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Royal icing

Name: Royal icing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: Makes 300g
Ingredients: 250g icing sugar; 1 medium egg white, lightly beaten; ½ tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp water

By: Mima Sinclair

Published: 28 Oct 16
Updated: 13 Sep 24

Mima Sinclair shares her quick and easy royal icing recipe – perfect for icing your Christmas cake or for building a gingerbread house.

Watch our handy video for step-by-step instructions on how to make royal icing and ice your Christmas cake.

Easy
December 2015

Test kitchen approved

Makes 300g
Hands-on time 10 mins

Mima Sinclair shares her quick and easy royal icing recipe – perfect for icing your Christmas cake or for building a gingerbread house.

Watch our handy video for step-by-step instructions on how to make royal icing and ice your Christmas cake.

Nutrition: Per 100g serving

Calories: 351kcals
Fat: 0g
Protein: 1.2g
Carbohydrates: 86.4g (85.5g sugars)
Fibre: 0g
Salt: 0g

Per 100g

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Ingredients

250g icing sugar
1 medium egg white, lightly beaten
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tsp water

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Method

Sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl (or food processor). Add the egg white and lemon juice. Whisk with an electric mixer on a low speed (you don’t want too much air in the icing) for 2–3 minutes until you have a smooth, but not wet, stiff peak consistency. It should be thick but spreadable. If it looks dry and crumbly, whisk in a little water. If it looks runny and glossy, mix in a little extra icing sugar.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. The icing will keep for up to 1 week, stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Use the icing to stick gingerbread pieces together or for decorating.