AI made a cake today and covered with buttercream then fondant. There's some bulging... Sigh.. it looks pretty bad. I've made lots of cakes and had no issues with this. (I think it didn't turn out so well bc I'm not feeling well... Definitely not on my a-game). So here's my insane question. Do I dare try to take the fondant off? (I must really not be feeling great, lol... It just seems crazy!!) I would think that if I did try to take it off I should wait until I refrigerate it for a bit so the buttercream doesn't peel off as well??

No idea, I just don't want to redo the whole cake from scratch....

I would put it in the fridge to hold everything in place.  I really don't think there is any way to fix it without taking everything off and starting over again.  :(

AYa that's what I've done. I don't think there any way around it. *maybe* I can salvage the cake itself and just have to redo the buttercream and fondant? Just not a good week for a cake disaster... Like there's ever a good week for one, lol ;)

AI can't think of any reason that you would need to rebake... unless maybe the cake is very crumbly?

Yeah I mean I don't see why you would have to re-bake the cake.  Just gently separate the layers and re-fill if you need to, and then re-ice and fondant.  Cake disasters do suck.  I had one last night.  A 12" white chocolate layer split on me because I was doing something dumb, and I knew it was going to happen.  Now I have to re-bake.  Boo-hoo!

AThat's what I'm really hoping... I'm so tired already... The thought of starting over is defeating. :(

Well at least the cake will have a chance to settle more. Hopefully there will be no more bulging after all is said and done. And no more gray hairs ;)

Annie, that's not fun... Hope the next one behaves!

AFreeze it, flip it upside down and try to peel the sides down. Then fix the buttercream bulge, flip back over and try smoothing the fondant. It may or may not work for you. ... but what have you got to lose?

AI got the fondant off ok after refridgerating it. The bulge is still kinda there, need to figure out that, scraping it down with my bench scraper is helping but it's not 100% ... Oh cake disasters, please pass by my house... ;)

Did you weigh it down to get the air out before icing it.  (When you fill it)  I don't mine but I don't often get bulges since I started chilling my cakes.

I don't put weights on mine either.  I just use a stiff dam, pipe it 1/4 to 1/2 inch inside the cake, and fill as usual.  If you are able to, you may need to separate the layers and re-do the filling.  :(

AI usually chill mine too with no issues. I didn't chill it for as long yesterday, I just wanted to get a head start on it. One step forward two steps back lol. Not doing that again. I think it'll be ok now, I hope. I weighed them down & refrigerated them over night... I'll have to see how they are this morning.