Buttercream Chemistry Question--Turning Yellow?
Decorating By sweetchef Updated 30 Dec 2006 , 10:17pm by angelas2babies
I need one of you "food chemists" to help me with a problem:
I have always loved my recipe for buttercream icing because it comes out more bright white than most recipes. However, lately, it has been dull looking with an off white, almost grayish color. It still tastes the same; it just looks different. I've been using this recipe for years, and it always looked the same...until now. I had switched brands of shortening, so I switched back--but it still looks strange. I switched to 6X sugar instead of 10X...would that affect it? I'm just so frustrated!!
I basically heat a meringue, whip it, then fold it into a mixture of butter, shortening, powdered sugar. I refrigerate it, and pull out small batches as needed, mixing them for at least 20 minutes in a mixer on the lowest speed before use.
With my limited chemistry knowledge, I think it has something to do with fats separating...or something...but how do I fix it?
HELP!!!!
I've been working with icing for 30 years and I came across a problem like this not too long ago.
My question to you is- How old is your bowl and wire wisk? I had to get a new wisk because mine was old and small metal fragments were getting into the food discoloring it. I'm not saying that this is your problem, I'm letting you know what I had to do to get rid of my problem. The older the metal, the softer it can get.
Have you mixed in the same mixer for years?
No, I thought of that too...like I said, I've racked my brain for almost every possibility.
My bowl is pretty new. And the texture of the icing is different (which wouldn't indicate the bowl), not when you eat it...but the speadability. It seems to not be as compact and creamy...more air bubbles (like when mousse gets old and the gelatin breaks down and separates)...that's why I was thinking it has to do with fats separating...maybe something with the buttery base and meringue not blending together right?
What about the butter? The brand may be the same but maybe the quality has changed? Sometimes the organic butters are more "white" than others. Are all the ingredients the same temp when blended? Just some questions to think about if you haven't already.
Rebecca
It could be your butter. The color of butter is directly affected by season and what the milk cows are fed. Also, some butter mfrs add coloring. Maybe you can experiment with different brands of butter to see if they make a difference. Of course, if it's a seasonal thing, you won't see a difference til Spring!
Did you try switching back to a 10X sugar? That might be the culprit.
angie
Not yet, how would that affect it? I guess it is binding together the fats...right? What is the difference between 6X and 10X...just the fineness of the powder, right?
The difference in the 6X and 10X sugars is the grate size the sugar was sifted threw when manufactured. That shouldn't have any effects on the color of your icing. I'm betting ya its your butter....I heard that Land O'Lakes has is whitest butter you can buy..then too someone posted here that organic butters are whiter too....I would take that into consideration and use a different brand of butter in your next batch and see how it turns out then.
Happy Baking and Happy New Years,Mary 
No, that's what I use...Land-o-Lakes...same as before. It is whiter and it tastes way better too!
Well, I don't feel so stupid. Apparently, the answer is not that obvious. I'm stumped!
Would humidity affect it? I keep the cakes refrigerated after icing, but the butter has to soften at room temp for several hours when I make the buttercream recipe, and it is much more humid lately. Also, the icing has to sit in the humid room while I'm icing and decorating.
Or...If I softened the butter too much, would that separate it?
No, that's what I use...Land-o-Lakes...same as before. It is whiter and it tastes way better too!
Well, I don't feel so stupid. Apparently, the answer is not that obvious. I'm stumped!
Would humidity affect it? I keep the cakes refrigerated after icing, but the butter has to soften at room temp for several hours when I make the buttercream recipe, and it is much more humid lately. Also, the icing has to sit in the humid room while I'm icing and decorating.
Or...If I softened the butter too much, would that separate it?
Well dang it sweetchef, its hard to say....I'm sure if the butter sat out too long it would change and cause separation,but I've left mine out for hours before too and never noticed a difference in the icing consistency or color. I'm stumped as well on this one, but am really interested in what you find the culprit to be.
Wish I could be of more help to ya, but I'm sure with all the experience and talent on this web site someone will come along and help ya solve the problem.
Good Luck, and I'm gonna be watching this thread along the way too..you got me all curios now!
Here's a thought from WAYYY out in left field... Has the lighting in your kitchen changed?
Otherwise, I'm liking the residue from the beaters idea. I always have to use a toothpick to dig out all the oxidized matter that accumulates in the nooks and crannies of my mixer.
Thanks so much for everyone's comments! The lighting the's same too. I have a cake in my display case made with the old, whiter buttercream. When I think I'm crazy, I hold it up next to the new cakes...Yea, they REALLY are different...I'm not crazy!
I'm going to try a different mixing bowl and beater next week, and see what happens...Now that I think about it, the problem may have started when I started using my 60 qt bowl instead of my 30 qt...I'll solve the mystery somehow!
Thanks for all the help!
Thanks so much for everyone's comments! The lighting the's same too. I have a cake in my display case made with the old, whiter buttercream. When I think I'm crazy, I hold it up next to the new cakes...Yea, they REALLY are different...I'm not crazy!
I'm going to try a different mixing bowl and beater next week, and see what happens...Now that I think about it, the problem may have started when I started using my 60 qt bowl instead of my 30 qt...I'll solve the mystery somehow!
Thanks for all the help!
Keep us posted on what you find out OK?
I'm betting on the sugar . . . the finer sugar would change the chemistry. Are you putting in sugar by cups or by lbs? Either way, the granules of sugar are smaller/larger, and there is some additional starch in the 10x sugar that is not in the 6x sugar, and that could very much affect how it binds together, and how it interacts with the other ingredients. Go back to your 10x sugar and see how that changes things. Also, sometimes you need different amounts when you change the granulation . . . like with kosher salt v. regular salt.
Good luck!
I wondered if there was more starch in the 10X!...very interesting. I only switched to 6X because I could buy it in a hurry from local stores instead of having to plan ahead and order it from my supplier (I needed emergency late-night supplies during the holidays). But...man...I still have 50 lb of it!
Yea, even if the bowl or whisk is adding to the discoloration, it's not making it separate. Who would think the different sugar makes that big a difference?! But I make it in big batches, so I use about 12 lb of sugar per batch...the difference adds up I guess. That's probably it! My royal icing looks more yellow too, but it still dries very white...I think she may have solved it! Now I just need a use for all that extra sugar 
Sometimes chef and chemist feel like the same thing...pastry, you got to love it!
It had to be the sugar. It was the only element you changed in the icing. There is a big difference between 6X and 10X sugar.
Happy Baking.
angie
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