Hi!
I just tried making caramel frosting for the first time... but it's important I get it right bc its for my first wedding cake on Saturday.
It's Grainy...
I cooked brown sugar and heavy cream on a double boiler but didn't get above 160 on the candy therm. and decided to deal with it in the a.m.
After researching caramel I put the mix directly on the heat with butter to a rolling boil and around 200 degrees. Less grainy. The recipe did not call for cooking the sugar but I thought it would melt the sugar... of course I couldn't wait and added the shortening and powdered sugar... Large clumps of brown sugar - horrified I decided to be patient and threw it in the freezer... it worked after several mixes and trips into the freezer.
It's come together nicely, I added cinnamon with the powdered sugar, but its still grainy/crunchy despite its delicious creamy consistancy...
Please help! I think I should try again or is it supposed to be like that? Another recipe? 
Help!!! TIA!
I've made caramel frosting several times. I don't recall mine every being crunchy or grainy. The initial grainy texture may have been because you didn't cook it long enough. I recall it takes ALOT of patience. 
Not sure about the crunchiness besides it overcooked and turned into hard candy?
I too use the Cake Mix Dr's recipe. it should not be grainy at all---I'm thinking water getting into the sugar while cooking causes this! It will develop a crust (very slight) once it sets up
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