/ 225 g icing sugar

SweetenersYear-round

Icing sugar is pure refined carbohydrate with minimal nutritional value beyond calories, providing approximately 387 calories per 100g. The cornstarch additive adds negligible dietary fiber or other micronutrients.

About

Icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar, confectioners' sugar, or icing sugar, is a finely ground form of sucrose created by processing granulated white sugar with a small amount of cornstarch or tapioca starch (typically 3-5%) to prevent caking and improve texture. The ingredient originates from sugarcane and sugar beet processing, with the sucrose crystals milled to a powder with a talc-like consistency. The addition of anti-caking agents produces the characteristic fine, white powder that dissolves rapidly in liquids and creates smooth, homogeneous mixtures. Icing sugar has a pure sweet flavor with no perceptible grittiness and is valued for its ability to incorporate smoothly into frostings, icings, and other confectionery preparations.

Culinary Uses

Icing sugar is primarily used in baking and confectionery for glazes, frostings, buttercreams, and royal icing, where its fine texture dissolves readily to create smooth finishes on cakes, cookies, and pastries. It is essential for dusting finished baked goods, creating fondants, and producing fillings for pastries and candies. In beverage preparations, it is whisked into drinks for smooth sweetening without grittiness. Its primary advantage over granulated sugar is its rapid dissolution and ability to create smooth textures without requiring heat or extended beating, making it indispensable in no-cook icings and glazes.

Forms & Preparations

  • Fine powder — The standard form sold commercially, with a texture finer than flour, designed to dissolve smoothly in batters and glazes.
  • Sieved — Passed through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps caused by moisture absorption, creating an even finer and more uniform texture before use.
  • Compacted/pressed — Sometimes sold in compressed blocks or cakes in certain markets; requires sieving or grinding before use if lumps have formed from storage.

Substitutes

  • Unknown — Use in a 1.3:1 ratio (117g per 100g icing sugar) and process in a food processor or blender until powdered, though this lacks the cornstarch anti-caking agent and may result in slightly grittier texture.
  • Unknown — Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch per 1 cup granulated sugar and grind in a food processor; substitute 1:1 by weight for a closer approximation to commercial icing sugar.
  • Unknown — Finer than granulated sugar, use 1.1:1 ratio; produces less smooth results than icing sugar but acceptable for some applications where slight texture variation is tolerable.
  • Unknown — Low-calorie substitutes; use in 1:1 ratio by weight, though these may have different sweetness intensity and the texture may lack the anti-caking properties of cornstarch.