I buy my sugar in 4 lb bags and sift it 1 to 2 times. It always comes out the same as when I used to buy 10X sifted powdered sugar. So my question is, why does it need to be sifted 10X as opposed to 2X, 3X or 4X?

10X refers to the fineness of the sugar, not the number of times it is sifted.

HTH!

It's not that the powdered/confectioner's/icing sugar has been sifted 10 times, but that it has been processed 10 times, which means it has a smaller, finer, more uniform grain. Sifting at home is great for removing/breaking down any lumps that may occur in the package, especially if you life in areas of high humidity, but it's not the same as the processing used at the sugar plant.

I guess I have a lot to learn! Does everyone buy 10X powdered sugar? I've only seen it at my local cake supply store and it's a tad bit expensive for a person who only bakes for family and friends (but seems to do a cake every other week or so).

Domino's confectioners sugar is 10X, as is C&H and most, if not all, store brands that aren't marked as any "X". What you find at many food service stores is marked, and the bulk types are often 6X.

Generally, if it's in a supermarket, it's 10x--whether it's marked as such, or not.

I buy 4lb. bags of Domino's at Costco or BJ's for about $1/lb. If I find it on sale at the grocery store for less, I grab it.

If you use less than 10x sugar in buttercream, the icing is often gritty on the tongue.

HTH
Rae

Per the Domino Sugar website, their powdered sugar is available in 4x and 10x. The 4x is only available in 1lb. boxes, the 10x is available in 1lb. boxes, 2lb. bags, and 10lb. bags. Every pkg of Domino powdered sugar I've ever purchased has been labeled with the X size.

http://www.dominosugar.com/Product.aspx?id=8

I have a 4 lb bag of C&H that's distributed by Domino Foods, Inc. It doesn't say 10X but from what I'm gathering, it is 10X. Correct?
Also, do you sift your powdered sugar for buttercream icing?

I ALWAYS sift my powdered sugar for buttercreams icing or whatever else I'm using it for, especially fondant. I sift all of my dry ingredients.

Yes - and sifting your 10X powdered sugar immediately before use is essential too. Even with 10X, there can still be the odd grain of sugar in there! You need to use a very fine brass sifter, not your usual flour sifter.

Bear in mind, I am speaking from the position of someone who uses RI for decoration of fondant cakes, and when you use a 000 or 0000 piping tip, you actually need to push your RI through a nylon pantyhose to get the tiniest bit of undissolved sugar out!

Evoir, what brand do you use? I always have trouble here, not sure if its because I haven't found a good brand or if I'm not used to being up against the humidity... (don't remember having problems when I was living in the UK) Thanks!

I get my pc at costco, it is less than $5 for 7lbs and it is 10x

our local sam's sells the 10 lbs. for 8.95... the DOmino brand.... I usually get that... but the other day my DH saw in a wholesale place a no brand name one of 50 lbs. for 25$... He bought for me and although it taste the same on buttercream, fondant, RI, etc.... it's super hard to sift... I always sift... PS... Flour.... Gran. Sugar... Cocoa Powder... I sift everything that can be sifted lol... I don't want to end up with anythings grainy (just in case...)

CC has the most amazing people!! Thank you so much for all your valuable information. The person at my cake supply store was obviously mistaken (or trying to scare me into buying their expensive ps). I'm going to check out Costo. Everything is expensive in California (even our 9.75% sales tax).

Another thing to remember is that if the bag doesn't say "pure cane sugar", then it's beet sugar.

I know some will disagree, but I find that beet sugar doesn't act the same way as cane. I absolutely will not buy beet sugar for my buttercream. I find that it results in a sticky icing that can have a grey cast to it.

C&H and Domino are most definitely cane sugar.

Rae