Okay so I had a 50th Wedding Anniversary Cake that was delivered yesterday and it was 2 tiers together (10,14) with columns on top of 10 in tier and then a 6 in on the columns. I get to the site with no mishaps and bring the 2 tiers together into the venue, once I come back out to get the the 6 in tier I find a big bulge on the side that looked like an air bubble, it seams that during transport the icing separated from the cake just in that area forming this big bubble.
Can someone tell what causes this??? I was a nervous wreck trying to fix it, but did the best I could under the circumstances!!!!

Please help, Sorry so long need to vent and find out what happened!!!
Soula

did you let the cake settle after filling? that's the only thing i can think of. sorry that happened!

Settling is definitely a factor. I've only had air bubbles 2 or 3 times, and each time, I worked with a cake that was cold .... not thawed all the way when I iced it. Many CC'ers have iced frozen cakes with no problem, so it may be just something I'm doing wrong when working with cold cakes.... bad timing between crumb coat and icing or somthing.

thank you so much indydebi, I think your right i did ice cake when it was cold!!!

I gotta say, it seems that sometimes bubbles just happen. I've found them on well-settled cakes, on cakes iced frozen, semi-frozen and room temp. I've found them once a year and once a week. I've found them on fondant cakes and buttercreme cakes. Sometimes bubbles just happen.

However, I remember from culinary school that you are supposed to run your spatula at the edge of the board and cake after the finish coat of icing to let air escape. Unfortunately, I never remember to do that, so I don't know if it helps or not.

I was having this happen a bunch of times...
it's a cold cake thing.
I do cover my cakes cold, but take the cake out and let it set for 15-20 minutes before covering. that makes ALL the difference.
lately I forgot (it was late a night) and, voila, bubble, grrrrr.

I feel your pain, that s*cks when it happens!!!

Thanks Leahs, That is hard to remember, but I will try that!

This happened to the bottom tier of one of my wedding cakes too. I tend to think chilling cake after crumb coating and putting on the next layer before the buttercream completely returns to room temperature would have caused it. Perhaps this only happens in hot and humid climate. I find HHBC even starts to melt away after taking it out from the refrigerator. I don't chill my buttercream cake after crumb coating anymore.

I had a airbubble form ALL THE WAY AROUND one of my cakes once.. right above the filling area... my dam was thick.. my filling wasnt... I believe now that I think about it that the dam was the problem. Since there wasn't even 1/2 the filling that there was dam then there was room for air.

I have no problem icing a cake semi cold.. I haven't ever iced a cake frozen.

I think like leahs has said.. it just happens... and it happens to everybody... so if ya haven't had one... be on the look out.. cause ya will LOL unfortunately

I agree with leahs. Bubbles happen and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why.

However, the last time I had bubbles was when I tried a new way to ice tapered tiers. With the technique I was using, I could tell I was not pressing the icing firmly against the cake. The next morning, all three tiers looked like they had the plaque. I had to take them out back and shoot them.

So, you can add "not pressing the icing firmly against the cake" to the list of possible reasons for blowouts.

I agree with Leahs -- I think they just happen sometimes - even if you do everything right. I very rarely ice cold cakes -- never frozen cakes, but I do from time to time have an air bubble!

I never ice cold cakes or frozen cakes, but every now and then a bubble appears. For me I think it has more to do with if I forget to press down on the top layer after puutting it on top of the bottom layer. If I press on it and force any air pockets out before icing the cake, I don't have trouble. I also make sure to really force the icing into the crack between the layers so that there isn't any air trapped between the layers that can leak out.

If you simply poke a few pin holes in the cake (try to do it in a place where they won't show as bad, this will avoid the problem. Not sure what causes it, but I never frosted cold and still would get them. This solved the problem. I even pike a few holes in the fondant cakes then if air is moving in there and needs to escape, the pin hole does the trick!

Hate blowouts!!! That's what I call them

Jen

I've tried poking holes in both bc and fondant cakes and still got bubbles.

What has really made a difference for me is making sure I press each layer firmly, then weight the cake while it rests for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Then, press a good, firm crumb coat (or spackle coat under fondant) on the sides before icing. If chilling is necessary, either 30 minutes in the frig or 15 minutes in the freezer - no longer.

Or, the blowout demons have just decided to leave me alone so it doesn't matter what I do.

Thanks to all of you who have responded, now i don't feel so bad, and I just got word from the lady who ordered the cake that it was the best so far that she has tasted!!!!! YIIPPEE!!! I will take your responses and give them a shot on my next cake!!!

Umm, on the pin pricking thing, I use a hat pin type long skinny one. And you want to put at least one hole through the icing into the cake per layer or tort. Cakes can't hold it in, they smell sweet but are the silent dangerous ones!!!