Powder Sugar Question

Decorating By mcalhoun Updated 10 Mar 2006 , 5:46pm by Euphoriabakery

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mcalhoun Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 12:52pm
post #1 of 15

I was told never to use anything except Imperial in my frostings. Has anyone else tried another brand? I was thinking as long as it was pure cane it would work.

14 replies
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Jenn2179 Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 1:07pm
post #2 of 15

I think I use Dixie. Does that have yellow and blue on the bag if so that's what I use. I have never even seen imperial powdered sugar. Just make sure it's 10x and you sift it.

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stacycakes Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 1:11pm
post #3 of 15

I use domino powdered sugar that is 10x for all of my icing.

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LittleLinda Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 1:15pm
post #4 of 15

All powdered sugars are alike to me. I used to be loyal to just Domino 10X, but have tried store brands and found no difference.

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mcalhoun Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 1:23pm
post #5 of 15

Thanks - I will give other brands a try - Imperial is beginning to be hard to find where I live in Texas.

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peg818 Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 1:24pm
post #6 of 15

i use anything that states pure cane. The only difference i have found with brands is that if it doesn't say pure cane, it's sometimes beet sugar and then it doesn't dissolve as easily. The brands i have found locally are Price Chopper store brand at 1.59/2lbs, dominos 1.99/2lbs, or walmarts at 1.25/2lbs. So basically i buy what ever brand is on least expensive that week, as with sales they will vary.

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tortica Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 1:38pm
post #7 of 15

i use those that I can get here. There are differences between brands depending on whether it's pure 100% sugar powder or it has some aditives (not to crumble together) - up to 1% of theese.
I found it the othertime that The one with aditives is better to make fondant/sugarpaste from. (If that helps you there I don't know...) it doesn't tear as much and is more pliable. Aditives that they use here in powdered sugar are completly safe and harmless.

in cake recipes I think it doesn't really matter which kind you use.

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CakesWithAttitude Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 2:11pm
post #8 of 15

I live in houston and it is hard to find imperial. i use domino or kroger brand and the kind sam's sells. They work for me. Do not ever use wal=mart crisco or sugar. The icing looks and tastes horrible. but just make sure in the ingredients it isn't beet, and make sure that somewhere on the bag it says 10x and you will be ok.

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chocomama Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 5:13pm
post #9 of 15

I wonder why you're having a hard time finding Imperial, Attitude? I'm in Houston bought some just the other day. Can you give me some info on the beets, though? My hubby bought me sugar the other day and I wasn't crazy about it. Will have to check the label. Also, does anyone sift their sugar first?

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crisseyann Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 5:16pm
post #10 of 15

Just going to throw this in....

My friend and I were both making white marshmallow fondant together. She used Domino and I used the "store brand". You would think there would be no difference. Well, Domino made for a MUCH whiter fondant, where my store brand looked yellow in comparison.

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CakesWithAttitude Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 5:29pm
post #11 of 15

NO i do not sift, but my icing comes out perfect everytime; except when i use Wal-mart brand sugar or shortening. It is a shortage due to hurricane Katrina; they were shipping it there or something. And so now the C& J you see at Wal-mart is from overseas. That is what you mostly see now. The C&J is non sited. And the Wal-Mart is made with Beet, It just doesn't taste good.

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CakesWithAttitude Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 5:30pm
post #12 of 15

If you hold a bag of Domino and a bag of Imperial; there is a big difference. Domino is very fluffy; Imperial is very packed and hard.

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CakesWithAttitude Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 5:35pm
post #13 of 15

You can pretty much find Imperial at Kroger and HEB now, but most of the time when I go; they are out the shelf is empty; just Kroger brand. In October I went to buy some; and Kroger, Wal-Mart and HEB had absolutely no powdered sugar of any brand. I stock up now at Sams; sometimes they are out too. So I have to go 3 times to get it.

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Euphoriabakery Posted 10 Mar 2006 , 5:43pm
post #14 of 15

If your powdered sugar label doesn't state that it is pure cane it is most likely beet. However, generic or store brands will get their sugar from wherever it is cheapest so if cane sugar is cheap that week thats what they will use. So you could get a store brands that works great for months and then all of a sudden it is beet sugar and you will have issues. The only way to know for sure is to use the brands that state that they are pure cane sugar.

Beet sugar does not carmelize at the same stage as cane. I had the most problems when making candy, it would never really carmelize and get to the hard stage that I needed, I would heat it way hotter than the recipe suggested and it would just crystalize. I also notice a difference in my baking. When I make certain cookies with beet sugar they go flat. In icing it just tastes a little chalky. After trying the cheap stuff and having intermitten results I finally looked into it and found out that it was because beet and cane sugars were being offered interchangably as the same product. So now I buy only pure cane sugar. On the West coast that is C&H and costco carries it in bulk so it's not too expensive.

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