Ask Nancy Archives
Do you have a baking, decorating or celebrating question for Nancy? Now is your chance to have it answered.
Check here each month, Nancy will select ten questions submitted by viewers and posting her answers here.
Royal Icing Questions
How do i make royal icing that dries shiny? Sometimes it is slightly shiny, and other times dull and grainy looking. My recipe is powdered sugar, real egg whites and a few drops of lemon juice. Should i increase the egg whites to make the icing shiny when it's dry?
chris - from rancho santa fe, CA
If I want to double the amount of royal icing do I double both the egg whites and confectioners sugar?
Sue - from Walsall, England
Which is the best icing to decorate cookies?
Carmen - from Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Our local PBS station has stopped airing your show. How should i approach this? I really miss it.
linda - from sharpsville, PA
I will be making wedding cupcakes for my niece's wedding and I was wondering if I can put royal icing flower decorations on top of Wilton's buttercream?
Christina - from Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Can I refrigerate iced cookies?
Chan - from SAN DIEGO,CA., CA
I made cupcakes using a tip for a rose on top. I also made butterflies out of royal icing and placed them on top of the cupcakes, but after an hour the butterflies went soft. Can you please tell me why this has happened?
sally - from colchester , England
I'm making cookie pops that will have an edible image on them. Should I put royal icing or buttercream frosting on the cookie before placing the edible image on top? Also how advanced can I make them?
Elizabeth - from Providence, RI
What is difference between royal icing and buttercream icing?
marzie - from esfahan, iran
Can I use royal icing instead of Candy Melts for the cake pops or do I use thinned buttercream?
Neikhila - from Katy, TX
Hello! I am making my wedding "cake". I am using a cake dummy, as we are traveling to our location. How early in advance can I frost my cake dummy? without making it look gross when it is presented? And what type of frosting do you recommend for this project. Thank you!!!
Candace - from Wanship, UT
For cake pops the recipe calls for decorator icing, do you mean royal icing?
Pat - from Clare, MI
How long does it usually take for royal icing flowers harden and be ready for use?
Lisa DiSalvia - from Philadelphia, PA
Hi Nancy! In the episode when you made flag cookies, I thought you used royal icing (with 2 different consistencies, thick and thin) so I bought meringue powder, but then I saw you needed color flow. Will there be difference if I use royal icing?
Amanda - from Chicago, IL
Why aren't my buttercream/royal icing roses centered? They keep leaning to one side after I get the 1st, 3-pedal layer on.
Dee - from East Orange, NJ
Dear Nancy, is it necessary to use royal icing for drop flowers or any kind of things you want to do?
Lucita - from El Salvador, GA
Hi Nancy! Do you have a buttercream icing recipe that does not require shortening, and a royal icing that does not require Meringue Powder?
Gilda - from Chicago, IL
What kind of icing should I use for cookies? (I’m going to stack them.)
Patricia - from Brooklyn, NY
Is there a way to keep royal icing shiny after it dries?
Kathy - from Greenville, RI
Hi Nancy, can I freeze the flowers made from royal icing? Will they crack?
Alison - from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
I am making Roses/flowers for a wedding cake. Should I make the roses from royal icing? And can I make them ahead of time? I first saw you show Saturday morning, I loved it. Are you on each week at the same time?
Judy - from Clintonville, WI
Can I add leftover thinned royal icing to buttercream? I glazed cookies with a yellow royal icing, now I need yellow buttercream. What do you think? Thanks!
Nancy - from Chicago, IL
Once you have your royal icing flowers, how long can they last if you are in a hot weather area?
Mariana - from Grand Prairie, TX
I am new to using royal icing and made it for the first time yesterday. How is it that 6 tablespoons of water is supposed to be enough to make this icing? It occurs to me now that perhaps you are supposed to mix the water with the powder, then, slowly add the sugar. Is that right? The recipe just says to combine everything and mix.
Maureen - from Killeen, TX
How can I replace the meringue powder? I’m from Peru and we don’t have the product available here.
Mayra - from Lima, Peru
Hi, Nancy. I have a question about making royal icing. I made a royal icing following exactly the ingredients and procedure. After I got done with it, it was foamy. Then I started piping and it became watery. I even added corn syrup and it didn’t get stiff. I let it stand uncovered hoping to get it dry, but it turned out too wet. What am I doing wrong?
Donna - from Frankfort, KY
I want a frosting that will harden when it dries (like the birthday letters at the grocery stores). Is there an icing out there or recipe to make one at home?
Angela - from Ventura, CA
What does “flooding” using icing mean and how do you do it?
Dorothy - from Gladstone, Manitoba, Canada
Hi, Nancy. I am sending this mail from India. I simply love your drop flowers and would love to make them. The only problem is that I am unable to find Meringue Powder or egg white powder in India. Can I make royal icing with real egg whites then use that for the flowers? Will they be as well set as your flowers?
Medha - from Delhi, Delhi
I know you use a lot of royal icing for flowers. I have always heard that you cannot eat royal icing. Is this correct?
Cora - from Millersburg, KY
I am taking a cake decorating class and my instructor said not to use any plastic when making or storing Royal icing because it will break it down. Is this really true? I have a mixer that is all plastic – does this mean that I can’t use it to make the icing?
Kristen - from Logan, UT
Nancy, I'm new to cake decorating, but I love it! What is the difference between buttercream and royal icing, and when do you use each one?
Amanda - from Shelbyville, KY
You said that freezing royal icing is not recommended. Why? What happens if you freeze it?
Ricki - from Redding, CA
Can you share a recipe for a delicious frosting for cookies that won't smear if stacking the cookies?
Linda - from Rochester , NY
How long does royal icing last, and can you freeze it?
Kim - from Suwanee, GA
I tried making flowers with royal icing like I saw you make on your show. I made them on a cookie sheet, but once they were dried, I couldn't get them to lift off without crumbling. I also tried making the flowers on a piece of foil, but the foil kept lifting when I lifted the decorating tip. What did I do wrong?
Sonja - from Youngstown, OH
Hi, I've been watching your show for the past several months and I LOVE IT. I'm only in Grade 10, but I really enjoy decorating cakes. When making royal icing, is there any substitute for Meringue Powder, because I am not able to buy it where I live.
Melissa - from La Scie, Canada
I would like to know whether I can use stiff buttercream icing, maybe with meringue powder added, in place of royal icing to make roses?
Pani Thuly - from Atlantic City, NJ
What type of icing can I use to ice cookies with?
Noelle - from Lynwood, IL