Can you help me determine why I get so many air pockets in my buttercream? I used seriouscakes bc recipe (tastes great) and I just got the beater blade so I may have over beat it?
I am trying to attach a photo of the cake I made using the bc. (if it dosen't attach it is the topsy turvey in my photos).
I would appreciate any tips/hints you may have to get my BC smoother. Thanks!!


ETA: Couldn't get it to attach, guess I need help with that too!

If you use a spatula to beat out the air, this should eliminate the problem. I find that the Kitchen Aid's always incorporate too much air regardless of the attachment.

if you fill that bowl side to side and over the paddle you will get airless icing

see here:

Also mix on a lower speed. High speed will cause air. I use sugarshack's method and it works great.

Ditto on the Sugarshack method. Just fill that up till it's over the paddle. I've never had such smooth buttercream until I started doing that.

Have your DVD on buttercream. Do you know what measurements I would use for a 4.5 KA

Thanks, Sue

Sue Here is the link for sugarshack's buttercream in the 4.5

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-583376.html

Sugarshack - I had my bowl (4.5 qt KA) filled until there was only about 1/2 inch of space left - I had to put the spill cover on because it was practically overflowing! I've watched your video SEVERAL times, thank you for that video instruction BTW. My paddle was more than covered. Any other ideas?

ETA: I mixed it on stir and 2, then as sugarshack does went to 4 for about 5-6 minutes.

Thanks Sharon, I appreciate the help.

I doubled this recipe:

3 Sticks of Butter
2/3 cup Shortening
2T Vanilla
5T Heavy Cream
2# Powdered Sugar
2T Heavy Cream
2T Corn Syrup

it was VERY thick so I added about 4T more heavy cream and 2T more corn syrup
I was pushing it down so that the icing above the paddle would combine but it was not touching side to side, it was about 1/2 inch shy of it. Would it have touched if I thinned it out more or mixed it longer?

Thanks for any ideas you may have!

The BeaterBlade is the problem, it pulls the frosting off the sides of the bowl, effectively scraping your bowl but also beating air bubbles into it. While I love the Blade for the smoothness it gives me, the air bubbles can be frustrating. I have started to use it for getting all my ingredients together then I switch to my normal blade to get the bubbles out.

UGH! two blade to wash! LOL. I will definately give this a try. Thanks Seriouscakes - LOVE the frosting and I really enjoy watching you decorate. It's great of you to share your talents.

lol-well, I don't ALWAYS use both My kitchen is so cold though that even if I soften the butter it tends to harden right back up pretty quickly. The Beater Blade gets everything blended pretty quickly in spite of the cold

Sharon and Seriouscakes - Thank you so much for your thoughts, I appreciate your advice and will use it next time I am making my bc.

I also get air bubbles in my butter creme, I just got a kitchen aid and have never used it yet. I watched the sugarshack video bu had no sound, so Im still a little lost. Is it possible to find out what ingred. were used and do I have to use the paddle?

cathy - here is sugarshack's recipe:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-5163-2-Sugarshacks-icing-and-Tips.html

good luck!