Confectioners Sugar vs Powdered Sugar vs Superfine Sugar

By Renee Shelton

Powdered sugar and confectioner's sugar are mostly the same thing. It's sugar ground to a fine powder that is sometimes mixed with an anti-caking agent such as starch.

Powdered sugar is almost always a ground sugar that can be specific to level of grind such as 6x (standard) and 10x (fine powder). The higher the number, the finer the grind. This isn't important in every day home baking, but professionals who require a sugar to produce a specific end product will specify their grind. Powdered sugar may or may not contain an anti-caking agent.

Confectioners' sugar is almost always a very finely ground sugar with the addition of a starch.

It is worthy to know that different brands of powdered sugar side by side may have a different coarseness to it, and also may be distinguishable by both taste and touch. While standard powdered sugar you find in the grocery store is much the same brand to brand, some bakers will have a particular brand as their favorite because they can tell the difference.

Icing Sugar

The names powdered sugar and confectioners' sugar are interchangeable and are sometimes referred to as "icing sugar". Powdered sugar is great to use in recipes where the sugar needs to be fully blended, like icings, frostings and the like, and for creating decorative marks on cakes and pastries. Icing sugar is powdered sugar.

Ground Sugar Names by Location

The name of the sugar may represent a product that differs from country to country.

"Pure icing sugar" from Australia means just that, no added ingredients (such as starch mixed with it—just sugar ground to a fine powder). This is a preferred powdered sugar for some recipes but can be hard to find elsewhere. Otherwise, regular icing sugar contains a small amount of starch to prevent caking. Icing sugar from the UK is powdered sugar similar to Australia, but may or may not contain cornstarch. Icing sugar from Canada is powdered sugar with cornstarch in it.

Caster Sugar and Superfine Sugar

Caster sugar shouldn't be confused with powdered sugar. Caster sugar is a very fine ground sugar that is sometimes referred to as "superfine" or "bakers sugar" here in the U.S. It's useful in baking since it dissolves quickly in liquids and creams very smoothly in batters. According to Wikipedia: "Caster sugar is a very fine sugar in Britain and other Commonwealth countries, so-named because the grains are small enough to fit through a sugar caster which is a small vessel with a perforated top, from which to sprinkle sugar at table."