How to Fix Grainy Buttercream – 3 Foolproof Ways

A cake isn’t fully finished without a topping of buttercream frosting. The time-tested frosting is the perfect topping, it is sweet, it has a creamy texture, it can hold different flavors, and it can be used to decorate as well!

Making buttercream frosting isn’t too hard either, but one of the common problems people have with making buttercream frosting at home is that it turns grainy.

How do you fix grainy buttercream?

As disheartening as it is to discover your buttercream is grainy, there are ways to fix it, so it does not have to go to waste. You can try to add in more milk, add in some chocolate, or simply let it rest before mixing it thoroughly again.

All of these are fairly simple fixes, and the one you choose will depend on what you want your buttercream to taste like, and the texture you want it to have!

For the perfect buttercream frosting, read on to find out why your buttercream might be grainy, and 3 foolproof ways to fix it!

Why Does Buttercream Turn Grainy?

Before we head on to the various ways you can fix grainy buttercream, it really is worth knowing why the buttercream turned grainy in the first place. Knowing what causes grainy buttercream can hopefully help you avoid grainy buttercream the next time you make some!

These are the most common reasons why buttercream turns grainy:

You Used Margarine Instead of Butter

Traditionally, buttercream should be made with butter. Margarine is a great alternative to butter, but it does have a different composition, and when using it to make buttercream, this can have an effect on how it turns out.

Using margarine will mean that your buttercream will not be as creamy and that the sugar might not mix into the fat properly, and this could lead to it being grainy.

Avoid using margarine to make the buttercream, as it definitely will not taste as buttery and creamy, and it will not have the same smooth, creamy texture either.

The Butter Was Cold

You need to make sure to use room-temperature butter when making buttercream, and this means that you might have to leave the butter out for a few hours before it is time to make the frosting.

The butter needs to be at room temperature to be at the right consistency so that it is able to blend in with the sugar perfectly. If the butter is too cold, it will be too hard, so it will not mix in with the sugar well, and it will remain grainy.

If you have forgotten to leave the butter out to reach room temperature, you can place it in the microwave for 10-second increments until it is warm enough to use. Just make sure you do not microwave it too long so that it becomes too soft.

You Didn’t Sift the Sugar

The key to a smooth buttercream is to sift the sugar properly when adding it to the butter. By sifting the sugar, you are removing the clumps which means that the sugar blends into the butter better. 

Without sifting the sugar, there is a good chance that the buttercream could turn grainy, as the sugar is too clumpy to be blended in smoothly.

3 Ways to Fix Grainy Buttercream

So, if you find yourself with grainy buttercream, do not worry! Your buttercream and the ingredients you used do not have to go to waste – there are 3 foolproof ways to fix grainy buttercream frosting, to get it creamy and smooth.

Here are the 3 best ways to fix grainy buttercream:

1. Add in More Milk

Most buttercream frosting recipes call for some milk, and the milk helps to soften the sugar and butter, making them easier to blend together smoothly.

So, if you find that your buttercream is grainy, and even seems slightly dry, then adding in some extra milk might be the perfect fix. Just keep in mind that you should only add in a small amount of milk at a time, as it can be difficult to fix buttercream that is too wet.

Start by adding in a tablespoon of milk to the buttercream, and beat together well. If the buttercream is still grainy, add in another tablespoon and beat again.

This should help to blend the ingredients together properly, even though it might take some vigorous beating, but it will work to give you smooth, creamy buttercream frosting.

2. Add in Chocolate

This is a great fix if you want to make chocolate buttercream, and you can use whichever chocolate you like, milk, dark, or even white chocolate.

Melted chocolate helps to warm the butter and sugar, which in turn helps to blend them together properly, removing any graininess.

Melt some chocolate down in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove, and allow it to cool slightly. Add in a tablespoon of the melted chocolate to the buttercream frosting, and beat together well.

Only add a tablespoon of melted chocolate at a time, so that you do not warm the butter too much, and so you do not change the texture of the frosting too much.

Once you have added in enough melted chocolate, and once you have beaten the chocolate into the buttercream properly, it will be smooth and creamy.

3. Leave It to Rest and Mix Again

In some cases, the best way to fix grainy buttercream is to leave the buttercream icing to rest. During the time it is left to rest, the sugar has a chance to dissolve into the butter, even if you leave it to rest in the fridge.

As the sugar dissolves into the butter, the grainy texture disappears, and the buttercream becomes softer. 

Once you have left the buttercream to rest, and left the sugar to dissolve into the butter more, you can beat it together once again, and this should result in a creamy, smooth buttercream frosting that is ready to use!

Is It Better to Use a Stand Mixer for Buttercream Frosting?

It is perfectly fine to beat buttercream frosting by hand, but it can become quite tiresome. If you have a stand mixer, it is definitely a good idea to use it from the start.

Not only does it take the effort out of beating the buttercream frosting, but it also beats the ingredients together evenly and smoothly, and you are more likely to have a creamy, smooth buttercream frosting, and less chance that the buttercream will be grainy.

When using a stand mixer to beat buttercream frosting, use a paddle attachment, and set the mixer to medium-high speed. This will give you silky smooth buttercream!

If you do not have a stand mixer, you could opt to use a hand mixer instead, which works just as well, but just requires a little bit more effort.

Can You Over Whip Buttercream?

One of the ways you can fix grainy buttercream icing is to beat it together more, but there is also a chance that you could end up over-whipping the buttercream.

How easy buttercream is to pipe or spread onto a cake depends on how much aeration it has, and how much air has been whipped into the buttercream frosting. The right amount of aeration will make the buttercream soft, light, and creamy.

Too much aeration, or air pockets, in the buttercream icing, will make it too light and will not give it much structure, so it will not sit well on a cake.

It is recommended to beat the butter on high speed for 5 minutes until it is pale, and then beat in the sugar a bit at a time, for around 2 minutes between each addition.  Beating the buttercream for longer than 10 minutes can cause it to be too airy, and it might be overwhipped.

How to Fix Grainy Buttercream

Grainy buttercream is a common problem, and it can be caused by a few different factors. You may have used margarine instead of butter, you may have forgotten to sift in the sugar, or you may have used cold butter.

Whatever the reason, there are some great ways that you can fix grainy buttercream, with very little effort needed. You can add more milk to the buttercream, add in some melted chocolate, or leave the buttercream to rest before beating it all together again.

Hopefully, the above guide will help you fix grainy buttercream, and also help you avoid making grainy buttercream again in the future!

Related Questions

Why Has My Buttercream Crystalized?

A common reason as to why buttercream frosting crystallizes is that the wrong type of sugar was used to make the buttercream frosting.

Can You Fix Curdled Buttercream?

To fix curdled buttercream, place the bowl of buttercream over a steaming water bath until the frosting melts around the edges. You can then beat this together again lightly to reincorporate the ingredients back together.

Why Does Buttercream Curdle?

Your buttercream might have curdled because you added in cold butter, or you added in flavoring too quickly.