I don't know what the problem is and I'm seeking a solution. Whenever I make a colored icing it gets white dots in it after it has dried for a while. I use a recipe of shortening, salt, vanilla and powdered sugar for my icing. As far as I know I am mixing everything well enough. I hate giving these cakes to people when it does this and looks horrible. Does anyone know why this is happening? Thanks, Amy

This is one of those really UNanswerable ?s
Over the years many different answers have been offered but none (that I've heard of) have *really* been *THE* answer
1st theroy: UNdissolved salt. Cure: dissolve your salt in HOT water before adding it to the icing.
Nice try but many don't use salt and still have the problem.
2nd: Cheap shortening that has not been mixed properly. This probably comes close to the answer.
Do mix your icing for at least 5 minutes on low speed to help this.
3rd: Hard bits of sugar that didn't properly mix. Cure: sift sugar. Did that, didn't solve problem
4th: Hard water - minerals in the water keep proper mixing of ingredients impossible. You could try using bottled water if your local water is VERY hard.
5th: Poor quality colors used.
6th: any combination of the above 5 suggestions

Try this recipe and see if it helps:
2 of everything icing
2 Cups butter (at room temp)
2 Cups Crisco
2 pounds powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons flavoring
Mix together butter & shortening well - up to 5 minutes on med/low speed until well creamed. Add about 1/3 of the sugar; cream 5 minutes; add another 1/3 of the sugar and cream well; add final amount of sugar along w/flavoring and mix on low for 5 to 10 minutes.
NOTES; flavoring is very personal - it can be only vanilla or any combination such as vanilla, almond and butter OR whatever you, your familly &/or customers prefere.
This icing does NOT crust. If you prefere crusting b 'cream then reduce the butter by 1 cup OR the Crisco by 1 cup OR butter by 1/2 cup *and* crisco by 1/2 cup.
No need for any liquid.

I don't know if this makes a difference or not but I use meringue powder in my buttercream its a half butter half crisco recipe very similar to kakeladi. I use one tblsp of meringue powder per batch.

I've heard that old Wilton decorators solve this by using milk as their liquid in the icing instead of water. For some reason water separates the colors from the icing but milk blends in. I've tried it and it really does work.