The type of sugar used – Often this is the biggest culprit. All powdered sugar is not the same. The possibility of a grainy buttercream is higher in powdered sugar made from beet sugar. So, the next time you need to buy powdered sugar read the label and make sure you purchase powdered sugar made from cane sugar.

Leave the buttercream overnight, giving the sugar crystals time to melt, and then whip on a slow speed with a paddle beater rather than the whisk until it’s smooth and grit-free. If it’s thick and gritty, try adding some more liquid, a tiny drop at a time, and whisking it again.

When chocolate is melted, its ingredients—mainly cocoa powder, sugar, and cocoa butter—disperse evenly, creating a fluid mass. But if even a tiny amount of moisture is introduced, the liquid and the sugar will form a syrup to which the cocoa particles will cling, thereby creating grainy clumps.

Not using enough icing/confectioner’s/powdered sugar in your buttercream can also lead to sloppy or wet-looking buttercream. Sift a little more in and make sure to taste test. Remember that you should be able to taste equal amounts of butter and sugar in your buttercream.

A simple buttercream made with just icing sugar and butter should not have a grainy texture.

Too much whipping can leave air bubbles in your buttercream frosting. It’s a minor problem and won’t ruin the flavour or texture, but it may not look as pretty when it comes to decorating. Don’t leave your buttercream frosting whipping forever and ever if you don’t want air bubbles.

For the smoothness that makes frosting so appealing, granulated sugar needs to be dissolved. The rapidly moving molecules of hot liquids accelerate the rate at which sugar dissolves and lets you use less liquid that if it is cold. Use your electric mixer whenever possible to make the process easier.

Syrup Becomes Grainy This is one of the most common problems when you’re cooking up the sugar syrup for your icing. It will be simmering away merrily and then suddenly become grainy and filled with large crystals of sugar. To avoid this, most recipes add either corn syrup or an acidic ingredient to the sugar.

Grainy frosting: This could happen if there’s not enough moisture in the frosting, and sugar isn’t incorporated properly. FIX: Try adding 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream and whip it again.

For the best results chill your cake and bring the icing to room temperature. If you are making dark colored buttercream icing such as purple or red it is important to allow the icing to sit for at least 3 to 4 hours before using it because the colors often deepen over time.

Look at that delicate little curl! The frosting should form a somewhat soft peak that has a little curl on the end. It’s stiff enough to hold up that curl, but soft enough to create that little curl. That little curl is a great visual cue to know that your frosting is just the right consistency.

Brown sugar that is hard and lumpy won’t mix well with the butter. It’s best to use soft, fresh brown sugar. Fifth, not whipped the frosting long enough. The frosting needs to be whipped to get the right light and airy texture.

Buttercream frosting is fairly easy to make, but it is not foolproof. Sometimes everything just goes wrong and you are left with cottage cheese-like buttercream that you cannot possibly use on your perfectly baked goodies. Why is my buttercream grainy?

The main one is the temperature of the ingredients. Cold butter will not mix evenly with the sugar and it will create lumps. If you did not sift your powdered sugar it will also be difficult to dissolve evenly in the butter. Make sure your sugar is always lump-free before using it, as it tends to get humid and clump together. How to Fix It?

There are many reasons your buttercream did not work out. The main one is the temperature of the ingredients. Cold butter will not mix evenly with the sugar and it will create lumps. If you did not sift your powdered sugar it will also be difficult to dissolve evenly in the butter.