Rich and dreamy American buttercream has several merits, but if you're looking for a frosting that's butter-free, both royal and regular icing can work a treat. Here's the lowdown on each option.

We use two types of this for decorating, one thick and smooth for piping details and edging, and a runnier glossy mixture for ‘flooding’ larger areas. For the basic mixture, place 75ml cold water in a ...