AIt happened AGAIN. No matter what I seem to do, the BC frosting from between cake layers bulges out and makes my finished cake look bumpy. I've tried making a stiffer BC, letting the cakes settle, crumbcoating then final coating of BC or cover with fondant, it doesn't seem to matter. Ganache is sometimes cost prohibitive, or the person I'm making the cake for doesn't want fondant. Any advice would be great....

no budges are apparent in your layer cake photos..............

ASharon Zambito has a DVD about her technique on her website. Her cakes look flawless.

AHere's one I'm working on tonight. This 'ring around the cake' drives me crazy! [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3190212/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

A

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Sharon Zambito's trick to avoiding the bulge:

 

Mix enough buttercream frosting with extra powdered sugar to make it good and thick. Using a coupler or large plain tip, make a bank of frosting on the layer to act as a "dam" to keep the frosting or filling in. Put softer buttercream in middle and place top layer on cake. Guaranteed it will NOT bulge!!

 

Hope this helps you. I would encourage you to purchase Sharon's DVDs. Her techniques are easily replicated and she does her steps in very easy to follow sequences. My frosting techniques have improved 110% after following her instructions.

 

Thanks,

JudyZ

Colorado

ADo you weight it during settling? Do you let it settle at room temp?

AWhat kind of icing and filling do you use? And how thick is your fondant? Does that happen with plain buttercream cakes too?

A

I've tried letting cakes settle both overnight and for a few hours with a book or tile on top.

A

I use buttercream. I've tried both all butter BC, and a half Crisco, half butter frosting. Fondant is 1/8- 1/4". Yes it happens with BC frosted cakes too.

ASo it's not necessarily a fondant issue. I don't know then. All I can offer is try a meringue bc. I can say that I never ever have bulges or bumpy work with it. Ever. There's no weighing down the tiers, waiting for settling, none of that with meringues. I fill, and ice right away, and it waits in the fridge for me to put fondant on.