Ok cake central peeps I know there's a lot of conversations on here about bulges and letting cake settle and all of that but I've been doing exactly everything that other people do i follow krazy kool cakes method of doing thing stiff dam crumb coat let sit overnight in the fridge the n coat again put fondant and everything will be fine until the next morning my cake has love handles. So I have a question I read about a lot of people using ganache before fondant. Does ganache make it more sturdy?? Can I keep doing my buttercream dam my regular feeling crumb coat then do a last coat of ganache? Does anyone do this? Will it affect the flavors??? 

Hello,

May I ask what are you using to do your buttercream?

Thanks

Hi 

If I'm using buttercream (always smbc) I just use that normally as a filling, let it sit for however long,  then coat in ganache (changing the flavour to suit the cake). 

I don't bother with a dam anymore as I still ended up with bulges, plus when I trimmed the cake the bloody dam would fall out. 

When I fill I don't go all the way to the edges, I leave about a 1cm gap. As the cake settles the filling is pushed into this area, and if it isn't the ganache coat fills this gap (sort of working like the dam, but from the outside in).

I use Edna de LA Cruz buttercream vs sweet treats

Lizzybug is the flavor good? Will putting a crumb coat on of buttercream make a difference? I want to have straight cakes but don't want to mess with the flavors 

Do you live in a very humid area? Or are you using a very moist filling like fresh fruit? The only time I had bulging issues was when a client wanted fresh strawberries and I was running out of time so I didn't let them dry on paper towels before adding them to my filling. That was a hot mess!!! I use either SMBC or ganache for my crumb coating and I've never had issues... I crumbcoat, let it rest in the fridge for an hour or so (until firm enough I can smooth it out it as much as possible) and then put the fondant on. I don't usually refrigerate my cakes once the fondant is in place. Maybe you are using too much filling?

I'm really not sure I follow krazy kool cakes method of doing cakes. But maybe I'm putting too much buttercream on idk I'm so confused I'm going to try doing my buttercream filling and coat the outside with ganache and see what happens 

Good luck!!

Thanks momof2froggies 

Hello Kamill,

I will suggest next time you do your buttercream try using only shortening and avoid the butter.

Hope this helps

The buttercream on the outside of the caje is an all shortening buttercream And it's not crisco so idk.

I'm going to fill with buttercream then ganache and see what happens I want to achieve sharp sharp edges I hope this works and taste yummy too

Hiya, I find if I want a neutral flavour I just use white choc and add some vanilla. I've used it with all sorts of flavours and not had a complaint yet! If it pairs well, I'll switch up the white for milk or dark, but white is my preference.

No one said the dam and coating had to be the same. Why not use a stiff buttercream (crisco) dam? Even use a double dam--- two swirls of buttercream, one right inside the other. Fill, crumb coat, settle, then ice and decorate to finish. 

Also, the cakes aren't too tall are they? I was cursing when I "skipped" the bubble tea straws in a cake I *thought* would be OK.... the weight of the top gave me horrible "love handles" TOO. 

Johnson6ofus Lol I hate those love handles. Lizzybug I was thinking about white I think it'll be the best option the client wants and almond flavor cake so I hope it'll work with the white ganache. 

Please remember that cakes WILL NOT settle in the refrigerator.  Think about it.  The fridge firms up the filling so it won't move.  During settling is when you want things to move if they're going to - not after the cake is delivered.  Settling happens at room temp.

Thanks leah

Leah is right. I used to have the same problem.  I fill my cakes, wrap them in plastic, put a tile or a light book on them and let them settle overnight on the counter, not fridge.  The next day I ice them either in buttercream or ganache and never had the bulging problem again.

Shelling thanks I will try this

I am using a ganache damn and it has stopped the bulging issue.

Ropalma with white ganache? do you still coat the outside with buttercream? How does the flavors work together?

Yes with white ganache I do vanilla buttercream  on the outside.  With vanilla cake I use white chocolate ganache and for chocolate cake I use chocolate ganache.  The damn just melts right into the buttercream and you do not notice the difference.

Oh ok I will haveto try this thanks so so b much