OK...so I just went and picked up my new Kitchenaid Artisan (Black Onyx and brushed silver). She is so beautiful...although I haven't named her yet.
Anyways...of course I had to bake something as soon as I walked through the door. I made a peanut butter cake with banana cream filling and chocolate buttercream dream frosting. My frosting didn't come out so great, kinda grittier than usual, I thought since I had this new powerful machine that I could just dump in the whole bag of PS...is this not the case? Does anyone have any tips or tricks or helpful advice when it comes to using the mixer?
I have to say though, usually with my hand mixer I would have spent about 20 minuteswith the cake, then another 20 minutes with the filling and at least 45 minutes with the frosting, however i had everything done before the cake even got out of the oven and my hand doesn't even hurt at all!!!! 
Put your powdered sugar in a bit at a time. If you are using a liquid with it, put pwd sugar a bit of liquid, more sugar, more liquid, etc.
You can wait until the first sugar is incorporated, then add more.
Congratulations on your new arrival!
Hmarie, I did the same thing on Saturday. I brought home the new baby (empire red) and immediately set to work making a cake. To my horror, when I dumped the batter into the cake pan, I was shocked to find a bunch of unmixed ingredients in the bottom of the shiny stainless steel bowl! I think I need to adjust my beater lower (I hope that's all it is) and I'll try again later today. I also just dumped everything in at once...no patience!
Hmarie, I did the same thing on Saturday. I brought home the new baby (empire red) and immediately set to work making a cake. To my horror, when I dumped the batter into the cake pan, I was shocked to find a bunch of unmixed ingredients in the bottom of the shiny stainless steel bowl! I think I need to adjust my beater lower (I hope that's all it is) and I'll try again later today. I also just dumped everything in at once...no patience!
Is it possible to adjust it? I've had this problem forever but have learned to make sure I take my spatula and pull the bottom ingredients up so they get mixed. If there is a way to adjust the paddle I want to know!!!
I usually sift 2 cups at a time put them in then sift another two while its incorporating. Never used to sift but I bought a 50lb bag of Dominoes 6x and it was full of lumps and pebbles. And just between us shhhh... Bread was the first thing I made when I brought my new baby home. I have bad wrists haven't made bread in a long time but my new KA is the most wonderful, beautiful, helpful, creature to ever walk this planet, I'm gonna go look at her now and say good morning LOL!
when using cake mixes, I always dump my wet ingredients in my bowl, mix for just a minute to incorporate them, then add the dry. There is never anything dry in the bottom of the bowl.
For icing, I will put an entire bag of PS in at once-without a problem. Just make sure you let it mix long enough. If it is gritty, it probably just needed another minute or two.
Have fun! MAKE BREAD!!! That's when you REALLY test the durability of your new mixer!
I have the pro 600 and I have to be careful about scraping the bottom of the bowl to see if all of the ingredients are mixed. It doesn't happen everytime, and I can't figure out why it does. 
Sue, According to the manual, there is a screw that adjusts the height of the beater/paddle. I started to mess with it, but then realized that I had loaded the beater into the dishwasher, so I don't know if I have it at the correct height yet. It is located on the underside, directly where the base meets the part that moves up and down.
With ALL stand mixers you run into the problem of unmixed ingredients at the base of the mixing bowl. To avoid this (I don't have a KA I have a Cook's brand 700w beauty!) I usually place my wet ingredients in first then my dry no matter what I'm making. Also during icing making hubby scrapes the sides down repeatedly maybe a good 10 times thru out the whole process and adds maybe 1 to 1 1/2 cups of PS at a time and during mixing of everything else we scrape the entire bowl mixing it by hand a few turns and then turn the machine back on. Just to be on the safe side. And yes I know the point of a stand mixer is so you don't have to mix by hand but everything needs a little hand mixing before going right into the pan/bowl/container/etc. I have read on CC though, when you lower the beater you need to have the beater in place and once lowered run the machine for a second to see if it's going to scrape the bowl, if it does, raise it back up until the scraping stops. I think it's habit that's formed for me to just scrape and mix one last time by hand before pouring into the pan because even with a hand mixer or mixing entirely by hand sometimes you get a little dry left in the bottom if the bowl has a dip down.
oh congrats...this is exciting stuff. Yes you can toss it all in at once I have been doing it for years, but you do need to stop a few times along the way and really scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl. If you don't you will end up with unmixed stuff in the bottom. I have even been known to (and please if you do this be very very very careful) to unhook the bowl and lift it ever so much so the paddle can hit the bottom of the bowl. Agin be very careful if you choose to do this and do it at a very low speed, but may not want to do it all unitl you are more comfotable with your machine.
Juts make sure you have a nice big rubber spatula handy and scrape scrape scrape
congratulations on the newest addition to your family and no one knows how great it is for baking than me.. as a side note might I add that it make the damn best mashed potatoes on the planet!!!!
ohhh ditto to that!! My mashums are a family fav and I owe it ALL to my KA
Here are instructions on how to do the dime test for KA bowl adjustments (quoted from the Kitchenaid Forums):
It is possible that the beater to bowl clearance for your Stand Mixer may need to be adjusted. KitchenAid suggests that the beater to bowl clearance should be 1/16 for optimum mixing results.
To determine if the clearance is at the correct level, place a dime in the bottom of the mixer bowl, insert the FLAT beater, and turn the mixer to Stir speed. The beater should just graze the dime and move it approximately 3/4 each time it goes around the bowl. If the beater does not touch the dime, the clearance is too high. If the beater has great difficulty pushing the dime around the bottom of the bowl, the clearance is too low.
The clearance may be adjusted with the screw that is located under the head of the mixer. To lower the beater, turn the screw SLIGHTLY (1/4 turn) clockwise or right. To raise the beater, turn the screw SLIGHTLY (1/4 turn) counter clockwise or left.
Adjustment should be made only with the FLAT beater in place. If the clearance is correct for the flat beater, it will be correct for the dough hook and wire whip, as well.
The screw should only be turned about 1/4 turn at a time.
Don't forget to stop mixing occasionally and scrape the bottom of the bowl. A lot of ingredients will always get stuck at the bottom unless you stop and scrape. And I always put my PS in about 1/4 cup at a time and watch it mix in and then just keep adding and scaping! Congrats on your mixer! Mine is a shiny blue!
I have the 5 quart heavy duty bowl lift model. I remember reading that it could be adjusted but after we moved I have misplaced my manual that came with it. I don't see an adjuster screw under the head of the mixer. I wonder if anyone who has the bowl lift model could tell me if I can adjust it myself or if it needs to be taken in for service??
Thanks
I got my precious red beauty for Mother's day! My hubby is so great! It is the professional one. I LOVE it! I was so giddy for days, couldn't wipe the smill off my face for nothing! I, too, made bread the first time it was ever used! I'm dying to make divinity with it...I know she can handle it! Well, girls...I feel like we are a special club of KA owners! I clean her daily, even when not in use....we just moved and I have no oven hooked up yet. 
But as soon as I do, sure enough I'll be revving her up!!!
I have the 5 quart heavy duty bowl lift model. I remember reading that it could be adjusted but after we moved I have misplaced my manual that came with it. I don't see an adjuster screw under the head of the mixer. I wonder if anyone who has the bowl lift model could tell me if I can adjust it myself or if it needs to be taken in for service??
Thanks
On some models, the screw is in the "neck" part of the mixer. Here are more instructions from the KA forums for bowl lift models:
When making clearance adjustments to bowl lift models, it is important to make sure that your mixing bowl is secured into the bowl clip, located at the back of the neck of your mixer. When placing the bowl on the arms of your mixer, please press firmly on the rim of the bowl at the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock position until you hear the bowl snap into the clip. Until your bowl is secured, proper adjustment to your mixer cannot be made.
Thanks for the info, miriel!
There is a black dime size piece with a flat notch in it located above the speed control switch. There is a matching one directly across on the opposite side of the mixer. Perhaps this could be the adjustment "screw"? It's strange that I never thought about what that was--I've had my mixer for nearly 7 years!LOL It will turn--maybe I need to put the bowl in and try it out.
Sue, According to the manual, there is a screw that adjusts the height of the beater/paddle. I started to mess with it, but then realized that I had loaded the beater into the dishwasher, so I don't know if I have it at the correct height yet. It is located on the underside, directly where the base meets the part that moves up and down.
Thanks Greenhorn! Good to know! I got my KA close to 20 years ago when a store went out of business and it didn't come with a manual. I have a ProLine, 6 quart, etc. I will see if I can figure out which screw to mess with...wish me luck.
I have gone to the KitchenAid website and found information about adjusting the beater...here is the link then go to troubleshooting. Hope that helps!
http://www.kitchenaid.com/custserv/faq.jsp?sectionId=222#troubleshooting
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