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This easy, 3-ingredient Powdered Sugar Icing is perfect for bundt cakes, pound cakes, angel food cakes, cookies, and quick breads. A little glaze makes everything look (and taste) even better.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Confectioner’s sugar: Using powdered sugar is important because it dissolves without heat. To make your own, pour granulated sugar into a blender or food processor, then blend the sugar until it is a fine, fluffy powdered sugar.
- Milk: Or water or half-and-half. Add enough for your desired glaze consistency.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Add enough milk to reach your desired consistency for drizzling. The glaze will harden in 20 to 30 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about ¾ cup icing (12 tablespoons) depending on how much liquid you add to thin it.
- Lemon icing: Substitute ¼ cup lemon juice for the milk or water and omit the vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest if desired.
- Lime icing: Substitute ¼ cup lime juice for the milk or water and omit the vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon lime zest if desired.
- Orange icing: Substitute ¼ cup orange juice for the milk or water and omit the vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon orange zest if desired.
- Almond icing: Substitute ½ teaspoon almond extra for the vanilla extract.
- Light icing: Mix 1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon low-fat milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Does powdered sugar icing need to be refrigerated? No, even if you use milk in your icing. The small amount of milk is stabilized by the large amount of sugar and is considered safe at room temperature for two to three days. Always refrigerate any cake with a frosting that contains eggs or egg whites, or one that has whipped-cream frosting or any type of filling.
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Powdered Sugar Icing
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or water (see note 2)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and vanilla. Add water or milk until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over cooled baked goods or dessert. The glaze will harden in 20 to 30 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar is important because it dissolves without heat. To make your own, pour granulated sugar into a blender or food processor, then blend the sugar until it is a fine, fluffy powdered sugar.
- Milk: Or water or half-and-half. Add enough for your desired glaze consistency.
- Yield: This recipe makes about ¾ cup icing (12 tablespoons) depending on how much liquid you add to thin it.
- Lemon icing: Substitute ¼ cup lemon juice for the milk or water and omit the vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest if desired.
- Lime icing: Substitute ¼ cup lime juice for the milk or water and omit the vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon lime zest if desired.
- Orange icing: Substitute ¼ cup orange juice for the milk or water and omit the vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon orange zest if desired.
- Almond icing: Substitute ½ teaspoon almond extra for the vanilla extract.
- Light icing: Mix 1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon low-fat milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Does powdered sugar icing need to be refrigerated? No, even if you use milk in your icing. The small amount of milk is stabilized by the large amount of sugar and is considered safe at room temperature for two to three days. Always refrigerate any cake with a frosting that contains eggs or egg whites, or one that has whipped-cream frosting or any type of filling.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Simply Excellent, Easy, Tasty
Thank you Paula! – Meggan
Made the lemon recipe & drizzled it all over a confetti flute cake….delicious!!
Yummy! Definitely sounds delicious! – Meggan
So easy & luckily I had the ingredients…… delicious
I have cream cheese & powder sugar! Can I use that with vanilla to make icing?
Hi Cheryl, yes! ! I would add 2-3 tablespoons of softened cream cheese to the icing ingredients, and add water or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Make sure to taste as you go to adjust the flavor to your liking. – Meggan
Was delicious
Thanks, Lindsay! – Meggan
I made icing for Christmas cookies using powder sugar, vanilla extract & I didn’t have milk, but I did have a carton of heavy whipping cream, which I used. The taste was AMAZING! It didn’t taste like powder sugar which is a win, win for me. I made too much.
Can it be refrigerated for later use in about a week? I hate to toss it out. Thanks.
Hi Terri! Yes, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. I would store it in an airtight container, and place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the icing to prevent a skin from forming. Make sure to check it for freshness, and give it a good stir to restore the smooth consistency of the icing before using. Take care! – Meggan
I love easy AND delicious. I added cinnamon and raisins and poured over bare cinnamon rolls. Super yummers!
Sounds delicious, Harriet! Take care! – Meggan
Used for my bunt cake easily made thanks Happy Thanksgiving 🦃
I’m glad you found my recipe! Thanks for your comment Evis! -Meggan