I’m making crusting buttercream frosting for the wedding cake I’m making. Do I have to sift all that powdered sugar?? I’m also frosting 60 cupcakes with the same frosting. It’s a lot of sugar to sift!!! If I don’t have yo do that it sure would be a time saver. Please tell me I don’t have to sift. I’ve never made this much frosting at one time.If It’s really necessary I’ll do it. Thanks 

you only have to sift if you want smooth butterceam without lumps -- your choice -- cruel isn't it -- but you could find a big container -- a soup pot, food safe plastic containers whatever you got -- and sift in advance and seal it up good so it can't lump up from humidity -- i mean like one day in advance -- so you're not killing yourself all on the same day -- 

sorry 'bout that -- and that's one of the best reason to use meringue icings hahahaha -- i know it's not funny -- i HATE to sift powdered sugar too -- so i got a big open sifter deal -- i think it's 12" -- and i don't have a container big enough to sift it into hahahaha -- no rest for the weary --

i feel yah

Not sure where you are but we have 'icing sugar' and 'icing mixture' in Aus - icing mixture has a tiny bit of cornflour in it and it stops it getting lumpy, no need to sift that stuff but pure icing sugar, yep you will need to.

lol, that sucks K8, I also use a sifter that is kind of like a holey metal bowl and a spoon, so much easier that using a sifter with a turn handle but I only have a small one - maybe you could use a plastic bucket.

good idea, bubs

It depends on your sugar.  Most of the time sugar didn't have any lumps to speak of.    For yrs I made b'cream w/o ever sifting the sugar using this recipe:  https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/22469/2-icing

I once worked at a grocery store bakery and one of my jobs was sifting the powered sugar they kept in the walk in frig :(  I was given a big plastic bucket and a  screen w/a wood band round it.  I had to hand rub huge lumps thru that screen.  I would have blisters on my fingers long before I finished :( 

Do you have a food processor?  I feel like a few pulses in a food processor will get rid of any lumps and save you loads of time.

I was wondering the same thing, so I tried baking cake without sifting the flour and making frosting without sifting the sugar.  I couldn't tell any difference in the cake with the unsifted flour, but I still sift it anyway, but I really do like the texture of the buttercream, using sifted sugar.  There was not much difference, but it was there.  So, as much as I dislike it, I do always sift the sugar.  As others have said, I usually do the sifting before I get ready to bake.  It is like a treat when I do get started and it is already done.

Right now, I am trying another short cut experiment - baking apple pound cakes without peeling the apples.  I HATE peeling apples!  I washed the apples, preparing to peel them and was thinking how I always eat the peelings.  Then I thought, we eat apples without peeling them all the time, maybe it would work to leave on the peels.  So, when they come out of the oven, we will see.  I figure they couldn't be too awful.

Thanks so much. I guess from all the replies I’ve received I will be sifting 9/10 bags of powdered sugar. Not happy but will do it anyway as I want this to be as perfect as I can get it. Today I’m double dipping 100 cake pops. I did a trial run of double dipping then wrapping in cling wrap and the foil and put into zip lock bags. Froze them for a week or so defrosted them . No cracking decorations stayed on and they tasted great. This is a real time saver for me. Someone on here suggested doing this and I’m so glad I tryed it. Thanks everyone for your input I appreciate all your expertise and knowledge.

Follow up on the unpeeled apples in the pound cake - it worked perfectly.  You cannot even tell the peels were still on the apples.  There are three large Granny Smith apples in each cake, so lots of apple.  I will never peel apples for a cake again!  Yeah!

Wonderful news!!I hate peeling apples too. You never know unless you try. Nothing ventured nothing gained.I just finished dipping decorating and wrapping 100 cake pops. Ready for the freezer and I’m ready for a glass of wine. Happy your cake was a success.

Wooohooo!  I've just finished my wine!  Makes everything better!

Yes and Amen to that 

I NEVER sift my icing sugar. I store my icing sugar in a thick plastic bag, inside a airtight container. I usually make smbc or cooked flour icing, so don’t use a lot of icing sugar. If I’m making all butter buttercream, to be safe, I put all my icing sugar in my KA mixmaster, use the whisk attachment, run slowly for a few minutes, then remove icing sugar into another bowl. KA does all the work for me. And if I had a ton to do, I’d do as Freckles0829 suggested, using my food processor. 

Sandra I bought one of those apple peelers where you push the apple onto sharp tongs and turn the handle and it peels the apple for you. Probably had at least 20 years. Love it. Takes off about 99%. 

it's very humid here -- so i sift  unless i am making glaze --