| Icing Type |
Flavor/
Description |
Consistency |
Best Used For… |
Coloring |
Storage/
Freshness |
Special Information |
Buttercream
(Wilton Mix or homemade) |
Sweet, buttery flavor. Tastes the best and looks beautiful for most decorating |
Thin-to-stiff consistency depending on the amount of corn syrup or sugar added (sugar stiffens). |
Icing cakes smooth, borders, writing. Most decorations including roses, drop flowers, sweet peas and figure piping. |
Yields all colors. Most colors deepen upon setting. Let icing set 2-3 hours for deep color. Some colors may fade sitting in bright light. |
Icing can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 weeks. |
Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Flowers remain soft enough to be cut with a knife. |
Snow-White Buttercream
(Homemade) |
Sweet, almond flavor. Ideal for wedding cakes. |
Thin-to-stiff consistency depending on the amount of corn syrup or sugar added (sugar stiffens). |
Icing cakes smooth, borders, writing, flowers. Most decorations. |
Yields truer colors due to pure white base color. Creates deep colors. Most deepen upon setting. |
Icing can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 weeks. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. |
Air-dried flowers have translucent look. Flowers remain soft enough to cut with a knife. |
Wilton Decorator White
(Ready-to-Use) |
Sweet, vanilla flavor. Convenient, ready-to-use spread icing. Pure white color is ideal for coloring. |
Medium-to-stiff. Make roses right from the can. |
Shell, stars, flowers-use from container. Roses-may stiffen with confectioner's sugar. Icing cakes, writing, leaves-thin with milk, water or corn syrup. |
Yields truer colors due to pure white base color. Creates deep colors. Most deepen upon setting. |
Leftover icing can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. |
Available to purchase through Wilton Yearbook or any authorized Wilton retailer. |
Wilton Decorator Chocolate
(Ready-to-Use) |
Sweet chocolate flavor. Convenient ready-to-use spread icing. |
Medium-to-stiff. Make roses right from the can. |
Shell, stars, flowers-use from container. Roses-may stiffen with confectioner's sugar. Icing cakes, writing, leaves-thin with milk, water or corn syrup. |
Recommended when black icing is needed. Add a little black icing color to chocolate for a better tasting black icing. Use when brown icing is directed. |
Leftover icing can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. |
Available to purchase through Wilton Yearbook or any authorized Wilton retailer. |
Royal
(Made with Wilton Meringue Powder) |
Very sweet flavor. Dries candy-hard for lasting decorations. |
Thin-to-stiff consistency depending on the amount of water added. |
Flower-making, figure piping, making flower on wires. Decorating cookies and gingerbread houses. |
Yields deep colors. Some colors may fade sitting in bright light. Requires more icing color than buttercream to achieve the same intensity. |
Icing can be stored in airtight, grease-free container at room temperature for 2 weeks. Air-dried decorations last for months. |
Bowls/utensils must be grease-free. Cover icing with damp cloth to prevent crusting. |
Rolled Fondant
(Wilton Ready-to-Use Vanilla or Chocolate or Homemade Rolled Fondant) |
Rich, sweet flavor. Covers cakes with a perfectly smooth, satiny iced surface. Easy and fast to use. Knead in flavor of your choice. |
Dough-like consistency that is rolled out before applied to cake. Stays semi-soft on cakes. |
Any firm pound or fruit cake. Cutting molding and modeling decorations. |
Yields pastel to deep colors. |
Excess can be stored 2 months in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. |
Prior to applying fondant, cake must be covered in apricot glaze and/or buttercream icing to seal in freshness and moisture. |
Quick-Pour Fondant
(Homemade) |
Very sweet flavor. Covers cakes with perfectly smooth, satiny iced surface. Coats baked goods and seals in freshness with a shiny, smooth surface. |
Pours and dries to a semi-hard, smooth surface. |
All cakes, petit fours and cookies. |
Yields pastels. |
Use immediately. Excess fondant may be refrigerated, reheated and poured again. |
Prior to applying fondant, cake must be covered in apricot glaze and/or buttercream icing to seal in freshness and moisture. |
Whipped Icing Mix
(Wilton Mix) |
Light, delicate taste in Vanilla and Chocolate flavors. Holds it shape like no other mix. Easy to make. |
Perfectly, velvety consistency for decorating everything from stars, roses and borders to garlands and writing. |
Icing cakes. Most decorations, topping on pies, pudding, tarts and more. |
Vanilla mix yields any color. |
Icing can be refrigerated in airtight container. Iced cake can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. |
Exclusive Wilton formula. Available to purchase through Wilton Yearbook or any authorized Wilton retailer. |
Fluffy Boiled Icing
(Homemade) |
Marshmallow-like flavor, 100% fat free. |
Very fluffy consistency, sets quickly. |
Icing cakes smooth and fluffy. Borders, figure piping, writing, stringwork. |
Yields pastels and deep colors. |
Use immediately. |
Iced cake can be stored at room temperature. Serve within 24 hours. |
Stabilized Whipped Cream
(Homemade) |
Creamy, delicate sweetness. |
Light, thin-to-medium consistency. |
All cakes but especially those decorated with fruits. Borders, large tip work, writing. |
Yields pastels only. |
Use immediately. |
Iced cake must be refrigerated. Texture remains soft on decorated cake. |
