Icing recipe for piping

[EsmeMargaretNoteSpelling]

I have had dumped on me the task of getting 30children to decorate cakes for a inter-class competition and I want to get the children (year6) to pipe their own icing before they decorate them.

I’m not a baker and thinking that icing recipes must be much of a muchness, I had a google and am now completely confused! Can anyone recommend a simple icing recipe that they know will pipe well and hold its shape? Thanks!

Standard buttercream icing will work.

Basic principle for butter cream is to double the amount of icing sugar to butter, for example -

300g butter softened
600g Icing sugar (sifted)

You can add food colouring, vanilla extract. Only a few drops though as it can make it runny. Make sure you're using unsalted block (proper) butter and not spreadable as spreadable makes it like water!

Many thanks for the advice!

IMO the butter doesn't need to be unsalted as it can make the buttercream rather sickly.

For kids, put the icing into small plastic bags (or proper piping bags), seal the bags with a rubber band or clip. Then snip off a tiny corner so they can only squeeze out a little icing at a time and there is less mess.

I do standard sugar & water using for biscuits- easier than buttercream.

You can't pipe glace icing though parietal

I use the boxes of Royal icing powder, just mix with water, but it has egg white added so it dries hard and is pipeable. Obviously cannot be used if children are allergic to or cannot/do not eat eggs.

Ooh yes. I forgot about Royal Icing sugar.

I use much more icing sugar to butter if I'm going to pipe it - 250 g butter to 1000g icing sugar.

Sorry, OP-I don't think we're helping!!

How is it not too stiff Bertrand? Do you add any milk?

Bearing in mind the little hands may not be as strong as an adult's.

Yes, sorry- I add milk. It sets firmer and is a bit more durable if you're transporting it.

Thanks for all the advice guys! I’m just off to Asda for supplies and I think I’ll have a go in private at home before I make a fool of myself at school! I’ll let you know how the children get on.

It might be cheaper to just buy tubs of ready made icing.

I was wondering that. How many children are you dealing with? Maybe even ready made writing icing? Unless you have loads of bags and nozzles already..