Icing, also called frosting in the United States, is a sweet
often creamy glaze made of sugar with a liquid, such as water or
milk, that is often enriched with ingredients such as butter,
egg whites, cream cheese, or flavorings. It is used to cover or
decorate baked goods, such as cakes or cookies. Elizabeth
Raffald documented the first recipe for icing in 1769 in the
Experienced English Housekeeper, according to the Food Timeline.
However, it was not until 1915 that Mrs. Fred W. Gurney created
the first buttercream recipe, and Fannie Farmer followed suit
with several more recipes in 1918 and 1923. Icing can be formed
into shapes such as flowers and leaves using a pastry bag. Such
decorations are common place on birthday and wedding cakes.
Chef's color dye (food coloring) is commonly added to icing
mixtures to achieve the desired color. Sprinkles, coloring mist,
edible ink designs, or other decorations are often used on top
of icing. The simplest icing is a glacé icing, containing
powdered sugar and water. Th