Frosting Vs Icing

Decorating By TractorDiva Updated 6 Aug 2007 , 8:53pm by 7yyrt

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TractorDiva Posted 4 Aug 2007 , 4:49pm
post #1 of 4

I have used the search function and got...nothing. Please cc'rs, help me settle this "discussion" in my family.

I hear the word "frosting" and "icing" used interchangeably, not just here, but a lot of places. Including my class. Some of the more opinionated people in my world argue that the two are not the same. Their definition is:

Frosting: the gooey layer of tasty ooze that is spread upon a cake = tastes good.
Icing: the hard/stiff stuff that makes decorations on decorated cakes = tastes not so good but looks pretty.

So, the sum of their argument: You can have a cake with just frosting on it. But you can't have a cake with just icing on it...

ACK! I live with philosophers!

But seriously-- is there a difference in the real world?

3 replies
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JanH Posted 4 Aug 2007 , 7:03pm
post #2 of 4

Here's what I found, but it's not definitive...

Different:

http://christmas-cookies.com/newsletters/5.htm


The Same:

http://www.joyofbaking.com/other/glossaryHP.html
(See icing.)

HTH

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TractorDiva Posted 4 Aug 2007 , 7:14pm
post #3 of 4

Thank you...I looked at both links -- and bookmarked for future "discussions"...

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7yyrt Posted 6 Aug 2007 , 8:53pm
post #4 of 4

What my grandmother called icing, was a powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze. Poured over the top of a cake, danish, etc, it glistened like ice.
Frosting was the stuff with fat in it.

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