Hi Cakers!

I have read that you can spay your Butter Cream iced cake with warm/hot water and go smooth with your paper towel to get completely smooth icing.

Do any of you do this?

I have seen cakes iced in butter cream that have a wet shine to them. Im thinking that maybe this is why. The icing is super smooth with no air.

Just curious.

Michael

I always dip my spatula in a glass of water and tap off too much excess then go over the cake. It will shine it up or smooth it out. Works best with royal icing tho I've found because buttercream is already a lot more moist than it. I've never tried a spray bottle although I suppose it would give the same effect.

I've never used a spray bottle, but, when I use a non-crusting bc, I keep a tall glass filled with hot water handy. Dip and smooth. The nice thing is, you can smooth the cake forever without ruining the icing. Although, you may need to put a little more icing on if you're too enthusiastic.

Spray and use the spatula, not a paper towel to smooth. I have done this several times with success. The water kind of lubricates the buttercream so the spatula doesn't get stuck. It just glides over the icing making it smooth. I have only used that technique on a crusting buttercream.

SMBC and IMBC can be shiny. I use various buttercreams and I definitely think the meringue buttercreams have more sheen to them. So this is likely what you are seeing in the galleries. The excess water you spray on the cake eventually evaporates.

Annie

I remember years ago I would dip my knife in hot water and smooth and smooth, inevitably I would get the cake too wet, and the frosting would look strange, like crepey, wrinkled. So I am really careful when I do that now. I dip the spatula in hot water and wipe the blade, so don't get the cake too wet. My method of choice now is using a crusting buttercream and paper towel method, works so much better for me.

I spray my buttercream with a fine mist of water and use a smoothing "scraper" to do the main smoothing. I then follow up with Viva towels to give a final smooth. If I get the icing a little too moist I'll let it sit for a little while and then use the Viva towel method. I love this method!

What is crusting buttercream? How do you make it compared to regular buttercream? Please share your knowledge!!

Mike, the way I do my smoothing is, I get a hot plate to put my large measuring cup filled with water. Turn on the hot plate so that the water is hot enough to melt the icing off the spatula. I then place my large offset spatula in the hot water for about 5 minutes then shake off excess water then smooth the icing. The heated spatula melts the icing glass smooth. Re-dip the spatula shaking off excess water. If you just get a hot glass of water it will cool off before you finish icing and then your cake is not as smooth. Hope this makes sense.

I have used the spray bottle forever. so much easier than the glass of hot water or water dip method. just spray and smooth. I also use the smooth side of the VIVA paper towels to get as close to a fondant look (espc. on edges) that you can get. (i don't use them togethet... use either ..water or towel)

the towels are easy to take with you when you deliver to remove that accidential finger in the icing. or what ever you need to smooth out.

I have tried other brands of paper towels but viva is the only one that does not
stick. it amazes people that see me do the smoothing. And yes so does the spray bottle. I have a small spray bottle that is in my rescue basket (what i take on cake deliveries are in a small picnic basket.) and then a larger spay bottle at home ....

What is nice also about the viva you can buy the select a size viva.. they are the perfect size for the sides of a cake.

I heat up a pot of boiling water and then transfer that to a small crockpot that sits on the counter. It keeps the water hot enough to dip the spatula into.

I take my stainless frying pan, add water and ut it on low heat. The spatula fits it very well and makes it hot. Wipe & smooth.