Look At This Icing Bubble/pocket....long!
Decorating By gourmetcakes Updated 3 Aug 2007 , 2:10pm by gourmetcakes
Ok, I switched from the half Crisco/half butter recipe to the half Walmart Great Value all vegetable shortening/half butter recipe (1/2 C. Shortening, 1/2 C. butter, 1 t. clear vanilla, 4 cups PS and 2 T. whole milk) because I was having issues with my icing. Things have gone well with my last several all occasion cakes and my last 4 wedding cakes this past month. Well, this weekend, I did 2 different cakes and both had a huge icing bubble come up on the side of both (one cake is pictured below).
This is my process....I bake my cakes, cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, leave out on counter in plastic bag, ice the next day, then I refrigerate the iced/decorated cake. Well, I sat my cakes out to come to room temp so I could decorate them, after 4-5 hours of being out of the fridge, one of my cakes had this big air pocket on the side. Well, after I had fixed that one and decorated it (had now been about 7 hours out of the fridge for the pink cake pictured), the pink cake had an air pocket come up.
I used to have this problem when I would wrap my cakes, put them in the fridge and bring to room temp in the plastic (would make them very moist on the outside), but they are not too moist on the outside now, that is why I stopped doing it that way.
What is going on?!?!?!?! It was humid outside, but my house is always set at 69 degrees in the summer to keep it cool.
Anyone have any input or suggestions.
Thanks, in advance, for your help.
i have never seen that!! omg!! i hope someone can help!
My thoughts are the surface of the cake was too moist when you iced it, and moisture gathered between the cake surface and the icing. But you say you have always used the same method for previous cakes, so it's a puzzlement. I have just found if you thaw the frozen cakes still wrapped in plastic wrap it causes condensaton inside the wrap next to the cake surface and makes it too moist. I thaw mine unwrapped and only until barely thawed so they are still easy to pick up and stack.I use simple syrups brushed on my leveled cake layers so they are very moist cakes, but the outside surface is air dried. I have never had an air bubble like this but have been hearing about them for years from other decorators and there are many theories as to why people feel this happens. But I use Italian meringue buttercream and only seem to hear of bubbles with the powdered sugar/Cricso based icings.
My thoughts are the surface of the cake was too moist when you iced it, and moisture gathered between the cake surface and the icing.
Well, I too, thought the same thing. That is why I quit putting them in the fridge wrapped in plastic then bringing them to room temp in their plastic then icing them. They were always almost wet on the outside. Now they are dry on the outside (but moist on the inside), so I don't see how it is happening.
It sounds like it could it be the icing?!?!?!
I have also had this before, not quite as bad though and only after the cake had been sitting out for a few days (when I was taking the Wilton classes and I had to make my cakes early). I noticed it on mine more where I torted the cake though. I agree with ShirleyW ... I think there may have bee a little bit of moisture some where. Use the Melvira method to try and get rid of it. I have tried that as well but I had a hard time because my icing crusted and didn't want to restick to the cake. I didn't care so much because it was only for my Course 1...
I've had that happen before too, although that one is a doozey! I hadn't had any problems since I switched to using 1/2 Crisco and 1/2 Wal-mart GV brand until this weekend too. It was just a bubble along the very bottom of a double-layer sheet cake. I always thought the bubbles formed because I hadn't pressed the icing firmly enough to the cake itself when I was icing. Sometimes the bubbles have come up after transporting them on rough country roads and I attributed the bubbles to the jostling around-- I too am just confused and it makes me really nervous because you just can never tell when it might happen again!!!
That has happened to me as well, and it usually happens when I refrigerate my cake. It has even happened under fondant, that was a nightmare. I do not refrigerate anymore!!!
My problem is, I have had this happen even when I haven't put the iced cake back in the refrigerator. It is just such a mystery.
I am actually taking a little time off from cakes next month, just because of all of the icing issues lately....I am losing my confidence and need to experiment a little. I thought I had my problem solved with the new crisco issues, now I am having air pockets again.....just so frustrating!
I have never had this problem. After wraping my cake in plastic wrap, I then wrap in foil. Try this maybe it will make a difference.
If you're freezing cake always wrap in freezer paper. Experiment with different wraping techniques on small cakes to help remedy the problem. Cheer up, maybe its not as bad as you think.
Sorry.
That happens to me sometimes too - and like you, I've always attributed it to the cakes being too wet after they thawed (I freeze and then thaw while still wrapped in plastic), so now I still thaw the cakes while they're still wrapped, but then I let them dry before I ice them. Haven't had any trouble since I started dong that until this weekend when it happened again. I use all Crisco in my icing, so I don't know if the all shortening/shortening-butter mix makes a difference.
I'll definitely keep watching this thread to see if anybody else has thoughts on this!
I've never had this happen personally but I've read in other threads that it can be caused from air being trapped in the filling section, hence why they say to smooth the filling and get all air bubbles out... but I don't know. That MAY be the problem I would suggest poping the bubble and seeing what happens... is it just air? is it filling that's leaked out? is it water build up? .....
I as well have had this happen to me and the bubble I had was just as big as yours. I have only had it happen once and I do everything the same all the time so I have no idea why it happened. Thank goodness it was just a smash cake that was free. I was wondering too if it was the pressure that I was using when applying the icing. It was just a 6" and I can't seem to use as much pressure when I ice the cake because of how small it is....it wants to slide around on me. I tried to push it back down but it didn't work. Just don't give up!! 
I too have had this problem and really wondered what they deal is. I think our circumstances are a little different, so maybe putting them all together can help some really smart person figure it out (sounds like a job for Alton Brown 
)!
I never put my cakes, decorated or not, in the fridge or freezer. After cakes are cooled, I wrap in plastic wrap. Once they are decorated they just go in a regular cake box. When this has happened to me it has not been after several days, but more like several hours (and maybe overnight). I use an all Crisco recipe and it happened with both the old Crisco and the new.
I would love to know an answer to this question!! A couple of times this has been disastrous for me! Thank you so much for posting this question.
I have this happen to me twice. It is a pocket of air. My first time is where the layers come together, I did not put a enough frosting to seal the cake before I crumb coat and put the final coat of frosting. The second time it was on the bottom where the cake touches the board. again did not put enough frosting on the crumb coat and an air pocket was their. I just make sure I do a good crumb coat before my final layer of frosting.
I hope this helps.
I had this happen to me for the second time on my daughter's birthday cake two weeks ago. I did everything the same, baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, sit overnight, iced the next night, then refrigerated. I refrigerate because I use mostly butter and just a little crisco. I took the decorated cake out to come to room temp and after about 4 hours noticed a huge bulge. I was able to fix it pretty much with a Viva paper towel but was really annoyed. I think the followig things caused my issues, top tier was not doweled high enough and sank in to the bottom cake to cause the bulge, also my ganach didn't set up like it normally does and the bulge seemed to be where the filling was.
I do think it can also be because there might be too much air in the buttercream. I've noticed lately mine seems to be fluffier and more areas to work out.
The only other time it's happened was due to traveling in my car all day long and hitting bumps 
I have this happen to me twice. It is a pocket of air. I just make sure I do a good crumb coat before my final layer of frosting. I hope this helps.
I think you have hit the nail on the head, for me at least! I never do crumb coats on my cakes because I am really good at not getting crumbs into my icing. But, the last few wedding cakes I have done, I did crumb coats because they had fillings, and I also had some of them out on the counter most of the day, wanting them to be sealed with icing. But, the cakes I did this week, I did my regular way and not with a crumb coat. I got air pockets again (but not on all of the cakes). I am almost betting that it was because of those crumb coats recently that sealed in my cake before my final layer of icing was applied.
I guess I will try crumb coating all of my cakes from now on and seeing if that solves the problem! Thanks everyone and "justsweet". I guess if anyone else has suggestions, let's keep them coming!
I've crumb coated and still had the problem (although, this was before I realized my cakes were too wet on the outside, so that still could have caused it). This last time I did not crumb coat, and I got the bubble...I guess I'll try going back to the crumb coat and see what happens!
I've had this happen once, just as bad as yours -- top tier of a wedding cake! But, I thought it was a couple of issues:
1. We had gone over a lot of bumpy, hilly roads.
2. I had put in a huge layer of filling! I love filling and don't like it when wedding cake has that micro filling layer.
3. I don't think the cake had time to settle into itself, and I didn't have time to chill the cake after it was iced. There must have been air pockets in the cake. My cake, that was perfectly smooth when we left the house, had this bubble in it after 35 minutes in the car!
4. At that time, I wasn't wrapping my cakes when a little warm, but only after they had completely air dried. There was no way there was any moisture on it. I don't see how moisture could cause that anyway. I could see where it could cause the icing to crack, but not get a bubble -- oh -- unless it cracked a little, let some air in, and then it resealed while being moved and brought a bubble that way, but it seems unlikely.
I've never had that problem since. I use a thinner layer of filling now, and I push down on the cake all around to make sure it's all settled. I then give it at least 1/2 hour to settle before I ice it. I always crumb coat, but it's usually just a very thin layer. After I've crumb coated, I go around the dam area with some icing just to make sure that there are no pockets in the torted area.
Hope this doesn't happen to you again!
S.
I work part time at a cake shop and it happens there too, so don't feel bad. What it is (we believe) is when the bc doesn't adhere to the cake in some spots. You know how when you first put the bc on and kind of smoosh it to the cake then you sort of glide the remaining bc over the cake? It's in those areas where you glided that it's not fully stuck to the cake and that can cause those air pockets. It can happen on the tops and the sides both. Crumb coating helps but the real trick is just to make sure you make contact with the cake! Temperature differences don't help either - like going from the frig to a humid room, or a hot car,etc.
I work part time at a cake shop and it happens there too, so don't feel bad. What it is (we believe) is when the bc doesn't adhere to the cake in some spots. You know how when you first put the bc on and kind of smoosh it to the cake then you sort of glide the remaining bc over the cake? It's in those areas where you glided that it's not fully stuck to the cake and that can cause those air pockets. It can happen on the tops and the sides both. Crumb coating helps but the real trick is just to make sure you make contact with the cake! Temperature differences don't help either - like going from the frig to a humid room, or a hot car,etc.
This is also what DH thought -- that maybe it was an area that really never stuck to the cake and all of the air bubbles from the frosting/cake eventually gathered there over time.
What it is (we believe) is when the bc doesn't adhere to the cake in some spots. You know how when you first put the bc on and kind of smoosh it to the cake then you sort of glide the remaining bc over the cake? It's in those areas where you glided that it's not fully stuck to the cake and that can cause those air pockets. It can happen on the tops and the sides both.
I have to agree with that as well. I apply my icing on that exact way, and I have thought that I am probably getting air in there from globbing a lot on. I have gotten the air pockets on the tops and on the sides before.
I will make sure to crumb coat and be more careful with my icing application. Thanks!!!
i've never had this happen to me with BC....only MMF.....but i was going to suggest the crumb coat as well.....the filling is prob where the air is coming from.....a crumb coat will most likely solve the bubble issue
I always crumb coat and it happened to me this last time around. I really think that it was my filling and my really thick layer of icing.
However, I do think that the crumb coat could be the answer to your situation. Good luck!
Did you have bulge or an air pocket.
Air pocket happens when - example you can is not complete touching the cake board and you did not put frosting their before you final layer of frosting . The air is trapped and make an air pocket, you use a pin to pop the air pocket and try to fix cake. Same for the layers meet after you put the filling
Tips for a cake that bulge:
http://www.shavkin.com/quesans.html
The Bulging Cake
Question:
From: [email protected]
Dear Diane, Thanks so much for helping me with my last cake problem. Now I have another. Sometimes, but not all the time, when I put my cake layers together and ice them, then smooth the icing out, you can see the middle of the cake. Sometimes it looks like it is bulging in that area. I know this happens when you are not using enough support on your bottom plate, but this even happens to me when I use heavy boards or acrylic plates. My cake layers are partially frozen when I put them together. Could this be the problem? This has got me stumped because it does not always happen. No cake is showing through so I know I use enough icing to cover the cake. If any one has suggestions, I'd appreciate it . Thanks alot, Darla
Answers:
From: Earlene3139 (Earlene Moore of Texas)
We also had the dickens of a time dealing with this buldge problem. Here is what we finally figured out.
#1 cakes that are iced and very fresh tend to break easier on you. Ours always sit overnight with no icing before we level, fill and crumb coat.
#2. Icing used for the filling needs to be slightly heavy - not thinner. It must bear the weight of the layer above the filling and if it is to soft it has no where to go but out creating the buldge.
#3. We fill between the layers with thickend buttercream and crumb coat the cake and let it sit again overning. It needs that time to do any settling that might happen. The next morning if there is any buldge between the layers that is trimmed as flat as possible using an angled spatula.
#4. Then the cake is iced and finished for delivery.
#5. Support between the cakes is super important. Since I have been using the Stress Free Support system for the last two years I don't have the buldge as a major problem now. That system has legs that are adjustable and allows us to put the support ring just slightly imbedded in the icing on the top of each tier. It doesn't allow any weight from the upper tier to rest on the lower cakes. Total support and so easy to use. You can find info about using those Stress Free Supports on my web site at www.earlenescakes.com But, all orders must go directly to Arlene Haas and her address is on the order form listed on the web site. This info is on my site for your convienience - I just think this is the best support system available right now for stacked cakes.
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From: Missjcakes (Janette Pfertner of Texas)
Here's what I do, hope it helps.
ICING- 1 1/2 cups crisco, 2 lbs powdered sugar(10 x), 1 tsp salt. 1 1/2 tsp clear vanilla flavor, 1 1/2 tsp clear butter flavor, <1/2 cup water, 1 tsp meringue powder. Put flavors in measuring cup add water to 1/2 cup, stir in salt add crisco meringue powder and half of the sugar, mix well and add rest of sugar. IMPORTANT- this must set up overnight.
I have found the best thing for me is to cut all of my layers in half-or torte. Then I fill the cake with a thin amount of filling. Although it is thin I use more filling in the cake this way and the cake is more evenly moist.(No more bulges). I usually bake on Wednesday, Cut and Fill on Thursday(wrap with plastic wrap) Crumb Coat and Decorate on Friday and Saturday.
Hope this helps,
Sweetly,
Miss Janette
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Hi Darla: I find that when I don't put lots of icing between the layers and let the cakes sit and thaw inside a plastic bag for at least 1 full day and night (sometimes 2 days); that they have more time to settle, and I usually do not get the bulge. I do not believe you are talking about an air bubble that pops up after the icing has set up. If so, I have a remedy for that. After I ice each cake, I use a corsage pin and prick a hole about every couple of inches around the top and bottom of the cake. This lets any trapped air escape and prevents the bulge/air bubble. Carolyn Lawrence MO
From: [email protected] (Sugarcraft): I certainly do know the answer to this one 
- easy!
Procedure to follow: Bake layers, cool, fill or put icing between...PLENTY of it too. This is the procedure to use. Then let the cakes set several hours or overnight before icing them. Oh yes - always bottoms UP on those layers will help with this problem too. The main reason you are having trouble is with putting them together while frozen. You should bake, cool, fill between layers and put them together THEN freeze so this won't happen. Cakes developed bulges when they have been iced BEFORE they have a chance to settle. Gravity says they ARE going to settle down some....even when you DO have the layers perfectly level. If there is a bulge, the cake won't stand up in mid air. It is going to settle down some. So give time for this to happen before you ice the cakes. Even push tiny cake scraps in between if there are large gaps. I don't usually have gaps because I bake at 325 deg. and so my cakes don't puff up so much in the center. Then to get rid of the hump, I lay a towel on top just as soon as I remove it from the oven and gently press the layers flat. Oh - the towel thing won't work if you over bake the cake...it will just spring back up, besides it is going to be dry and tasteless...so DON'T over bake. Test the cake by pressing your finger gently in the center. If it <barely> springs back up - its done...Take it out.
At times you may still have a slight hump on the outer edge that can cause a bulge. Then I shave that part off with a serated-edged knife. Dolores at http://www.sugarcraft.com
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From: [email protected] (Earlene Moore): I also had that problem and had a dickens of a time figuring it out. I think we finally solved it. The icing you use between the layers must be thicker or heavier. Since we started adding more pwd sugar to the icing we use between the layers so it is firmer we haven't had near the problems with that. I too thought it was the support thing. Nope that didn't solve it. Now we level and fill those tiers with heavier icing. Crumb coat the outside of the cakes and then let them sit overnight. The next day after they have had the night to do all the settling they are going to do if there is a little bulge in the middle I trim it off with an angled spatula. You want that bulge gone before you apply the final coat of icing. This seems to have solved our problem. I hope it helps you solve yours.
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From: Minna111: The cakes being frozen is the answer. When a cake thaws, it swells and creates a "pot hole" just like when the road thaws after winter freezing. I hardly ever froze cakes, but when I did, I always froze them just as they came out of the pan. I did all my top trimming after they thawed, if necessary. However, if you bake your cakes at 325 instead of 350 you'll have a much flatter cake top.
From: [email protected] (Michele D Foster): Sometimes when that happens to me it is because the frosting is too soft. I have noticed that when I use heavy cream as my liquid that is has the consistency of stiff, but pipes like medium. I really like the cream. The taste is great also. It is a little more expensive, but I think it is
worth it. Another problem might be too much frosting in between the layers.
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From: [email protected] (Linda Dobson): First, check your pans. Are the sides straight? Some pan sides
are not straight up and down. The top edges are further apart than the base ( \\__/ ) instead of |__|. Or if your cake layer has a extended edge caused by the cake raised above the pan top and when it was leveled while still in
the pan a ridge stayed on the edge of the layer, this will stick out and cause a shadow. Or while troweling (filling/icing between layers), you may have stretched a layer causing it to extend beyond the layer below it.
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From: [email protected] (Kathy Scott): When you put your cakes together, and they are partially frozen; they are still partially rigid. As they thaw out, they change shape and can make the filling bulge. Also, your layers may not be completely even. Three things I can suggest are:
(1) Make sure your layers are even and thawed. I bought a cake leveler at the show last year, and it is the best piece of equipment that I have ever bought. The time it saves me, is unbelievable. (The advertisement is in the ICES newsletter).
(2) Pipe a dam of icing around the edge. This will assure you the edges are completely even.
(3) Cut a circle, square or whatever the shape of your cake is, in your
cake about 1/2 inch from the edge. Use an Off-set, decorating, metal spatula to dig out the inside about 1/4 inch deep. Then, fill this with the filling. (This only works if your filling has enough weight to hold up the center of the top layer.)
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From: [email protected] (Sheila's Cakery): I also use a corsage pin to make just one air vent in the top edge of cake. I find the bubbles occur more often during the summer months (here in the mid-atlantic area)
when the humidity is high. To eliminate the bulge where the two layers are filled, always ice the top of the cake first and the sides last. The pressure of the spatula on the top of the cake will push the icing and cause the bulge.
This is the way I do my cakes: Bake your cake until it pulls away from the sides slightly and until it springs back with a touch in the middle, remove from oven, place paper towel on the top and press on the top firmly for a couple of seconds. (circle can be used too). I let the cake cool in the pan, and then warm over the heat of a burner, use flipping motion to loosen the cake. cake can be turned out and placed right side up on a paper towel covered news papers or I sometimes use circles. Let set over night to settle. When frosting. I level tops. Very little has to be trimmed off. Place tops together because the tops slant in on the sides. So, it's bottom to the bottom and bottom to the top. With tops together. frost, moving frosting to the outside of the circle. Then, a thin layer of icing for a crumb coat. (Not thinned down icing). I have not had a problem with bulges for many years. I do not freeze my cakes. However, if I did I would get it get up to room temperature before opening the package. (Well sealed foil) I have frozen cakes with a crumb coat on it and found that the whole crumb coat slides off when I go to frost it. Remember to use less liquid in the icing when it is hot and humid in the summer. People think it is so hot the icing is melting. Instead there is too much moisture in it and the icing slides off. Sometimes there is a ragged, hard edge to the top of the layer, cut this off with a pair of clean scissors. Also when I set the cake settle over night I cover with a lunch cloth. Or sheet if there is a lot of cake. Rose Hale MI
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From: CBHDESIGN: Sometime this happens when I put too much icing in-between the layers; and if so and I don't have time to change it, I make a beautiful design around the sides of the cake to cover it up. Caroline Haney OH.
Maybe this can answer some questions
An air pocket/"blow out" is not a bulge.
If you look at the picture in the original post of this thread you certainly see the difference
I have had little problems with blowouts but yes have had a few - both with buttercream and fondant.
Some gals has suggested that once you have base iced your cake (before decorating it) you take a hat pin and poke holes both at the top edge and along the bottom of the cake.....about 1"-2" apart. These should not show as they will be covered w/borders.
Should one develope again use a pin to make a hold on the underside/bottom of the bubble and gently press out all the air. The pressing should cover the hole &/or you can put some decoration on to cover it. Remember you are using a pin so the hole should be very small and unnoticable.
I had this happen on the top tier of my big cake this past weekend, and I popped it to let the air out, then re-rolled it with the roller (Melvira method)........you could not even tell. I believe it was a spot where like someone else said, the icing did not adhere to the cake properly.......and yes, the "bulge" is different from these air pockets............
The crumb coat worked!!!! Well, I just posted my Yoda cake that I had huge success on. I baked, iced (crumb coated first) and decorated it Wednesday night - then put in fridge. Took it out of the fridge last night (Thursday), allowing it to be at room temp overnight. Checked it this morning.....no air pockets. I truly think that was the issue. I will definitely crumb coat from now on. Though, I didn't wait for the crumb coat to crust, I just made sure that the entire cake had a nice thin layer covering every inch of it....making especially sure that the bottom edge closest to the board was covered as well. Thanks for the tips everyone!!!
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