Hi to all you CC'ers out there! I am hoping someone can give me some insight on this problem.

Whenever I make my buttercream frosting recipe in my 4.5QT Kitchen Aid, it comes out perfect. But whenever I make a double batch in my 5.5QT Cuisinart the texture is completely different, almost grainy. What gives? I can't make a double batch in my KA because it's too small, and it saves me a ton of time when I make a double batch. What could be causing that problem?

I thought maybe it wasn't being mixed enough, but the more it mixes the grainier it gets. I thought maybe I was adding the powder sugar too fast. But that wasn't it either. I mix the frosting at the lowest speed then when everything is incorporated I go the next speed up to get it fluffly. The only thing left I can think of is maybe the temperature of my kitchen? but why does this happen only with the double batch?

Any ideas, or thoughts anyone? This is really puzzling me.
Thanks!

The motors are probably different, one stronger than the other. So even if you are mixing them on the same speeds, there could be a difference.

Are you using the exact same powder sugar for both times?

Yep. same powder sugar, same everything. It makes sense about the motors since the Cuisinart is more powerful than the KA. Making one batch is super quick in the KA, but when I make a double batch it takes at least 3 times as long.

I guess I'll have to stick to single batches until I figure out what the problem is.

It is odd that you can do a single batch fine, but the double batch acts up. Does it happen every time, or was this the first time you tried the double batch?

I just got a KitchenAid and I love it, before that I would literally buy a new hand mixer every other time I make a cake but I've never had a problem with my buttercream when I use the hand mixer (except for the broken motor at the end but besides that the icing was perfect ) So last week I made buttercream in my kitchenaid for the first time and it was very clumpy-ish like when you add eggs to creamed butter and sugar and it makes it separate a bit. I thought I didn't mix it enough but it never really got better .

I think it's odd too. This has happened every time. I dont' know if the Cuisinart does something different or maybe I'm not being patient enough with it.lol. Or maybe I just didn't mix the shortening and butter enough. When I researched this issue on CC other people had the same grainy-ness problem but it was not due to their mixer. It was suggested that it might be a mixing, or temperature problem. It usually starts fine then towards to the end it start to turn grainy.

Do you mean grainy, as in gritty. Or grainy as in it separates?

How long do you cream your butter or shortening? I've also found that using the whisk beater helped my BC a bunch. I was afraid I'd get too much air in it so I only used my paddle attachment, but I switched to the whisk and it actually made it smoother!