Can someone please tell me how they get the top and edges of their cakes so crisp and straight (buttercream frosting)? Is there a trick or some sort of tool used? Maria Short of Creative pastries has many beautiful cakes in this gallery and the tops and edges of her cakes are perfect. I hope she is willing to share her technique.

Good question I also would like to know that as well.

I accomplish mine using a crusting buttercream, hot-knifing and then a cloth with a fondant smoother similar to the paper towel method.

When you have a really good crusting buttercream it is very easy. It can be done without it, I'm just talking what's easier for me.

You can do this without the hot knifing method, it's just 4x faster with it.

Anyway, after smoothing my cake using a hot knife, I lay my cloth over the cake. It should hang over the edges. I then use my fondant smoother and shape my edges.

I don't like many borders on cakes. I think it's too busy, especially on a smaller cake. So I had to learn or be unhappy with my cakes.

Here are a few examples:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/101912607/161000041JvIzAt

http://community.webshots.com/photo/110806453/129365114rKjTol

(I messed up the left side border after finishing the cake, but look at the rest of it)
http://community.webshots.com/photo/105829536/210450334vrVdAH


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When I do a cake I use the icing tip to ice my cakes then I smooth with a icing spatula... I too us a frosting that crusts. Then I take Kleenex Viva Paper Towel and MY Fondant Smoother and I place the paper towel down on the cake and then I smooth with the Fondant Smoother on to the paper towel. When done in that one area I peel up the towel and lay it down and do it again.. I have posted step by steps on my web site if that may help you .. Below is the link to where I have the photos..

http://www.cakecentral.com/article10-How-To-Create-Faux-Fondant.html

Thank you ladies for your responses. I will get a fondant smoother. Hello Dawn. Remember me? I used you frozen buttercream transfer a few times and I love how it works. I love all the turtorials you have shared. I wish others were willing to share as you ladies do. I just love to learn different techniques so I can wow my family and friends. I only bake cakes as I hobby, but I love when my cakes look somewhat professional.

Thanks so much for the kind words. I love to share. That's how I learned and how we all learn. I have more tutorials posted on Ladycakes that I don't have on my webshots page due to ease of posting. Webshots is great, but some things would just be too intensive to post there.... but very easy on Ladycakes.

I also love hearing that my tutorials were actually user-friendly. Makes it all worthwhile!

Keep up the hard work... pretty soon you'll posing as a great professional!!