So I set out last night to make a birthday cake for my dh. Just a chocolate cake, cream filling, cooked chocolate frosting - a replication of one my mother had made that he loved. The frosting was called "Never Fail Chocolate Frosting". Seriously - are they trying to make me feel like a total failure when it "fails". I've actually tried this recipie several times and it never works - it's always sugary/grainy! It tastes ok, I guess, but the texture is all wrong.
Does anybody know why my frosting turns sugary?

Recipe?

Marketing? Someone thought it would sound cool.

But yeah, what is the recipe? And what brand ingredients did you use?

If it's grainy and it's a cooked frosting, I'm wondering if you're stirring when you shouldn't be or maybe you have too much water in your double boiler. It should actually heat with the steam of the water, not the actual water touching the pan. But, I too, would like to see the reicpe that is giving you trouble. Sometime something as simple as a little corn syrup added to a recipe can make all the difference.

sift the frosting, beat much, much longer, use warm liquids in the frosting...just a few suggestions....or take some of the frosting out, heat it, add back to the rest of the frosting and re-whip it. I would do whatever i can think of to keep from throwing it away.

Recipie is as follows and the brands I used
2 cups sugar (Domino)
1/2 cup milk (wal-mart store brand)
2 squares unsweetened choc or 1/4 to 1/3 C cocoa (Bakers Unsweetened Choc)
1 stick margarine (wal-mart store brand butter)
1/2 t. vanilla (Happy Home imitation vanilla extract)

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in medium boiler. Mix over med heat and bring to boil. Boil 1 - 2 min. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat until thick enough to spread on cake.

I cooked it in my calphalon non-stick boiler. Let it boil only 2 minutes.

Seriously, right? I mean, I think my Karma takes that as a dare..."so you think YOU can use a recipe titled "no fail" and that means I can't make it fail?? BBWWWWHHHAAAAHHHAAA! WATCH ME!" and then, sure enough...epic fail. SIGH.

Cat

Sounds to me like 1-2 minutes is not long enough for the sugar to dissolve. Next time try rubbing a little bit of the mixture between your fingers. When you no longer can feel the graininess, the sugar is melted.

Let us know if that helps.