can anyone help me with some tips or pointers about how to pour ganache over a cake. I am looking to have the sides coated as well. any help would be AWESOME!! Thanks in advance

I usually use a bottle, I think it is easier to get the sides. You may have to wait a little after melting until you can actually pour it over your cake. If it is too thin it will run right off your cake. I usually end up doing 2 coats. It is much easier than you imagine!

what kind of a bottle? like a squeeze bottle? Will I be able to move it afterwards, like to the top of an already frosted cake?

Make sure your ganache is VERY runny. Like, dip a spoon in it and lift it up, making little drizzle marks in the top of the ganache. Those drizzle marks should disappear an a second. Ice your cake, making sure it's very smooth. Glass smooth, because any imperfections in the buttercream will show through the ganache. Your cake should be on a cardboard the same size as the cake, sitting on a wire rack over another tray. Then start to slowly pour the ganache, a little wider than a pencil sized stream is fine. I start in the middle of the cake, and slowly make a circle as I pour. Keep doing this, gradually working your way out. You won't need to go directly to the edge, you can stay towards the middle. Keep pouring, keeping an eye on the sides of your cake. Try not to stop and start a whole lot. I keep pouring towards the middle because it helps to keep a nice, smooth, uniform finish to your ganache. Let the ganache firm up on the wire rack, then transfer to the serving board.

If you're going for the drizzle down the sides, you can stop pouring as soon as the ganache reaches the edges of the cake. The rest will just drip down the sides. If you want to completely cover the cake, keep pouring.

And no, you don't want to play around with the ganache once it's on the cake. It doesn't crust over, it'll show any smudges or dents.

Yes, a squeeze bottle. I got a large one in the cake supply store I go to where they have candy making supplies. On the football cake I did it was super easy hit the spot where it didn't flow over the sides evenly.

This site has great information for pouring ganache, and pictures!!!

http://daisylanecakes.blogspot.com/search/label/ganache

Thanks!! I'll hopefully finish it up in the morning