Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I find I am struggling to get beautifully smooth buttercream. I use a electric mixer and mix for ages but it’s still slightly textured. It’s not grainy just not velvety smooth as I’ve tried from some cupcake shops. Any suggestions?

Hi sjd, I have has similar problems. Try sifting your icing sugar and you can add a little hot (not boiling) water to your mix to see if that helps. I always use double amount of icing sugar to butter, which is Pauls receipe.
hope you get on and get other ideas from other other members. jackie

Thanks Jackie, I’ll absolutely try that. I use the same ratio’s as you suggest above…but haven’t tried sifting or hot water. I’ve tried butter cream that Paul made and in Bibi’s CupCake shops and it’s amazing. I sense this is one of those long quests for me!!

Hi sjd

As a ganache person I seldom make butter cream but I do make French butter cream which is so smooth and tastes like ice cream. It’s a bit of a faff to make but the end result is just fantastic. There are lots of recipes online if you’d like to have a go making it. For normal butter cream, I like adding white chocolate and a (flavouring of choice) which gives it a smoother texture. Paul’s dark chocolate butter cream icing can be adapted by just adding melted white chocolate.

I use lupack 500g & 1k icing sugar. Butter at room temp. Beat for. Five mins on its own. Add icing sugar a third at a time the 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Works every time. If its a little stiff I add a little milk.

Thank you everyone, will try out all suggested. Can’t wait to see the results.

I used to use Icing Sugar for buttercream, and always had a grainy texture, I went to a seminar and was told to use Fondat icing, I made some Buttercream the other day, and found that it was smoother.

Had same problem with room temp Lurpack – but have no problem if it is way past room temp, the butter needs to be very soft and adding a tablespoon of evaporated milk or cream helps too.