot). The final icing should coat the back of a wooden spoon and should appear smooth and glossy.
If you are going to decorate the sides of the cake with any icing apart from glacé icing, then do this first before decorating the top.
To coat the whole cake place the cake itself on a sheet of greaseproof (waxed) paper set on a wire rack. Pour the icing evenly onto the centre of the cake then allow to run down the sides, whilst you use a palette knife to guide the flow (reserve a little of the icing to fill any gaps). Ensure that the icing spreads evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
If only the top of the cake is to be decorated then pour the icing onto the centre of the cake and spread, using a round-bladed knife) so that you stop the icing just inside the edge of the top of the cake and prevent it from dripping down the sides.
You can leave the icing plain or decorate with nuts, candied fruit, glacé cherries, angelica etc. The decorations should be pressed into the icing very quickly, before it sets. Allow the icing to set firmly before adding any additional, piped, decoration.
Small cakes can either be iced by spreading the icing over the top or they can be iced by dipping the cakes into the icing.