what's the difference between frosting and icing of cakes?

Answer 1

The North & the South

Answer 2

It's the same thing. I notice Americans tend to say frosting and Canadians say Icing.

Answer 3

From what I was taught it's a difference of dialect. You "frost" a cake in the United States and you "ice" it in Canada.

Edit:
Moondego, I stand corrected! :)

Answer 4

Frosting is a thicker substance usually made with butter whip cream chocolate etc.
Icing is made with powered sugar and usually a liquid either extract liquor or Milk juice etc the consistency is thinner and almost transparent in texture.

Answer 5

"Good Eats" with Alton Brown just did an episode on frosting vs. icing.

Answer 6

frosting is them same as icing they both have
a lot of suger is just another way of saying it

Answer 7

Frosting is whippped and creamy and doesnt get stiff or hard when u spread it out and is mainly made from butter/ margarine
Icing is boiled marie-au-bain and gets hard/stiff when it cools . U can drizzle it on the cake or pastry. But frosting has to be spread.

Answer 8

i think its probably the same thing but icing may tend to be thinner are more sugar based, while frosting thicker and creamier

Answer 9

i was wondering this myself the other day. i think it is just a geographic difference; depends on what this yummy thing is called in your neck of the woods. or what your family members have called it through the years.

Answer 10

frosting is cold