Hi --

HELP -- I would really love some input on what I'm doing wrong with my icing and fondant. I have done 3 cakes covered in fondant -- the first one turned out fine (considering it was my first). However, the next 2 had similar issues -- the fondant and cake started to bulge.

I made a baby block cake this weekend. It's two layers torted (so a total of 4 one inch layers). The cake is small about a 5 inch square cube. I used a chocolate hazelnut buttercream as filling and then a regular white buttercream for the outside crumb coat. Here's what I did --
1. Baked the cakes, cooled completely and then froze for about 2 days. I made sure to wrap them in saran wrap really well and then also put them in a freezer bag.
2. Defrosted cakes in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
3. Filled the cakes and then did the crumb coat. Put back in fridge for about 4-5 hours.
4. Covered the cake in fondant and put on fondant decorations. Loosely wrapped in saran wrap and put in the fridge.
Next day take cake out of fridge and leave it on the counter. After about 2 hours the cake starts to get a little uneven. Part of the fondant and cake seems to be bulging a little. Some of the chocolate filling is starting to seep out of the bottom of the cake -- just a little. I put cake back in fridge -- this seems to help. Instead of a nice perfect square cube -- its a little lopsided and uneven. There also seems to be a little moisture on the cake.

So what am I doing wrong?
I'm really new at this and am just learning as I go so any feedback would be appreciated.
Thank you!!!

The weight of the fondant and cake can force the filling out from between the layers. You need a very stiff filling, or a thin application.

Was it a bulge with cake and icing underneath or was it an airbubble?

Can you post a picture? I'm sorry this is happening to you... the only thing I can think of is maybe your cakes created condensation under the fondant, with the icing and the cake itself and that is what is causing the bulge... the condensation has to come out some how. Once your cakes are defrosted, let them get room temp and then do the filling and crumb coat or just the coat of BC, then let the BC crust and cover with fondant, decorate and DON'T put them back in the refrigerator, I never refrigerate a cake covered in fondant until it is "left over" cake. HTH and maybe a pic will help solve this mistery. Good luck!

I just posted a picture of the cake in the gallery. Should also show up here. In the picture its starting to bulge on the left side and its starting to look uneven. I don't think it was an airbubble -- I think the cake was just starting to slide and lose its shape making a bulge in the fondant.

Based on the feedback so far -- I think I may have a few issues going on.
1. I used a pretty thick layer of buttercream for the filling. I really like it when you can really taste and see a thick layer of filling (nice contrast with the cake). Maybe that's just not advisable when working with fondant??
2. I put the cake back in the fridge after I covered it with fondant.

Anything else? Thanks.

Hi,
What consistency was the BC, as JoAnn mentioned, it should be med to stiff consistency, that could've been the issue... and how did you cover with fondant, side by side or the whole cake with a sheet of fondant? The way it looks is like you cut side by side and placed it on each side, is this right? If you did so, then also the weight of the fondant pulls down, since it does not have anywhere to support it. Also, condensation, the little water that accumulates under the fondant from it is making your BC "slippery" or changing its consistency.

Ok so what I would do is use stiff consistency BC for your BC and don't refrigerate after it being decorated with fondant, it should be just fine at room temp. And if you covered the cake side by side (to get the sharp edges of the block) then roll your fondant very thin so it is not too heavy.
Hope this helps, and beautiful cake by the way! You did a great job. Try using a fondant smoother to even the bulge a little.

I concur! And the cake is just as cute as it can be!

Yes, I guess I should have mentioned that I covered the cake in panels -- my attempt at getting sharp corners. What you said makes sense --
fondant was too thick and just started to slide down. I had this same issue (bulging and losing its shape) with my previous cake and I used one piece of fondant so I think I probably have an issue with the buttercream as well. In my limited experience I would call the BC medium consistency but maybe its not? I guess I will start experimenting with other versions of BC.

I am going to try it again soon and see if I can get better results.
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to comment and give advice -- much appreciated!!

I just did a cake the other day, and had the same problem (football cake in photos). The front looked good but the back looked BAD! I did'nt let mine settle enough and set up before I covered it in fondant and my layers started to slide around and caused some bulging. I was given the same suggestions as you. Use a thin layer of filling, and crumb coat cake. Let it set and settle over night and then cover with another thin layer of BC let it crust and then cover with fondant. I will be trying again in a couple of days and hope this works. Hope it works for you as well. Your cake turned out great.

A simple way you can tell what consistency is your BC... when you are done with the batch, stick a spatula (I use a small angled one 8"), if it stands straight, it is stiff consistency, if it moves a little to either side, it is med and if it does not stand straight by itself, then it is thin. Hope this makes sense. Good luck.

I might would like to add to these gracious ladies comments is that if you do have to refrigerate a fondant cake and take it out...put a fan on it so that the fan dries up the condensation quickly

HTH

My lesson learned with torted fondant covered cakes...LESS IS MORE!!

When it comes to filling!! Also, I take a sheet of parchment and I press down each layer as I am assembleing it-fill, put on next layer, cover with parchment(to keep my hands clean)press gently, jiggle a little, press gently, remove parchment, fill, put on next layer, etc. Haven't had a problem since! (knock on wood!)

OK. You need to use a medium to stiff icing dam between the layers (like the other ladies said) and not too much filling. The dam will keep your filling in but not if you use too much. I put only 1/4 to 1/2" in there.

The cake you use needs to by fairly dense. By this I mean "sturdy". This is so it will stand up to the weight of the fondant. Fondant is heavy and really pushes down on soft cakes.

Cakes covered in fondant should not be refrigerated. When they come out of the fridge cold, and hit the warm air they "sweat". (Think of a glass of ice water in the summer). Use non-perishable fillings & buttercream, cover your sturdy cake with fondant and let sit in its box till delivery. Hope this helps.

Many Professional decorators feel that a fondant covered cake will hold the moisture in the cake for 3 to 5 days, depending on your atmosphere. I personally dont want to go beyond 3 days. I like the cake to have a fresh taste.

Do not refrigerate your covered cake! When you take the cake out of the refrigerator, moisture will condense and destroy your beautiful surface. Your best option is to store the cake in a sealed bakery box. The cardboard sides of a box will keep the dust in the air off the cake, but allows the Fondant to breath.

here's some more info, i remember reading this a couple months ago of of a site- hope it helps!

I just want to say Thanks for all the additional advice. You all have given me lots of new information/techniques to try so I'm very excited.

Thanks!

RoxiePopcorn,

I see that you placed some figures on top, weight can cause cake to sink in. What kind of cake was this one? Pound cake is very firm and excellent to use when top tiers have decorations. Did you dowelled it? I always dowel 4 inches high cakes to secure them together. Also, I make a dam of stiff icing about one inch from the border of the cake before filling them so that when the top cake is positioned that one inch space left on the border of the cake will fill up with icing/filling, otherwise the filling will start to sip out the cake. I do this and use more filling. Also, if the cake has not been cut even the weight of filling, fondant, and decorations etc. could cause it to tilt to the side and last advise - do not put a fondant covered cake in the fridge unless is a left over because condensation affects its consistency. Almost forgot, do not make fondant too thin because it will make the cake show through it and does not look pretty. God bless u.