How to Make Store‐Bought Frosting Better

Co-authored by Craig Watson and Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: March 14, 2023 References Approved

Store-bought frosting is cheap and convenient, but it may not have the flavor, consistency, or color you desire. Luckily, there’s several easy ways to make store bought frosting better! Adding flavored syrups, powdered sugar, or food coloring are just a few examples of how you can improve frosting at home. With a few simple changes, your store-bought frosting will be the star of your dessert in no time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Improving the Flavor

1
Flavor the frosting with syrup. Empty a can of frosting into a large mixing bowl using a spatula or spoon. Add 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of a flavored syrup, such as caramel, raspberry, hazelnut, cherry, butter pecan, or mango. Mix the syrup into the frosting with an electric mixer or by hand. Taste the frosting, then mix in more of the flavored syrup, if desired.^{[1]
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2
Add cream cheese for a richer taste. Put a can of frosting in a large mixing bowl and add 8 oz. of cream cheese. Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients, or mix them together by hand. This addition provides a creamier, richer flavor to the frosting.^{[2]
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3
Flavor the frosting with food extract. Use a spatula to empty a can of frosting into a mixing bowl. Add ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of a food extract, such as vanilla, chocolate, or orange, to the bowl and mix it into the frosting. Taste the frosting and, if desired, mix another ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of food extract into it for a stronger flavor.
4
Mix in whipped topping to tone down the sweetness. Empty an 8-oz. tub of whipped topping into a mixing bowl, then add one can of frosting. Mix the two together by hand or with an electric mixer. In addition to toning down the sweetness, the whipped topping also makes the frosting lighter and fluffier.^{[3]
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5
Flavor the frosting with fruit juice. Transfer a can of frosting to a large mixing bowl with a spatula or spoon. Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of fruit juice, such as from a fresh-squeezed lemon or lime, to the bowl. Mix it well by hand or with an electric mixer. Taste the frosting, and, if desired, add another tablespoon or two of fruit juice to strengthen the flavor.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Correcting the Consistency

1
Add 1 Tbsp of powdered sugar to thicken the frosting. Use a spatula to transfer the frosting from the container to a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of powdered sugar to the bowl and mix it by hand or with an electric mixer. If you would like the frosting to be thicker, mix another ½ tablespoon (7.5 g) of powdered sugar into the frosting.
2
Thin the frosting using ½ tsp of milk. Put the frosting in a mixing bowl using a spoon or spatula. Add ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of milk to the bowl. Mix it with an electric mixer or by hand. If the frosting is still too thick, mix another ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of milk into it.^{[5]
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- You can substitute milk for water, if desired.
3
Whip the frosting to make it light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a large mixing bowl. Whip the frosting using a whisk or an electric mixer until it doubles in volume. Don’t continue whipping after the volume has doubled, or you risk creating lumps in the frosting.^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Color

1
Empty white frosting into a mixing bowl. Transfer plain white frosting to a mixing bowl using a spatula or spoon. You may want to reserve a small amount of white frosting in case you want to lighten the color of the frosting later.^{[7]
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2
Mix food coloring into the frosting. Natural food coloring is better for you than artificial food coloring. You can use all one color, or use multiple colors. Mix a few drops of food coloring into the frosting by hand or with an electric mixer. Keep in mind that 100 drops of food coloring equals about 1 teaspoon (5 mL).^{[8]
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- Make pink frosting by adding 11 drops of red and 3 drops of yellow.
- Make lavender frosting by adding 5 drops of blue and 5 drops of red.
- Make mint green frosting by adding 3 drops of blue and 3 drops of green.
3
Adjust the color, if needed. If the color is too dark, add more plain white frosting. If the color isn’t dark enough, add another drop or two of food coloring. Then, mix the frosting thoroughly. Continue adjusting the color until you get the desired result.^{[9]
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Community Q&A

Question

What flavorings do I use for toffee frosting?

HumanBeing

Top Answerer

Toffee is essentially butter and sugar, the same ingredients as frosting. To make toffee-flavored frosting, simply add toffee to the frosting. Melt and add toffee sweets or candies, obtain and add toffee powder or add toffee-flavored pudding to your frosting with extra sugar to maintain density. Buying toffee frosting might be an even easier option.
Question

Can I add peanut butter to chocolate frosting to give it a peanut butter flavor?

Maggie

Community Answer

Yes! Just keep in mind that if you add melted peanut butter instead of room temperature peanut butter, you may need to add powdered sugar to even out the consistency.
Question

Can you glaze small cakes with canned icing?

Dj Cookii

Community Answer

Spoon canned frosting into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir the frosting and continue to heat in 5-second intervals if necessary, until all the icing is melted. Let cool slightly for a minute or so. The frosting should now be a thin glaze you can drizzle onto desserts such as cakes and cookies.