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.

I'm no strongwoman, but if your arm gets sort making buttercream I think it might be time to work out a bit..

I use a splash guard similar to the one MyCat suggested. Highly recommended.

New I was slightly exaggerating

I also spotted that splashguard MyCat and Cake but it got a rubbish review on Amazon. There is this at Lakeland but, well, how much?!!!

I always do it by mixing it by hand. Makes my arm ache and my bingo wings wobble

Silverten In the main bit.

And it helps if the butter is really soft before you start. I microwave mine for 10 - 15 seconds.

Fantastic, thank you. I hate making icing.

wanders off to make cake

Oh god, tell me about it. I've been baking all weekend for a party and my kitchen now looks as though it's been snowing inside for a fortnight.

Ok, this recipe will change your life .

First buy a sugar thermometer. Yes, I know you're all pulling the face, but seriously, you need to try this, and to do so you need one.

Put two egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk slightly.

In a saucepan ( not non-stick) out 4 tablespoons of cold water and 85g cater sugar. Heat gently, stirring until all dissolved. Then boil until the sugar thermometer reaches 110C. Do not allow it to go brown.

Now the cunning part. Put the mixing bowl with the yolks onto a cold damp cloth. Hold the saucepan of boiling sugar carefully in one hand, and in the other beat the yolks with an electric hand whisk (or mixer type thingy). Gradually and slowly pour the sugar solution in from a height in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Keep whisking until it goes thick, moussy and completely cool. Then gradually add 150g soft butter, whisking all the time. Finally add flavouring (eg 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons cold strong coffee, or 75g dark melted chocolate, or some combination).

It is divine. Try it once and you will never go back to the hell that is making butter icing with icing sugar . Go on... you know you want to