Hey!

Just wanted to know how long does it take you to ice your cakes smooth for a tiered cake using buttercream? I just want to know if I'm slow or just too meticulous! LOL! Seems like forever when I have to ice for a wedding cake! I know it's not, but it sure seems like it! Anybody else understand my pain! lol

It takes me 5 - 10 minutes for each tier of rounds, and 8 - 15 minutes each for shapes. But I have been doing this for over 35 years!

I dunno - while I'm doing it it feels like forever. I'm picky too though; I won't settle for something that's just sub-par. I like my cakes to look super smooth even if it's in butter cream. Some days are better than others (even if I've only done a few cakes).

I think it really matters how familiar you are with your icing and what tools and techniques works best with your icing. Different types of icing needs different techniques. I use a non-crusting icing and I am a huge fan of it because it smooths nicely. Alot of people think my cakes are fondant, when about 99% of them are buttercream.

I just added a photo yesterday in "my photos" that illustrates this. First picture in second row..."Floral Garland." The cake is iced in buttercream.

" I use a non-crusting icing and I am a huge fan of it because it smooths nicely. Alot of people think my cakes are fondant, when about 99% of them are buttercream."

Would you mind sharing your recipe for the non-crusting buttercream, ive only ever used crusting and would love to try it.

USAFwife,

My recipe makes about 60 pounds of icing! But this is the recipe I started with and then "tweaked it" some.

1 lb. high ratio shortening
1 lb. real butter
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 tsp real vanilla

Mix the shortening and butter, add the PS gradually and mix until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla.

Classiccake,
I am a little confused. I thought that the whole point of using a crusting buttercream was so that you could smooth it after it crusted. How are you able to smooth yours so beautifully (I looked at your photos) if it doesn't crust. I have to admit, I am buttercream challenged also. The one time I used a non-crusting BC I was never able to get it as smooth as I wanted - had to hide flaws w/flowers. Initially it went on great but never would get totally smooth. What's your secret and your recipe if you don't mind sharing.

PS - I love your two-toned BC cake in cream and white.

Non-crusting.....smooth it as soon as you put it on the cake. I use the flat side of a bowl scraper....a flexible white scaper with a straight (well, somewhat beveled) edge. Ust the straight side to smooth the cake. Ice the cake on a turntable. Don't worry so much about getting it smooth..just get the icing on. Then I spin the turnatable and hold the scaper virtually stil at about a 45 degree angle. Usually 2 - 4 spins of the turnatable, the sides are smooth. Then I pull the icing from the edge across the center of the cake and just go around the cake, and give it one mosr flourish across the top....smooth cake, no waiting for crusting.....never cracks when moving the cake.

2-tone effect:

Hi,
In response to your question about having two tones of icing on the side of a cake:

I use a non-crusting buttercream that has alot of real butter in it. It is very creamy and smooths easily. I iced the cake in the regular buttercream and placed it in the freezer for about 15 minutes, until the icing was firm. Then I piped a garland swag with the ivory color and then filled it in with the icing tip (a # 6 tip). Because the cake was cold, the new layer of icing immediately got firmer. I used a smaller plastic scaper and simply ran it over the ivory icing while spinning the turntable.

Hope this helps....it works best with a butter icing.

Ilene

So, the trick is to smooth quickly? It did seem that the longer I messed with the icing the worse it got. Thanks for the tip.

Non-crusting...you can smooth immediately, you can smooth hours later, you can smooth the next day....doesn't matter...it does not crust. To get it REALLY smooth, put the cake in the freezer for a few minutes until the icing firms, then run your scraper over it again....now it is super smooth.

I gotta say - that floral garland cake is pretty impressive. I would LOVE to not have to use fondant to get the look I want. The only reason I'm so obsessed with it is because it gives that really clean and contemporary smooth look I want to go for.

The floral garland cake is totally an inspiration.

Get yourself a 5 inch Spackle knife from a local hardware store. Probably cost $3. Then get yourself the best, spinningest cake support.

Now go to town!

If your buttercream is the right consistency and the temp. is right, your life will be good.

If all the above haven't been strictly adhered too, your life sucks.

Classic cake! I use the same recipe too! Of course with my own tweaking as well! lol

SMBC produces the smoothest glassiest finish for me, what I prefer to work in. Absolutely non-crusting. Not every method revolves around paper towels and rollers.

A hot bench scraper, some quick chills in the fridge, and lots of practice!

And a Sugarshack DVD or two. Which can be very helpful to those partial to non crustings, just can't do the paper and towel tricks.

Bed Bath and Beyond has the answer to everyone's problems. It's called a Progressive 'Bash n Chop' bench scraper. Like $4. One of the most inexpensive tools in my arsenal....and the most valuable.

Here is why:

Look at the pic. Usually the spatulas and hardware items people recommend are curved slightly, or have handles that extend beyond the actual scraper part. Can't ever truly line it up straight with rocking of some sort or extra effort to keep straight up and down.

You can see the bash and chop (and anything similar) allows perfect alignment to the side of your cake.