Give me a bucket of fondant any day.....buttercream, not so much....No matter what I do, I can't seem to get it as smooth as it should be. I've tried different recipes, techniques, etc. What in the world am I doing wrong? I've bought the videos, I've watched the youtubes, I've taken a Wilton class, and this is what I've got (see photos)
Right now, I use the VIVA crusting BC recipe. I get all these marks and ledges and indentations - killing me. Any and all feedback/suggestions welcome.
Did you buy the sugar shack 'Perfecting the art of buttercream'? That's the best DVD for smoothing and getting rid of the ledges. Also just looking at your first pic I think you need to add more buttercream to the sides of your cake. If you overload the cake, it's easier to get straight clean sides. Do you use a bench scraper along the sides?
Your not alone. I struggle with it every time. Right now I'm stressing over a cake I have to deliver by 1 PM tomorrow. Le'sigh.
Did you buy the sugar shack 'Perfecting the art of buttercream'? That's the best DVD for smoothing and getting rid of the ledges. Also just looking at your first pic I think you need to add more buttercream to the sides of your cake. If you overload the cake, it's easier to get straight clean sides. Do you use a bench scraper along the sides?
Yes, I have that DVD and I think I need to watch it again. I think my buttercream is getting worse instead of improving - BUT I think I was better in the beginning last year when I was using techniques from that video.
Thank you for the tip on adding more to the sides. Good point. I do use a bench scraper but it seems like it doesn't touch all the BC when I go around if that makes sense? Probably why I need to add more?
A few suggestions that may help. First I love Sugarshacks dvd for sure. I always make a bowl full of frosting (paddle is not visible) this will always give you a creamy frosting. The stiffness of the frosting is the second most important part. I live in a very humid climate and I never use as musch liquid as recommended on recipes, don't forget if you mix your butter/short. first it will get creamy and as you add the sugar add liquid sparingly, at the end when you allow it to mix the liquid in the butter will be extra moisture in the frosting. Now for your canvas a.k.a your cake. It must be trimmed after settling sides and top as needed, crumb coat and then apply More icing than what you want on your finished product and then smooth per Edna's video or sugarshacks, love those ladies 
. Best of luck!!
I have spent the last 6 weeks working only on buttercream and piping. I find using Sugarshack's DVD is the best money I've spent! It takes a little bit longer than it used to for me, but it works. The computer paper/fondant smoother technique she uses in the dvd works to smooth it all perfect! I do have to use quite a bit on the cake. I also make sure my cake board under my cake is about 1/4-1/2 inches away from the cake and use that as my guide to also get a clean, straight edge. Edna de la Cruz has Youtube videos that help to watch too.
http://www.designmeacake.com/id48.html This is a link to her site and her videos. HTH!!
Sugarandstuff,
I don't do a ton of cakes and I watch perfecting the art of buttercream before I make each cake. I don't watch every bit but it really helps to get those little reminders. It took me a while to get my frosting just right. I had a tendency to add more frosting along the bottom than the top and I noticed my bench scraper didn't get all the spots either so I go back and patch with extra frosting where necessary. I bet if you watch the video again and follow the other comments it will work great for you.
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