With the price of pure cane sugar steadily climbing, I wonder if anyone notices a difference in using any powdered sugar vs a pure can powdered sugar?? What are your thoughts/preferences???? $1.60/bag for pure cane is pretty steep, that is what my Wilton instructor swears by!
Yep there will be a difference. Powdered Sugar has corn starch added to it. Cane sugar where I live is less than $3.00 for a 5 pound bag that is if you are talking about granulated which I assume you are.
Rgds Sugarcreations
If you are thinking of using generic powdered sugar like shaws brand or walmart brand that doesn't specify "pure cane" then it is very possibly beet sugar. I have used it for buttercream and don't seem to have a problem but with royal icing or colorflow, you will not have anywhere near the definition in your petals. They kind of run together. I buy my domino's sugar in 4 pound bags from BJ's for only 2.50 as opposed to buying a 2 pound bag at the grocery store for 1.50. If you don't have a BJ's card it is worth getting one just for the cake supply prices alone. The cake mixes are 6 for 5 dollars, the cocoa is 4 dollars for a canister twice as big than the grocery store, flour, sugar, all much cheaper there. Good Luck.
If you are thinking of using generic powdered sugar like shaws brand or walmart brand that doesn't specify "pure cane" then it is very possibly beet sugar. I have used it for buttercream and don't seem to have a problem but with royal icing or colorflow, you will not have anywhere near the definition in your petals. They kind of run together. I buy my domino's sugar in 4 pound bags from BJ's for only 2.50 as opposed to buying a 2 pound bag at the grocery store for 1.50. If you don't have a BJ's card it is worth getting one just for the cake supply prices alone. The cake mixes are 6 for 5 dollars, the cocoa is 4 dollars for a canister twice as big than the grocery store, flour, sugar, all much cheaper there. Good Luck.
From my understanding there are two types powder sugar. It is either made with (pure) cane sugar or beet sugar. From what I have heard beet sugar doesn't work as well in baking, especially when making royal icing.
So look at the ingredients on your powder sugar bag. It should either read (pure) cane sugar and cornstratch or beet sugar and cornstratch.
If you have a Wal-mart nearby, check there. The one closest to me has 2 pound C&H for 1.49, but the one about 13 miles away is .99! I stocked up the last time I was there, but they seem to be keeping that price. For brown sugar too.
I've got the walmart brand before, and it makes the buttercream grainy. So does the 7 pound bag "bakers & chefs" brand at Sam's. I was disappointed. I'm only buying the C&H now.
The only difference I have noticed with "Pure Cane" and non Pure Cane is that the non pure cane doesn't come out pure white like the pure cane sugar. It may have been the bag I bought, or the bag was old, but if you color it, I don't see a problem with using the Non Pure Cane.
I've got the walmart brand before, and it makes the buttercream grainy.
This topic came up on the WMI board recently and we discovered that in some areas Walmart brand sugar is cane and in some places it is beet. So be sure to look on the back of the bag to see what it is in your area. 
Imperial was my favorite and I have always had good luck, unfortunetly I can't find it here any more, so now I am going back and forth between Walmart's brand and C&H.
I don't think the bag is always going to tell you, since they (I believe) aren't required to tell you whether it comes from beets or sugar cane.
I have looked recently after this topic came up on another board, and the two brands my Walmart carries both say in the ingredients 'cane sugar'. I haven't come across one that says beet, but I'm going to guess if it says cane then it is from cane sugar.
Since in the ingredients they are suppose to list everything that is in there I would say they would have to state weither it is from cane or beet, other wise how is the consumer suppose to know?
Every generic brand I've seen just says sugar and cornstarch. I'm assuming that that means they are using whichever is cheapest at the time since "sugar" could mean cane or beet. Wal MArt brand here doesn't specify which type of sugar it is. I get a 25lb bag of Domino pure cane powder sugar at Sam's Club for about $13. I dump it in a clean Home Depot plastic 5 gallon bucket that has an airtight lid to store it in. (the bucket has been washed, and never used for anything besides the sugar)
Great idea Jen1977 - I buy my flour like that (25 lb bags and then store in plastic tubs - though not from home depot) But I have been just buying masses boxes and bags of powdered sugar. Cost-Co here I come ! 
I must be the lone ranger here.....I use the cheapo Walmert stuff (always have) and all of my icings turn out just fine. (royal, buttercream or MMF) I pay no attention to what kind it is (cane or beet)
Now, using a different brand of extract - THAT folks noticed right off. I get comments all the time on how great my icing is.....I used the McCormick almond extract as a substitute for my regular and it was noticed right away....it was a lot stronger almond flavor.
Powdered sugar - I will keep doing what I have always done, the cheap stuff works great. Flowers, smoothing, and all. 
I have been checking the back of the bags, and only finding sugar and cornstarch listed, so will have to rely on if it is labeled pure cane or not. I found a brand called "G&W", doesn't say pure cane and just mixes up into a mess-not enough structure, even if less water is used. have found $1/bag at dollar general-doesn't specify what kind, but mixes up great!
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