1

So I was making the icing from a boxed cake, but screwed up a lot. I mistook the icing mix for the cake mix. So I added 2 eggs, I took out the yolk of one of them. I also vastly put in way too much milk. The icing mix needed 15ml of milk. I put in 250ml. I've been trying to fix it by adding corn starch and more icing sugar but it's still insanely runny.

Now I'm left with a bowl of this icing 'stuff'. I don't want to throw it out. Is there a way to fix it? Or is there something I can do with this mixture?

If I can't find something to do with it, I'll probably end up just eating it by itself...

Improve this question
7
  • Well, eating it as is is a risky idea, due to the raw eggs. What is in the icing mix?
    – Stephie ♦
    May 6, 2016 at 5:28
  • Not a clue, it was from a packet so it doesn't list out the ingredients for each, only both cake and icing mix together
    – Aequitas
    May 6, 2016 at 5:39
  • How much corn starch and icing sugar are in there?
    – Stephie ♦
    May 6, 2016 at 5:43
  • A lot now, I didn't measure just kept chucking in more as I mixed hoping it would thicken up but it seems a cup of milk is way too much unless I wan't to make like 3 liters of icing.
    – Aequitas
    May 6, 2016 at 5:46
  • Roughly - a few tablespoons, a few cups....? And how much starch / icing each?
    – Stephie ♦
    May 6, 2016 at 5:48

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

I'm going to ignore the actual icing ingredients for a moment here as I suspect they will be mostly icing sugar and a few neglible other things.

So you now have roughly

  • 1 cup / 250 ml milk
  • 1.5 eggs
  • 6 tblsp / 60g starch and flour
  • a lot of icing sugar

-> The egg means you need a heating step to get that mixture safe.

If we ignore the sugar, we are looking at a basic pudding mix, albeit with somewhat skewed proportions. So some minor adjustments are in order:

  • Add another 1-21 cups of milk, stir well.

Heat slowly on the stove, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
You'll get some version of pastry cream / pudding. It will probably be somewhat floury and very, very sweet, but at least safe and basically edible.

Once you have the pudding, you can use it as a base for desserts, cake fillings etc., mixing with fruit or stretching it with yogurt could tone down the excessive sweetness.

You can also use the thick pudding for a custard-based buttercream, which means you finally turn your mishap into a frosting again.

1 The math, very rough numbers as I don't have the exact amounts you used:

1 tbsp starch / flour ~ 10 g

For pudding, you'd use 20 g / 2 tbsp per 250 ml / 1 cup.

So if your guestimate is correct, use 3 cups milk in total.

For a somewhat thicker pudding, use 30g / 3 tbsp per 250 ml / 1 cup.

Improve this answer
3
  • But the problem is too much milk. Wouldn't adding more milk make it less thick?
    – Aequitas
    May 6, 2016 at 10:37
  • @Aequitas and heating means the egg and starch gelatinize, making the whole mix thick. Starch and egg both need heat to thicken food. But the amount of milk is too little for the starch already in, so you'll have to thin it first. Rule of thumb for pudding: 40g per 1/2 liter, so as 6 tbsp ~ 60 g -> 3/4 liter = 3 cups milk
    – Stephie ♦
    May 6, 2016 at 10:39
  • Thanks Stephie, this worked quite well. I added some vanilla essence and cinnamon and it tasted quite nice but a bit floury as you said. I was getting worried after like 10 minutes of heating when nothing was happening and then all of a sudden it got really thick.
    – Aequitas
    May 6, 2016 at 23:07
1

This almost sounds like a base for enriched bread - you got eggs, milk, sugar and some flavoring :) Just add fat and flour and leavening ....

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    This was flagged as "low quality" (not by me) and it could really need some "fleshing out". Could you add a bit about basic ratios and methods?
    – Stephie ♦
    May 6, 2016 at 11:05
  • I would be the wrongest person to do that, I never use eggs so I have no idea about ratios when eggs are involved.
    – rackandboneman
    May 9, 2016 at 8:23

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.