Please help a desperate pregnant woman..... I have 6 cakes due Saturday, still teaching full time, and started my 1/2 and 1/2 wilton buttercream this evening to get ahead a little. It came out like GRAVEL it was so gritty!! It is really hot in my kitchen (no central air with oven on).

I don't have tons of time to keep screwing up BC....is there a way to bring this BC back to normal, or do I start over? HELP!!!!

Thanks!
Ellen

Ok, come on! I need ya!!

I'm sorry, I've never had this problem! But I just did a search because this does seem to come up from time to time. The common thread in all the problems seems to be the humidity. Possible solutions are:

1. More liquid
2. Add meringue powder to stabilize
3. Make sure you sift your powdered sugar (and/or make sure you use good quality powdered sugar)

Other than that...I don't know, I hope someone else comes up with something for ya!

Thanks...I used dominoes sugar. I did use the exact measurements, but it seemed to appear liquidy (maybe due to the heat). I am going to chill it and remix....I am praying that will work!

I had that problem once and figured out that I had used powdered sugar made from sugar beets which caused the grittiness. I will only use pure cane sugar now. Don't know if Domino sugar is made from sugar beets or sugar cane so I can't help you there! That was the only time I had trouble with grittiness.

Hope this helps and you get it straightened out!

~luraleigh~

That's a good thought, but I've been using dominoes since I've started cakes, and never had a problem. I think it may be the heat and humidity. I will rebeat the frosting...hopefully, it will be ok!

Dear Desperate Pregnant Cake Decorator:

Do what I do when the AC is on the fritz: if you have a basement, go down there with your KA, your ingredients, and a card table, where it is cool, and mix away! You'll be comfy, your ingredients will be comfy, and it'll be all good!

I second the comment about beet sugar. I used WalMart brand 10x once, I'll never do it again. There were these sharp bitter bits in it that I can't explain except I bet it was beet sugar. yeccchhh!

Domino 10x is apparently all cane sugar, and that's what I use.

Also keep in mind that 10x has a little cornstarch in it, so if the humidity is extreme that might be a culprit.

well, I guess that was the culprit! I will try that! I put it in the fridge and let it cool down, and it seemed to synthesize a little bit......it's a lot cooler today, so hopefully, it won't give me problems!

just a comment on the "bitter bits" in the WM sugar. Don't blame beets. Processing maybe, but not the beets.