Why, oh why, do air bubbles happen when using a crusting buttercream?

I just want to understand what I did wrong



Thanks!

Do you mean air bubbles in the icing itself or air bubbles forming under the icing after it is on the cake?

Sorry for not being more clear on my post. Yes, I mean the air bubbles that form under the icing after it is on the cake.

I'm just trying to learn from my mistakes, but being a complete newbie, I find it hard to understand why this happens.

Thanks a lot for any help and/or advice

Is your cake cold or partially frozen when ice it?

No, it was not cold when I iced it. I crumb coated, refrigerated it, brought it back to room temp and then iced it. I also noticed you posted on my cake disaster picture on early Saturday (about the air bubble) and you suggested that it might be a weak support, but I used a cake board that is half an inch thick, so I don't think that was the problem either...

Thank you so much for posting! I really appreciate the comments.

Marcela

The cake needs to settle for several hours after it has been filled before icing it. Use a stiff damn between the layers, fill, crumb coat, then let settle.

After you stack and fill the cake, you can push down on it to help remove some of the air. Make sure you use a good icing dam, that your dam and filling are even and that you let the cake settle some before icing.

I have had bubbles form underneath my buttercream after it sits overnight and I have been told it is from the cake itself letting out air. I poke a small hole in the middle of the bubble and smooth it back out and all is ok then. I have noticed too that if I dont apply the icing firmly sometimes it will not adhere to the crumb coat and cause this too. Good luck and I am sure and expert will reply and tell you just how to fix it.