I usually make my buttercream recipe that calls for the 2lbs. of sugar and 2 C. of Crisco. My question is regarding the amount of mess the recipe makes. Do you guys end up with sugar flying everywhere (in the air, up my nose, 
, etc.) before all is said and done? This is the part I hate the most about making my cakes.
I have a Kitchen-Aid. Not sure the size but it does accomodate the recipe (sort of). But the problem I have is that while I'm mixing it up (I usually alternate the water and sugar addition), the paddle sends it flying all around. Should I get a bigger mixer? Is there a bigger one out there? Am I adding too much at a time? I'm afraid if I add it too slowly I'm going to overmix it. 
I use the pouring shield that came with the mixer..It's that plastic" thing" it keeps everything inside the bowl...
JoAnn
In the beginning I used to make a HUGE mess, but I have gotten better about keeping it to a min. I add everything else but the water/milk and the powdered sugar...mix it up. I put in half of the sugar at a time and then only click my kitchen aide up one notch. Wait until it mixes in enough that I can actually tell by looking at it that it is mixing in some and then bump up the speed from there. If it goes for a while and doesn't look like it's mixing in at all I turn it off, lower my bowl and scrap the sides, then repeat. Once I have kicked up the speed and had the first half mix in all the way turn it off and repeat for the other half of the sugar. I have found that this reduces my mess a lot. HOpe it helps 
Miah
Aside from using the shield the mixer came in...(which i sometimes find its such a hassle to attach) I found that taking two damp large paper towels and placing them over the mixer really minimizes the mess. I actually don't get a mess so I've gotten in the habit of doing this. Esp. that I like to mix at very high speed for that nice whipped butter cream.
When I was using my KitchenAid, I had the same problem... I learned to cover the bowl with a clean towel which helped with the mess somewhat... I have a Delonghi now that has a plastic cover over the bowl and stops the confectioner's sugar from flying everywhere... if your KitchenAid has a cover available for it, invest in it .. I love that mine has this.. it really does help a lot!!
I use the plastic shield and it keeps the mess pretty contained. Be careful if you use this thing though, I have acidentally knocked it off the edge of the bowl and into the mixer while mixing! Then you end up with an even bigger mess!
This works for my 5 quart Kitchen Aid. I use the 1/2 butter/crisco recipe, but it's the same amount as the crisco recipe. I cream the butter/crisco first then add 4 cps sugar. I use the 1st notch on the KA until I'm able to speed it up safely. Then I speed it up until all the sugar is gone. I then scrape the sides and add the next 4 cups. Use the 1st notch again until you can safely speed it up, but it will be thick! Then I add the milk and use the 1st notch again until I can safely turn it up to 6 for 5 minutes.
This method has all but eliminated any mess while making the frosting. Good luck! 
Yep, clean, damp tea towel is what saved my life. I thought my husband was going to divorce me if he found anymore "....of that#$% white stuff" in the kitchen. Now I have the hang of it and whaalaa, no more mess and a happy husband! (just joking he wasn't that bad....well, sort of)
I like the tea towel (actually someone on here told me to get a tea cloth ~ Thank you!) Kitchen Towel too thick and not big enough. Tea towel is thinner and bigger.
I use to HATE! 
making icing...now it's a breeze. I dump everything in to my KA except for my powder sugar and mix on low until well blended and then I shut it off. IAdd 1/3 of my PS, cover w/damp tea towel, turn on low, mix until just combined, repeat two more times all on LOW with final time mixing well.
No more sugar storms for me! Now if only I can get the MMF under control!
bj
I cream the crisco, scrape down the sides, add water and vanilla, start on the "stir" setting, and gradually increase until all liquid is creamed into shortening, then return to "stir" pour in all two pounds of ps, and continue on stir until ps is absorbed into shortening mixture, then cream. No air bubbles, no mess.
I just deal with the mess and clean it up later. BUT I never thought of putting a towel over--going to have to do that. Thanks for the tips.
I add the shortening, water, and flavoring into my mixer and mix it a little. Then I add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup at a time of sugar to the mixer. Not much of a mess. My mess happens when I'm sifting the sugar! AAARRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!! It gets all static'y and it just goes everywhere! How do the big bakeries do it when they mix huge batches? It's like a blizzard in my kitchen! 
i don't know how big bakeries do it, but i know what im going to try. im going to just get one of my huge air tight containers and then spend about an hour sifting many bags of powdered sugar into it. then when im ready to make icing, it is pre-sifted and all i have to do is scoop it out to measure then dump into KA. it works great in my mind! i'll let you know though...sometimes im not as brilliant as i think
ok don't do that. it's not good.
so.....does anyone know how to get around the pain of sifting powdered sugar?
I read someplace that one way to do it is to put it in your food processor and whirl it - that'll break up any lumps that are in it.
Also, when I have to sift mine, I use a large mesh colander thingie with a handle, placed over a large bowl, and use a spoon to stir it and force it thru the holes. This wasn't my idea, I saw it on this site a while back, but it's much less messy than the way I did it before, and easier also than using an actual sifter.
Laura.
So I'm finally getting around to posting for the first time - do you have a food processor? Half of a two pound bag of powdered sugar at a time for 30 seconds or so. No more sifting!! 
I used to have the same problem, however I find that If I put the whole bag of 10x sugar in and then some of the water and then put the mixer on slow I don't have that problem. Obviously you need to keep an eye on the mixer as you'll want to turn the power up on it once you hear it starting to slow down. I have a regular sized KA, I also don't use the paddle, I just use the regular metal thingie (brain spasm) Hope this helps!!
Yes, sifting is a necessary evil. i thought i could presift all my sugar and keep it stored and just dish out as needed; but don't do that b/c the whole reason for sifting is to get out clumps that develop with humidity after sitting 
My biggest problem and the reason i hate sifting so much is the static. the sugar won't cooperat! it sticks to the sifter, to the sides of the huge bowl, to the air! and when i want to measure it out, it sticks so much to sides that i cant even get an accurate measurement! this makes me just want to dump the bag in the KA. i'll keep trying. thanks for the tips! 
-chisl
I don't sift either and I live in the south! I use to sift all the time. I almost stopped baking cakes........that's how much I hated sifting. (My mother use to make me do when I was little with the old squeezy kind and i would get cramps in my hands...phew bad memory)Now I only by the 10x and the highest quality that they sell here and I don't sift! Save so much time! I hope I don't jinx myself but I have not had any problem with #1 or #2 tips clogging. I use them ALL the time.
bj
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