Icing

Icing, also known as frosting, is a sweet, often creamy glaze used to coat or decorate baked goods like cakes and cookies. It is typically made from powdered sugar, a liquid (such as milk or water), and often includes butter, shortening, flavorings, and sometimes food colorings.

Manufacturers add icing primarily for decoration, to enhance the visual appeal of products, and to provide a sweet flavor and smooth texture. It is commonly found on cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and various snack cakes to add a finishing touch and improve palatability.

Icing is primarily composed of added sugars. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise no amount of added sugars and at most 10 grams of added sugars per meal. Some icings may contain artificial food colorings, for which the FDA announced a plan in April 2025 to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. Titanium dioxide, sometimes used for whitening, remains permitted by the FDA, though the EU banned it as a food additive in 2022.