Learned Something New And Wanted To Share....
Decorating By chrissysconfections Updated 31 Jul 2007 , 3:53am by Sandi4tpc
By total accident I learned something new in making icing. I use Sewsweets crusting buttercream recipe and have had great success with it. Most of my customers prefer that over regular class buttercream. Well a couple weekends ago I had a 4 tier cake to do and asked DH to pick me up some confectioner's sugar. Well him thinking sugar is sugar picked up the store brand instead of the Domino's 10x I usally get. I didn't have time to take it back so I dumped it in with 2lbs of Domino's.....the result...TOTAL SUCCESS! Everyone at the anniversary party commented on how great the icing was and how it wasn't too sweet like other's they've had. I had several people at this function that have ordered cakes from me in the past and one is a regular customer....she gets about 3-4 a year from me. She even asked what I did differently in my icing recipe because even though she liked the other she really loved this one. I wracked my brain for days and the only difference was the off brand sugar. I personally don't like icing so I usually leave the taste testing up to my helper or my DH but for this function I was going it totally solo and didn't even know there was a difference. I used the same mixture of sugars this weekend on a sheet cake for family and got the same feed back...everyone wanted to know what I did differently and requested that icing for all future cakes. So I guess sugar isn't just sugar afterall!! 
I agree! I always use Wallymarts brand of veg shortening and 10x sugar. I am not sure why but the combo isn't as sweet as when I use domino's - 
Great suggestion!
Thanks for sharing that tip. Personally, Domino's is my least favorite of all powdered sugars. There really is a difference in taste to me.
Great tip about the sugar. I will look for the recipe you mention in the recipe section. I also use the WallyWorld brand of shortening because it still has the trans-fats in it. After reading so many posts about the non-trans fat Crisco issues, I started reading labels. Too bad the WallyWorld brand doesn't come in those easy to use sticks. However, I have figured out an easy, clean way to measure by lining my measuring cup with plastic wrap...
I 've been using generic for years. For some reason it's not as sweet as Dominos. The only brand that I won't use is the store brand of the supermarket I work at, 
it's way too sweet.
I use the sugar from Sam's so I guess it is probably the same as Walmart. I am also using the Walmart shortening for now. At least until the government gets around to banning it completely.
Diane
there is a huge difference. OUr WalMart onlys sells C&H brand powdered sugar I buy it because that is all they have. Our other local grocery store only sells Imperial. I buy it at times too and think the imperial is MUCH MUCH sweeter. It is amazing the difference between the two!
i think i've always bought the store brand admittantly because it's cheaper and i've always had people tell me that they love my icing because it's not so sweet, I guess now I know why. it is funny how you learn things guess I'll know now not to switch. thanks
I will try that the next time I make icing. To cut the sweetness, I add a little salt to my icing. Maybe I won't have to with the WM brand. It's cheaper too!
(Was thinking the same thing, hellieOH.)
Wonder if the difference in sweetness results from whether the sugar is made using sugar beets or sugar cane.
Here's an interesting article: cane vs. beet sugar:
http://tinyurl.com/8ljgg
Taken from this site:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg010052029332.html
HTH
Domino is pure CANE sugar, off brands are most likely Beet sugar and have cornstarch added. Could that be the difference? I like Domino and buy it when it is on sale, otherwise I use the .99 cent powdered sugar.
you can find .99 sugar, lol, $1.29 on sale, store brand , most of the time it is $1.69. and the Dominos it $1.99. man i am getting ripped off. thank you for the advice, I have been getting Dominos because it is cheaper in the long to get it from BJ's , but i don't get there often.
I always buy the 2lb bags of powdered sugar from which ever store I'm in, sometimes it's Domino brand sometimes it's store brand. I've noticed the same difference that it's less sweet when using the store brand sugar lol... My customers seem to like it no matter what brand I use and sometimes the less sweet is better for those watching their weight - when it's less sweet... they think it's healthier 
but I do tell her after she eats it that it wasn't diet icing or anything lmao (and yes I know some people would say it's important to let them know before hand but she isn't on a health restricted diet or anything like that she just likes to complain about her weight so I tease her alot lol
Anyway I find the store brand is not only cheaper but the end result is alot better
I've used the store brand sugar, which I believe is beet sugar, for years. It's what I can afford and I've never personally had any problems with it at all. It's much cheaper and seems to work great. Recently I've been buying the big bags of sam's club ps and I like it. I always use generic shortening as well. Cheaper and works better since Crisco changed recipes.
Interesting sites on the cane vs. beet sugar. When I took the Wilton classes, our instructor told us to never use anything but cane sugar. The only one that I could find that said "cane sugar" was C & H Pure Cane Sugar. For a long time I wouldn't try anything else. Then I tried Sam's and have been using it or anything else that is cheap with good results.
diane
I've always wanted to try the store brand shortening but was afraid. I use the Sam's Club sugar because it is so cheap... $3.50-$3.70 for 7lbs of sugar. Can't beat that. Plus the bag is reseable. Can you share the SewSweet BC recipe? I couldn't find it.
The Great Value brand that you get at Walmart is actually made for them by Domino Sugar. I know this to be fact as some time ago there had been a post about hard pieces in the Great Value brand, I too had gotton some of this. After many phone calls to Walmart Headquarters, their Quality contol person called, after a long conversation she explained how this can happen and who supplies their sugar.. Dominos ... By the way, if you ever get any batches that have these so called hard pieces, you can get refunded, but you must supply them with the batch number and distribution center, so they can track down the problem. By the way, those hard pieces are a result of the machines not being cleaned properly, and the sugar gets built up with moisture and forms real hard pebbles. FYI
Thats why I take the time to sift each cup I use. I've been using Dominos from Walmart since, I'll have to try their brand again. Those pebbles are like rocks! I was smoothing icing on a wedding cake when I came across one. It was the size of pea gravel. Certainly don't want a customer to break a tooth. Pam from Bama
I had not thought about this at all. But maybe this was part of what was wrong with my frosting on my last cake. I also tryed a different meringue powder too. CK instead of wilton. My frosting was very rough
and it cracked awful. I had blamed it all on meringue powder.
I always used the generic brands and then i started purchasing the dominos and did not think twice. Thinking sugar is sugar. Thanks
I just purchased the costco brand of powdered sugar 1st time has any one else used this brand? How does it do?
Great thread. I've never heard of Dominos. Must be a regional thing or just the small grocery store I go to doesn't carry it. I too was told only use C&H in my Wilton class. You know I use the Buttercream Dream recipe and replace two cups of (out of the 8 cups of sugar it calls for) powerded sugar with flour and use one teaspoon of orange extract to replace one teaspoon of the vanilla and the result is tasty and less sweet.
Great thread. I've never heard of Dominos. Must be a regional thing or just the small grocery store I go to doesn't carry it. I too was told only use C&H in my Wilton class. You know I use the Buttercream Dream recipe and replace two cups of (out of the 8 cups of sugar it calls for) powerded sugar with flour and use one teaspoon of orange extract to replace one teaspoon of the vanilla and the result is tasty and less sweet.
I seem to recall reading that the powdered sugar is called Dominos on the east coast and C&H on the west, but it's from the same company?
I just went to Costco and bought 50lb of powdered sugar for $18 
It actually made really good icing - it did have cornstarch in it, which is ok because I always put cornstarch in my icing to keep it from melting and hold its shape better.
I did have to buy a large bin to keep it in and have dh get it out of the car for me But with 12 cakes to make last week, I used ALOT of powdered sugar.
It did make my day when the cashier asked me what I could possibly use 50lb of powdered sugar for! I guess with all the bulk stuff they sell, they've never really seen anyone buy that much sugar at one time!
Barb
Just bought a 25lb bag of dominoes 6x from a restaurant supply place. I was using the store brand but thought I might give this a try the price was good and I figure this is what the bakeries are using. First thing I noticed was how much sweeter it was than usual. Thought I did something wrong. But now I know. Wow keep learning something new everyday, thats why I love CC.
Thanks for sharing, I too used the off brand ps from Shop& save store, and used Aldi's shortening. I did my last wilton class cake taken some to co- workers and they all complimented me on my icing. Then even said it taste way better than the other cakes that I had made. I all did was use the off brand ps,shortening and I used the creme boquet flavoring.
Lillian
Domino is pure CANE sugar, off brands are most likely Beet sugar and have cornstarch added. Could that be the difference? I like Domino and buy it when it is on sale, otherwise I use the .99 cent powdered sugar.
Off brand can be beet but aren't always. I buy Walmart's Great Value brand and in the ingredients it says pure cane sugar.
When I started taking the Wilton classes, I used the cheap store brand...gotta practice! I just kept getting it. I also use cheaper store brand powdered sugar too! I usually buy 2 lbs bags from Save A Lot for $0.89!! I gotta go get more tomorrow actually!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%