I keep having a problem with the buttercream bubbling off of the sides of my cakes once it reaches room temp. and I can't figure out why.

I let my cakes cool completely. I crumb coat them and put them in the fridge to get hard. Then I ice the cake and get it all smooth and put it back in the fridge to get hard before I decorate.
Is it in the fridge too much? I make a few a week and can't make them all on the same day so I can't leave them out on the counter.

It is frustrating, once the cake gets to room temp, it is like a little bubble forms on the side somewhere, like the icing is pulling away from the cake. I try to push it back, but then it is damaged and cracked.

I tried thinning out the icing and that didn't work, it still happens.
My icing is 1/2 butter, 1/2 crisco and 10x sugar and vanilla.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!

Hi,

I know a lot of people refrigerate their cakes, but I think this may be your problem. You keep introducing the cake to different temperatures and moisture, and as it comes up to room temp. the condensation under the frosting is probably what's causing it to pull away from the cake and bubble.

Unless you are using a perishable cream or fruit filling/icing, try not refrigerating and see what happens.

Just a note......I never refrigerate my cakes and if I have a lot of orders I bake 3 days before delivery. As long as you wrap the layers well with plastic wrap and then once you ice them if you put them in a box they will still be very fresh. I don't use perishable fillings or icing, since it's illegal to do so in my state, so that's not an issue for me.

Good luck, I know it's frustrating.
Deb

I'm not an expert, but I really think you're relying too much on cold. Your cakes should be room temp when you ice them. And I don't put my cakes back in the fridge at all once the icing is on. There is no reason for it unless you are using something that needs to be in the fridge. Regular buttercream doesn't need that, nor does the cake.

Are you using a crusting buttercream or something else?

I agree that it may be too much in and out of the fridge.

Each time the cake comes to room temp, unless you're in an incredibly dry enviornment, some condensation forms. You can see how a droplet of water, here or there, could stop icing from adhering properly.

Also, the new 0-trans fat crisco has given many, many decorators fits with slipping and sliding off of cakes. You may want to consider switching to hi-ratio shortening. I use it and I never have a problem.

HTH
Rae

Thank you so much. I am definitely going to try that this week.

I know just about everybody says the put their cakes in the fridge...that's something I have never done. I have no problem with BC or fondant work. I think about how humidity condenses on everything that is cold or cool when we have damp weather. Wouldn't that also happen to frostings after they are taken out of the fridge??? Seems like that would make your cake coverings-whatever they are-get more moist.

I don't know why I did it, but I always kept mine in the fridge.
I never had the problem because for the longest time I was doing sheet cakes.
But this week I am trying the "no fridge" rule. I have them crumb coated in there now, but once I ice them, they will be in a box.

Thanks everyone!

When you say you have them "in there" now, you don't mean the fridge do you? I hope not, because you'll end up having the same issue with condensation.

After I crumb coat my cakes if I'm not icing them within a short period of time, I just cover the cake with plastic wrap (lightly) and place it in a cake box. Never in the fridge unless you have a perishable filling or icing.