Whether you prefer chocolate, vanilla, or cream cheese, some of us can't have cake without frosting. The most popular type of frosting is buttercream, which comes in several different styles, but it's often made with confectioner's sugar, butter, vanilla, and whipping cream — and messing with this basic recipe can make your frosting grainy.

For some recipes, you can switch out different kinds of sugar or sweetener and get great results, but not for buttercream frosting. If you use granulated sugar instead of confectioners’ sugar, your buttercream will become gritty; the fine powdered sugar is specifically chosen to blend with the butter for a smooth and creamy result.

Confectioners’ sugar, however, is still not foolproof. Before making your frosting, make sure to sift your powdered sugar thoroughly, perhaps more than once, so the cornstarch present in the sugar will disperse evenly and won't cause lumps in your buttercream. Follow these guidelines, and you'll achieve sweet success.