Is sifting the powdered sugar for frosting really necessary? And is there really a difference in "pure vanilla extract" and "imatation vanilla"? So many questions!

I've always sifted powdered sugar to get any clumps out. If you don't feel that step is necessary and you have good results not doing it then you don't have to do it.

Imitation vanilla to my understanding is simply vanilla flavoring and if it does have real vanilla, they would be trace amounts that it couldn't be called pure. The words pure and imitation can't be used interchangeably since they are not the same.

Thanks. Is there really a difference in taste? There is certainly a difference in the price.

Vanilla actually comes from a flower called the vanilla orchid. The flower lasts one day only -- part of the reason real vanilla is so expensive. You can read the wikipedia article on it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla

Articficial vanilla is generally made from paper by-products treated with chemicals. Yuck. http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/encyclopedia/termdetail/0,7770,1408,00.html

Real vanilla is always brown, so any "clear" vanillas are imitation. However, imitation vanilla, or "vanilla flavoring" can be colored brown. Always look for "pure vanilla extract".

Thank you so much. I live in Texas also. A little town call Powderly, close to Paris.

I made some buttercream last weekend and didn't sift the sugar. Then when I tried to pipe it through a #1 tip, it kept getting clogged with little bits of sugar that I never would have noticed otherwise. It was very frustating, and I'll always sift my sugar from now on.

Mark

I hardly ever sift my sugar for my BC, however I usually always sift it if I am making MMF.

Maybe it's just me but it takes me FOREVER to sift my powdered sugar! It's just a slow process for me. I get so antsy I just don't do it anymore. The icing seems fine.

If you're making buttercream and using a fresh bag of ps and not using any small tips like a #1 or #2 then you shouldn't have to sift. If you're making royal or are going to be using smaller tips, it's best to sift. I also always sift my 7 lb bag once it's been opened. I don't sift the first time, but after that I do. When you do sift, don't force the clumps through the sifter, just dump them out in the sink or garbage.

Some people get all grossed out when they hear what imitation vanilla comes from, but believe me, unless you eat all natural all organic, you're eating some pretty funky stuff! Imitation vanilla supposedly holds up better when cooked. I personally think pure vanilla has a better flavor, but most people can't tell the difference or even prefer imitation. Anything that's vanilla flavored that we buy is all artificial (mostly anyway) so it's what we're used to tasting.

When I'm baking something that doesn't have to be white, I definitely prefer pure vanilla, and I try to have some bourbon or Madagascar vanilla on hand. But, in icings and cakes that I want to be white-white, I use the clear. One time, I did a taste test. I mixed up a couple of cups of milk with some sugar. Then, I measured out the same amount of the sweetened milk into glasses and put the same amount of several different vanillas into them. I found that there indeed was a noticeable difference in store brand and national brand vanillas. And...I found that I actually LIKED the taste of the Wilton clear vanilla. That was a total surprise to me.

I sift all of my powdered sugar now. I even started sifting my cake mixes (there are some HUGE chunks in cake mixes!)

I didnt used to sift powdered sugar for bc or fondant and I never really had a problem. I had heard if you got the smaller bags (not in bulk) it should be fine....until it wasnt! Suddenly I started getting lumps all in my buttercream, I had little balls of powdered sugar in my mmf, BC got stuck in some of the smaller tips...

So I started sifting. I dont really like doing it, but it seems to be worth it in the end. After sifting I notice some bags have a lot of little balls and some are pretty good. I guess I was just lucky at first. Sift it a time or two and see what you find on the bottom. Then you will know if it is worth it to you.

Try sifting the cake mix too, I dont know if the end result is really any better, but the batter looks so much more "blended"

Sifting can be tedious if you are using one of those old fashioned sifters, so I bought a large strainer (they are sold as a set of 3 at Bed Bath and Beyond for 9.99). Pour the sugar or cake mix into the strainer over a bowl, push it thru with a spatula and it only takes a few minutes.

I've been experimenting with the vanilla thing lately. Everyone told me to try the Watkins vanilla and I just found it at Wal-mart. I think it tasted more "mature," more sophisticated. The artificial vanilla was more sweet in a kool-aid kids kind of way. At least with my recipe. Does this make sense? So for my brides I think I'll switch to the pure. The brown color didn't make a huge difference.
Blessings!