"S Viemeister" > wrote in message
...
> On 9/4/2012 1:25 AM, Polly Esther wrote:
>> I am so embarrassed and ashamed. A friend asked me for my recipe for
>> chocolate cake frosting. She loves mine. Enjoyed it here many times.
>> There is nothing in my heart that would prompt me to hide special
>> touches or techniques to make her look like an 'also ran' cook. I
>> wanted her to enjoy success and compliments.
>> It's the ordinary 'in every cookbook' recipe where you bake a sheet
>> cake and pour a chocolate frosting on top while the cake is still hot
>> out of the oven.
>> Butter, powdered sugar, milk, cocoa, and bit of salt and a little
>> vanilla.
>> I've seriously considered every ingredient in the mix.
>> The concoction works with butter - or margarine.
>> It works with 'real' milk or 2% or whatever's in the refrigerator.
>> My box of powdered sugar ( one pound) says it contains 3 3/4 cups.
>> She used a sack (?) that's said to contain 4 cups.
>> Are any of you familiar with this cake frosting and have just
>> ANY clue as to why hers turned to soup? It didn't matter to her
>> brothers who were quite agreeable about using a drinking straw =) but
>> she (and I ) are disappointed and puzzled.
>> Is it possible that a store-brand powdered sugar caused the failure?
>> Would the post-hurricane strange weather be a factor? Any thoughts?
>> Polly
>>
> Most US confectioner's sugar contains cornstarch - is it possible that the
> powdered sugar she bought was _just_ powdered sugar?

That wouldn't matter. The cornstarch is only in there to keep it from
clumping in storage. I have made my own powdered sugar a few times. Either
way the recipe would work.