Butter Icing Issues

[Dolly.]

Just a question about making butter icing....

I had to make 3 batches the other day to get it right, the first two attempts kind of curdled/broken and looked rank! The butter was fresh and so was the icing bought on the day.

I followed a recipe I had from a cupcake book and in the first 2 batches I added a spalsh of milk but not in the 3rd batch, would this have been the culprit for the curdling?? Or could it have been the strawberry flavour or colouring as I'm sure towards the end of the 3rd batch it was looking less smooth too????

I used my kitchen aid to beat it if that comes into it?

Thanks in advance for any advice xx

 

[Reedy]

whats the recipe?? I use 80g butter & 250g icing sugar & a splash of milk but others dont use the milk x
I mix my butter up first before adding the flour x
Do you use paste or liquid food colouring?? as the liquid one makes it go more runny so you have to add more icing sugar x

 

[Laura2919]

I gave you the recipe on the cake making thread I use for my icing but here it is again.

8oz butter and 16oz icing sugar, I dont use milk. Its possible this is curlding but it can also be the colouring and flavouring, too much will change the consistancy.

I always use blocks of butter, you can get the cheap ones in Tesco, I find these by far the best to use for my icing.

Also you should be using sugarflair or americolor to colour your icing, they are gels and pastes not liquid and dont tend to change the consistancy.

 

[Dolly.]

Thanks for that girls, will be using sugarflair from now on then and no more milk

 

[Laura2919]

Let us know how you get on hun.

 

[~RedLily~]

I know this thread is quite old but Reedy I made your butter cream today and it was perfect, thank you

whats the recipe?? I use 80g butter & 250g icing sugar & a splash of milk but others dont use the milk x
I mix my butter up first before adding the flour x
Do you use paste or liquid food colouring?? as the liquid one makes it go more runny so you have to add more icing sugar x