to hate bastarding icing sugar

[ComtessedeFrouFrou]

I loathe the stuff. I have just made a lovely three-layer lemon cake with buttercream icing it was lovely since you ask

But the buggering sugar goes everywhere when you make the buttercream with the electric handwhisk and I hate having to wash up the food processor between the cake batter and the icing, only for it to get dirty again.

I may never use icing sugar again - at least until next time I the baby I'm having wants cake.

Why don't you use a bowl and a wooden spoon? I wouldn't have considered using a whisk for buttercream, it's so quick to mix by hand.

I don't use any kind of electric device either. I think I just use a fork to mix it.

But that takes so long and makes my arm hurt

Besides, it's also the feel of the stuff and the horrible paper packet

Yanbu .

What I find helpful is the beat the butter using the whisk until it goes really soft then beat in the icing sugar a bit at a time. This reduces obnoxious flying everywhere-ness of the stuff.

Excuse me for random missing words.

You need to simultaneously cover the bowl with a tea towel while you mix, to contain the cloud. Admittedly this is probably easier with a stand mixer but you should still be able to hold one in place using a hand mixer.

This is why I go outside onto the balcony to all my sifting and mixing of flours and icing sugar. Yes my neighbours probably think I am off my trolley but I don't care!

Lowers voice to a whisper... Betty Crocker.

Right:

Warm the bowl you're making the buttercream in (either put it in a low temperature oven for a few minutes until it's warm to touch, or swill out with boiling water and dry it off)
Cut the butter into little tiny pieces with a knife
Now SLOWLY spoon in the icing sugar and mix with a wooden spoon OR a warmed metal fork.
If the icing is at all lumpy add a very small quantity of water (or milk, or lemon juice, depending on what flavour cake).
No lumps, and far less icing sugar clouds.

I mix it in until it won't fly everywhere then get the whisk on it!

This is why I have a kenwood with a splash guard thingy.

Chuck it all in, start it off slowly. Once its incorporated abit turn It up to maximum and leave for 5 mins.

Amazing light fluffy buttercream.

You have to soften the butter first. The first time I baked since school I forgot this bit. The kitchen was covered with a thin film of sugar and I ended up with more white stuff up my nose than an Eighties stockbroker.

Let the butter get to room temperature and then beat it with a wooden spoon until it goes lighter in colour.

Bobyan wash your mouth out with soap that stuff tastes like chemicals!

Justfornow it was soft. Really, really soft. I think it's my crap Tesco electric hand mixer to be honest. It's got 7 speeds, from very fast to supersonic.

I like the tea towel trick, I will try that. I'd love a Kenwood, but DH would do this

My very lovely mum bought me mine. My buttercream is now the stuff of legends.

7 speeds . Mine has 2.

I've got an electric mixer just like that Comtesse except it is Russell fecking Hobbs! Settings from 1-7 and speed 1 is practically supersonic

try this

Standing in a cloud of sugar, breathing in the sweet yumminess.

I put the butter and icing in the food processor. Saves achy arms, and a kitchen and baker covered in icing sugar.

I know what you mean OP, icing sugar gets everywhere. If you have a stand mixer you can put a tea towel around it until the icing sugar is incorporated.

You need to try swiss meringue buttercream. No icing sugar and soooo much nicer.

That is genius, Greenandcabbage. Do you use the main bit or the liquidiser bit?

The kitchen was covered with a thin film of sugar and I ended up with more white stuff up my nose than an Eighties stockbroker

I properly laughed at that I'm a baker and I hate the bastarding stuff too!

I've recently discovered that I can't make buttercream icing taste nearly as good as Betty Crocker. This suits me fine because it means I get to fantasise about smearing it allover naked Matt Smith there is never any of that dusty sticky mess of which you speak!

I have a Kitchenaid. It comes with a plastic bowl cover which slots on & prevents any mess when using icing sugar.