Royal Icing Recipe

Royal Icing is a quick and easy  icing that dries hard. It's very sweet, while kids love it; not all adults fancy it..
It has endless uses in the cake and cookie decorating world. Once you learn the right method to make it, and the right consistency that works for you, it can be a fun experience.
Royal Icing decorations can last for ever if stored properly. Humidity is its worst enemy and grease can break it down ruining all your hard work.
So the key to success with RI to get the recipe and consistency right first..

While there are many many recipes out there....there is usually only one that works for you..
These are the ones that work for my. For many years I used the recipe made with raw Egg Whites before I switched to the Meringue whites.
I find working with the raw egg whites recipe the best for me so when possible I try to get pasteurized egg whites.

In this post you will find.
Royal Icing with Meringue Powder
Black Royal Icing - ass seen in my video - Anniversary Cake Pink with Black Blossoms
Royal Icing made with Egg White powder
Royal Icing made with Raw Eggs.
Royal Icing to cover a Fruit Cake

For those of you who want to pasteurize raw eggs before using - here is an article that show you how to pasteurize your eggs

Royal Icing with Meringue Powder (Makes about 3 cups )
The recipe is good to do borders and piping around a cake as well as for decorating cookies.
It is not suitable to cover the entire cake.
Ingredients
3 tbsp Meringue Powder.
4 cups sifted powdered sugar / Confectioners sugar / Icing sugar.. (about 1lb or 450 grams)
6 to 8 tbsp of warm water.
1 Tsp Almond Extract or Clear Vanilla Extract
1 tsp of Light corn syrup
Important : Royal icing will breakdown with grease so before you start ensure that your mixing bowl and utensils that you use to make your icing are all grease free. I wash my mixing bowl and paddle attachment with warm water. Take a paper hand towel, add a few drops of white vinegar on the towel, use the towel to wipe your bowl dry.


Method:
Place (dry ingredients) meringue powder, half the sugar in the mixing bowl. I prefer to sift them together so there are no lumps later.

Add in 6 tbsp of water.

Start the mixer on low, once all the sugar is incorporated.

Turn the mixer up to medium and continue mixing for about 5 minutes until you have a gooey consistency.

Next add the balance sugar.

Check to see if you need more water, do not add more than 1/2 tbsp at a time.
Continue to mix for 3 more minutes.
Add Extract and light corn syrup.

Now turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 to 4 minutes.
Once your reach a stiff peak consistency, your royal icing is ready.

It's best to add water to a small batch when you need it. If you add too much water now, you may end up having to add sugar to thicken it up again. I believe too much sugar makes the icing flaky and once dried it tends to chip off even with the slightest draft of air.
No matter how soon you are going to use your RI, always transfer to a sealed bowl, covered with cling wrap.

The left overs can be stored in the fridge sealed well.

Black Royal Icing.
3 tbsp Meringue Powder
3 cups Icing Sugar (sifted)
1 cup Coco Powder (sifted)
5 tbsp of warm water
1 tbsp of black food gel color.
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Method same as above.
As mentioned in the video, the icing stays a bit sticky and difficult to pipe. But It is still what I prefer because I do not like using excessive food color (esp to make black) 


Royal Icing with egg white powder.
Meringue powder is usually found in cake decorating stores and already contains cream of tartar and salt to it making it more stable to make Royal Icing. But if you cannot find it and don't want to use raw eggs, you can buy the egg white powder for your regular grocery stores and add the following.
2 tbsp of egg white powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream or tartar or 1 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp warm water.
3 cups sifted powdered sugar (330 grams) more if needed.
1 tsp  Almond or Vanilla extract
Method same as above.
This one is made with egg white powder while the above is made with meringue powder. Can you tell the difference?

Royal Icing with raw egg whites
A long time ago, I use to use this recipe made with egg whites. However, due to concerns regarding raw eggs I use the above recipe for exclusively for cookies.
For those who cannot find meringue powder this is a good alternative.
Ingredients
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp of lemon juice.
4 cups sifted powdered sugar (400 to 440 grams)
1 tsp Almond or Vanilla extract

Method:

• Take all the precautions regarding grease as above then continue.
• Add all the ingredients to the mixing bowl with paddle attachment. Mix on medium for about ten minutes. If necessary add more powdered sugar. 
• Once ready you can use it just as regular royal icing, adding 1/2 tsp of water as needed.
• Use fresh, left over can be kept in the fridge for about 3 days. Bring back to room temperature and mix well before using.

Covering the entire cake with Royal Icing
The above recipe dried hard like candy and cannot be used to cover the cake.
 If you do need to cover a fruit cake with Royal Icing.First cover the cake with Marzipan.
Add 1 tsp of glycerine to your Royal Icing for the bottom tier of cake,
Add 2 tsp of glycerine for the second tier.
Add 3 tsp of glycerine for the top tier.
If it's a single tier cake - add 1 tsp of glycerine per cup of Royal Icing.


Uses and Storage

• Royal icing dried hard when comes in contact with air. So as soon as your icing is ready place it in a grease free container that has a tight lid. Use a cling wrap/ plastic wrap and place directly over the icing to prevent any air from touching it.
• Royal Icing is best used fresh, the longer it sits around the weaker it gets. You will see the water and icing separate. Mix well before yo re-use it. 
• Royal icing (not made with fresh egg white)  can be kept at room temperature and can last for up to a week. If kept in the fridge can be kept for up to 2 weeks.
• Royal Icing decorations last for ever if stored properly. Humidity does reduce their shelf life. So if you do have spare left over royal icing from your cakes. Don't throw it away, make drop flowers which are really easy to make and are great to add a little life to any simple cake.

Know your  RI - A Good Royal Icing is strong and dries hard.

•If you hold a piece of dried  RI you should be able to break it into two pieces.  Means your recipe is has

•If  it crumbles into small pieces means your RI is weak too much water.

•If  it is crusty - turns to a powdery mess… it means you have too much P. Sugar in your recipe.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Happy Cake Decorating.

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