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There may be two reasons for gritty icing. If your buttercream icing is gritty before icing your cake you probably haven’t creamed the sugar and butter well enough. The sugar and butter must be beaten until the mixture turns to a lighter, fluffier shade of yellow. Buttercream icing will also reach a gritty texture if the icing is left out and begins to dry. To prevent this, cover icing with a moist cloth while decorating.