Hi all

I'm new to the website but am looking for some advice please...

I've recently started baking cupcakes for friends, family etc and they're going down so well that I'm getting more and more people to ask for some! But I have a problem... No matter what I do, my buttercream keeps curdling!! I really am at a loss to know why (I have a Kenwood mixer) and haven't had this probelm until recently. I have tried everything I can think of to counteract it (warming the milk if I add any, creaming butter before the sugar, adding sugar gradually etc) but it still curdles!!

This is a really basic thing to get right I know, so I'm getting frustrated - can anyone give me some advice before I go mad please?!

Thanks in advance!

Jess

What recipe are you using?

It sounds like its your recipe , I recently switched from using margarine to Unsalted- Butter, biggest difference ever.

my recipe is very simple

4oz Unsalted room temp(Very soft) Butter (i sometimes microwave it for just a few seconds so its soft but not melted )
12oz icing sugar
1tsp Vanilla( or other flavor)
and 1tbsp Full fat milk (sometimes i add a little more, depending on what im using the buttercream for)

Beat the butter (with a paddel attachtment not the whisk ) for a few minutes till its creamy soft, Then add the icing sugar in a few stages at a time (i like to sift it in ) keep beating till its all mixed. Once its all combined i add the milk and vanilla. I mix just till combined and done, it comes out very thick, Smooth and creamy, not gritty or curdled at all .

Thank you... Recipe I'm using is 500gm icing sugar to 175gm butter with flavouring/milk. I already use unsalted butter as I prefer the taste but wonder if I'm not getting it soft enough? Will try out your recipe tomorrow!!

Hi,

I have many recipies for buttercream and some use powdered sugar/confection sugar, and some use super fine grain sugar.

When you said icing sugar which kind are you refering to?

Some look so curdled and it takes forever to get to frosting stage. Once it took putting the mixing bowl in ice water to cool the butter. The whiping made it too soft or the milk was too warm something made it curdle too..

Anyway.. just wondered about the sugar..

Could it be that you are simply adding too much liquid?

Could be, but I don't add liquid unless I have to and always do it very gradually...

I'm using powdered icing sugar if that makes a difference?

Thanks again

well, At your using the right ingredients You definately need to make sure you butter is suuuper soft, i think unsalted butter even if you leave it out of the fridge doesnt get that soft so i zap it in the microwave for a few seconds, not so its melted, but just . . so its almost melted, thats how soft you want it. i would try it again, make sure you mixers really clean, Lots of people say to beat the butter for quite some time, but ive found if you just mix into enough, till its creamy, then add the sugar, and again beat it till its just mixed in, gives you a good results , rather than letting the mixer run too long because i think if you over beat the butter, that would curdle it Hth x