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Bakery question

(6 Posts)
jeanie99 Thu 07-Nov-13 21:37:31

I am preparing to do the Christmas baking and find I have 2 boxes of icing sugar which I will never use and little caster sugar.

Can I use icing sugar in place of caster sugar in baking a cake.

Also as anyone used Splenda ( I have a box of this) in place of caster sugar and could give me some advice.
The box says 1 level tsp of Splenda to 1 level tsp of sugar but there is a difference in weight,doesn't this make a difference to the consistency.

Many thanks

rosesarered Thu 07-Nov-13 21:55:41

Hi Jeannie99, I would not use the icing sugar, it is purely for the top of cakes. You really should use caster sugar in all baking, except some heavy [ginger etc cakes] when you may use demerara.I would also not use Splenda either.Caster sugar all the way! smile I am making my Christmas cake tomorrow, yum.

Deedaa Thu 07-Nov-13 22:35:53

I'm pretty icing sugar isn't going to work. I had a packet of Splenda in the cupboard for a couple of years and eventually threw it away because I couldn't work out how much to use in a cake confused I have written the shopping list for my Christmas cake - so that's it half made already!

Bez Thu 07-Nov-13 22:40:43

I always use soft dark brown sugar in my rich fruit cakes- same as Christmas puddings. But I agree that I don't think icing sugar would work as a substitute.

hummingbird Thu 07-Nov-13 23:37:24

I think icing sugar is mixed with some kind of stabilising agent, so isn't pure sugar. You'd probably have to use more of it by weight. To be honest, I wouldn't risk it - baking ingredients are not cheap, and I wouldn't want to risk ruining the cake!

jeanie99 Fri 08-Nov-13 21:21:00

Thanks everyone for the information, you are right the ingredients are too expensive to take any risk.

Hubby bought me the caster sugar today and I've baked a couple of lemon cakes and lemon curd and they are in the freezer.
I'm baking the fruit cakes on Sunday.
Lord be praised for freezers what would we do without them.