How to Make Candy with Cake Icing

Candy flowers can be made days before the cake is served.

Cake icing can be made into creative homemade candies with the addition of custom flavors and colors. Cake icing is a very basic combination of whipped egg whites and powdered sugar. The low moisture content of cake icing causes it to dry out quickly and develop a light, crisp consistency. Using the icing as a candy base allows you to experiment with different designs, colors and tastes to create a variety of cake icing candies.

Things You'll Need

• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Mixing bowl
• Wire whisk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Flavored syrups or extracts (optional)
• Food coloring
• Spatula
• Piping bag and tip
• Plastic transparencies (acetate sheets)
• Cookie sheet
• Paper towel
• Vegetable shortening
• Wax paper
• Air-tight container

Instructions

1. Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice vigorously a mixing bowl until they form stiff peaks. To test, scoop up a dollop of foam with the whisk and hold it over the bowl--if it flattens back into the whisk, it's not stiff enough.

2. Stir slowly, as you sprinkle in the powdered sugar a little at a time, until it is fully combined.

3. Add a couple drops of flavored syrups, extracts or food coloring to the icing and gently fold them in with a spatula.

4. Fill the piping bag with icing. Use the spatula to gently compact the icing and press out any large air pockets.

5. Lay out the plastic transparency on a cookie sheet and clean the side that is facing up with a dry paper towel. Buff vigorously in a tight circular motion to make the plastic shiny. This will remove any dust that is clinging to the surface because of the static.

6. Fold a new paper towel in half three times and dip a corner into vegetable shortening so that it is lightly coated.

7. Spread the vegetable shortening in a thin layer on the clean upward-facing side of the plastic transparency.

8. Pipe the cake icing directly onto the greased transparency in creative shapes and designs that are no more than one inch tall. Make a variety of forms, such as small stars, circles and letters, by creating an outline then filling it in. Create a simple flower by piping out a small center circle, petals, a stem and leaves.

9. Slide the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and allow the icing candy designs to dry for 8 hours or overnight. Lightly rest a single sheet of wax paper over the candies to protect them from falling crumbs in the refrigerator.

10. Store dried icing candies in a food-safe glass or plastic air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Tips & Warnings

• Dip icing candies in melted chocolate for an even more extravagant treat.

References

• Sweetopia: How to do Royal Icing Flood Work or Runouts
• Homemade Dessert Recipes: Cake Icing Recipes: Plain White Icing Recipe

Resources

• Pastry Chef Central: Acetate Sheets