Sheet Cake Icing Still Runny | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

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Sheet Cake Icing Still Runny | Ask Nigella.com? ›

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Otherwise refrigerate the icing for up to 10 minutes, stirring it every 2 minutes, until it has reached a thick, but still spreadable, consistency. You do need to be careful doing this as the icing can become firm quite quickly once it has cooled down.

Pour the frosting over the warm cake and use an offset spatula to work the frosting across the surface and into all the corners. Work quickly here: the frosting will begin to set as it cools. Add your favorite sprinkles or chopped nuts around the edges of the cake while the frosting is still wet (optional).

"Prepare, bake, and cool the cake completely. Then, wrap each cake layer in cling film, nice and tight, and place in the fridge for at least two hours," he says. That's right, you won't be frosting your cake at room temperature; a chilled cake is essential before applying any frosting. "This step is the most important.

When you make the icing it should have a thick but pourable consistency and if it is too thin then it may also not set. If you are using a spreadable type of butter it may not set as well as this type of butter has extra water and vegetable oils in it, which makes it soft to spread but means the icing will not set.

Add small amounts of ingredients like powdered sugar, cornstarch, gelatin, heavy whipping cream, or cream cheese to make your frosting less runny. For flavored frostings, ingredients like cocoa powder and peanut butter can also work. When your frosting is the right consistency, it'll be easy to spread or pipe.

Undermix, and your royal icing looks translucent and is structurally weak. Overwhip, and you're giving too much volume to the egg proteins via air, causing the structure to weaken in a different way. Overmixed icing usually looks porous when dry, and sometimes will not even fully dry and be soft/brittle.

As far as frosting goes, we find 3 cups is about right to frost a 9" x 13" cake, plus some extra for piping and decorating. 2 cups will suffice if you're OK with a thin layer of frosting; 4 cups will give you some excess.

Our recommendation on how long to cool a cake before icing it is to wait 2-3 hours for your cake to cool completely.

Chill or briefly freeze the cake covered with the crumb coat before applying the frosting. This should do the trick. A cold cake will frost better than a soft one, so try to find space in the fridge or freezer to place it before frosting.

Can I leave a frosted cake out overnight? ›

How long can cake sit out unrefrigerated? If your cake is frosted with buttercream, it will last covered at room temperature for up to four days. However, it is best to refrigerate cakes with other frostings such as cream cheese or ganache. A fully covered unfrosted cake will last for up to 2 days at room temperature.

But fear not, freezing cakes is not only possible, but it's also a common practice in professional kitchens!

If you are making a chocolate frosting, adding more cocoa powder is a great option for thickening it. The technique is basically the same as if you were thickening with powdered sugar, but you want to use a smaller quantity of cocoa powder than icing sugar. Try adding just 1 to 2 teaspoon at a time.

Add corn starch

If you want to thicken your royal icing without adding additional sugar, you can add a minimal amount of corn starch (less than a teaspoon) to help your icing thicken up.

The icing usually sets quite quickly though it does not set solid but has a slightly soft consistency. If it is very warm weather then the icing may take longer to set so putting the cake into the fridge for an hour or so may help the icing to set. Store the cake in a cool place, particularly in hot or humid weather.

Airtight container too soon

You should NOT put royal icing cookies in an airtight container until they're completely dry. The icing needs to be exposed to the air to dry. This usually takes about overnight (approximately 8 hours).

Turn on a dehumidifier if the baked goods are in a humid environment. Humidity can cause your icing to dry 3 times slower than if they are placed in an area with dry air. Place the dehumidifier in the same room as your baked goods, turn it on, and place it on the highest setting.

It takes at least 6 hours for flood consistency royal icing to dry completely, but I always allow the base layer of icing to dry overnight to be on the safe side.