Store-bought icing is cheap and easy, but may not have the flavor, consistency, or color you want. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to improve store-bought frosting! Adding flavored syrup, powdered sugar, and food coloring are just a few examples of how to improve purchased frosting at home. With a few simple adjustments, the store-bought frosting will become the star of your dessert in no time.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Improving the taste
Step 1. Flavor the glaze with syrup
Place the contents of a can of icing in a large mixing bowl with a spatula or spoon. Add one teaspoon (5 ml) of flavor syrup, for example caramel, raspberry, hazelnut, cherry, butter pecan or mango. Mix the syrup into the glaze with an electric mixer or by hand. Taste the glaze and mix in more syrup if desired.
Step 2. Add cream cheese for a richer taste
Empty a tin of icing into a large mixing bowl and add about 250 grams of cream cheese. Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients, or mix them by hand. This addition gives the glaze a creamier, richer flavor.
Step 3. Flavor the glaze with food extract
Use a spatula to empty a can of icing into a mixing bowl. Add ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of food extract, such as vanilla, chocolate or orange, and mix into the glaze. Taste the glaze and if desired, mix in an additional ½ teaspoon of food extract for a stronger taste.
Step 4. Mix in whipped cream to soften the sweetness
Empty a 250 gram package of whipped cream into a mixing bowl and add one can of icing. Mix the ingredients by hand or with an electric mixer. In addition to softening the sweetness, the whipped cream also makes the frosting lighter and fluffier.
Step 5. Flavor the glaze with fruit juice
Place the contents of a can of icing in a large mixing bowl with a spoon or spatula. Then add two tablespoons (30 ml) of fruit juice, for example from a freshly squeezed lemon or lime. Mix well by hand or an electric mixer. Taste the glaze and add one or two more tablespoons of fruit juice to enhance the flavour.
Method 2 of 3: Adjust the consistency
Step 1. Add one tablespoon of powdered sugar to thicken the icing
Use a spatula to transfer the icing from its holder to a mixing bowl. Add one tablespoon (15 grams) of powdered sugar to the bowl and mix by hand or with an electric mixer. If you want the glaze to be even thicker, mix in another ½ tablespoon (7.5 grams) of powdered sugar into the glaze.
Step 2. Dilute the glaze with ½ teaspoon of milk
Place the icing in a mixing bowl with a spoon or spatula. Add ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of milk to the bowl. Mix with an electric mixer or by hand. If the icing is still too thick, mix in another ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml).
You can replace the milk with water, if desired
Step 3. Whisk the icing to make it light and fluffy
Place the glaze in a large mixing bowl. Beat the icing with a whisk or electric mixer until it has doubled in volume. Do not continue whisking after the volume has doubled as you risk creating lumps in your icing.
Method 3 of 3: Changing the color
Step 1. Place white icing in a mixing bowl
Place regular, white icing in a mixing bowl with a spatula or spoon. It's good to leave a little bit of white icing, if you want to lighten the color of the icing later.
Step 2. Mix food coloring into the glaze
Natural food coloring is better for you than artificial food coloring. You can use one or more colors. Mix a few drops of food coloring into the glaze, either by hand or with an electric mixer. Remember that 100 drops of food coloring equals about one teaspoon (5 ml).
- Make pink icing by adding 11 drops of red and three drops of yellow.
- Make lavender icing by adding five drops of blue and five drops of red.
- Make mint green frosting by adding three drops of blue and three drops of green.
Step 3. Adjust the color if necessary
If the color is too dark, add more white icing. If the color isn't dark enough, add one or two more drops of the food coloring. Then mix the glaze well. Keep adjusting until you get the result you want.