I am hoping for some ideas/advice about an issue I'm having. When I have a two layer cake (doesn't matter if it's filled or not) I end up with a visible ridge of frosting that almost seems like it's seeping where the two cakes come together. If I scrape it off and try to re-smooth it, it comes back. This happens when it's a crumb coat, and a final coat. I use a buttercream (shelf stable).

Things I've tried:

more crisco in the frosting
thicker frosting
thinner frosting
freezing the cake
waiting 24 hrs from when baked before frosting
refrigerating between crumb and top coating


Any ideas appreciated. Hoping I'm missing something obvious here! It's so frustrating to have a cake that's wonderful on the top and there's this bulge/ridge where the two layers come together. I have some weddings coming up in a few months and need to figure this out!

You need to make a buttercream or ganache dam. Basically separate some of your frosting and add a load of icing sugar to it until it's really thick - some people add enough so you can roll it into a long log shape. Pipe a line of it around the edge of your cake, around 1/8" in from the edge. Fill in with your regular consistency frosting or filling and place your other cake on top. Also it's important to let your cake settle for a good few hours or overnight before covering in fondant.

I too had the same problem; after much research, I finally found a suggestion that works for me. As soon as I remove the cake from the oven, I use a spatula ( large pancake turner) to press the cake down, which releases excess air that has collected in the gluten framework of the cake. I then let the cake sit the recommended time, usually 5 to 10 minutes, before turning it out onto a cooling rack. If this isn't done as soon as the cake comes from the oven the framework firms up and the excess air will not escape. When the cake is completely cool, I use the frosting dam, if filling the cake, and continue frosting as usual. I hope this solves your problem.

I used to have that problem, until I read on the forums to frost the cake and leave it over night to settle.

If you frost it and leave it overnight to settle and it has that ridge in the morning what do you do? Smooth it out again? I never thought of using a really super thick frosting for the dam. Thanks for the tips!

If you use a dam it shouldn't have a ridge. If you place the dam just inside the edge of your cake, when you place the other cake on top it will push down on the dam and push the dam to the edge of the cake. If you do still get a ridge, take a small spatula with a curved end and use it to remove a bit of the dam if it sticks out the next day after settling

read this article it helped me understand so much and I have not had a buldging issue since


http://www.cakeboss.com/PreventBulging.aspx

Many people will fill and crumbcoat their cakes, wrap in plastic wrap and then let them sit overnight with a tile square on it. Whenever I've done this I've never had an issue with bulging. I think Leah_s did this.

I rarely have an opportunity to do this method, so what I do after I fill the cake and put the top layer on, I'll press it down gently with my hands. That seems to help speed up the settling process and work out any air bubbles that might have gotten caught during assembly. I still might get a little bulging, especially if it's really warm out, but it's minimal.