I Share Because I Care!

Decorating By Melvira Updated 13 Feb 2011 , 11:06pm by solascakes

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Melvira Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:01am
post #1 of 205

I have had a few comments recently on my frosting, people saying it is very smooth and wondering how I did it... Well, since I love you guys so much, and you've done so much for me, I want to share with you.

I used to have a terrible time with air holes. I think I even did a thread on here once about it. If you look at some of my earlier works (grape vine cake) you will see tiny little air pockets. That irked me to no end. Like many others I used the wooden fondant roller and that smoothed it, but didn't get rid of air bubbles. And when I used it on the top of a sheet cake it left indents from the edges of the roller. ERGH. Which is the lesser of the evils? I tried the paper towel method and that works to some degree, but I was always leaving finger dents. So, one day I am sitting here and it hits me... this idea. I fly to the home improvement store and I find the painting supplies. I am specifically looking for a thin paint roller made of foam. I find them... I choose the 6" width because that sounds good. I take it home, my mom is laughing at me about how that is NOT going to work. I use it. She chokes on her own spit over how smooth that cake turned out. After poking her eyes back into her head she smiled and said, "Hey, when I'm wrong, I'm wrong."

What is the beauty of this tool? Because it is foam it doesn't leave those little indents on the edges. Because it is foam, it gently pushes the icing in on itself if needed to fill those nasty little air pockets, but without actually moving any of your icing. It leaves a satiny texture that I think looks marvelous. The foam is easily washable (Make SURE it's dry before you use it again! Hehehe!) and they come in varying widths. The only thing you have to be sure of is that the icing is WELL crusted before you do it, or you will end up with a spackle texture on the cake, which is actually cool and I have purposely done a few times. icon_wink.gif

I hope this helps even just one person who is struggling like I am (was!). I am not knocking ANY of the other techniques people use here, I just know that what works like magic for one person can stink like yesterday's trash for someone else. I just hope somebody can benefit from this!!

Happy decorating to all my wonderful CC friends!! (BTW... when you have someone with as much talent at Wendoger comment on how smooth your icing is... you know you've done SOMETHING right!!) icon_redface.gif Hope she doesn't get mad that I used her name!! icon_wink.gif
LL

204 replies
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Jorre Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:07am
post #2 of 205

That is a nifty idea, I think I will try it.

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sueco Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:11am
post #3 of 205

Great tip! Can't wait to try it.

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CarolAnn Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:11am
post #4 of 205

Gee Wilikers I'm gettin me one of them things!! Thanks again for your willingness to share!
Sincerely,
Carol

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Melvira Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:13am
post #5 of 205

Hey, you guys have been so good to me... I'd be a jerk if I didn't!! icon_wink.gif

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goal4me Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:16am
post #6 of 205

THank you soo much....

I have aluminum bench scrappers, stainless steel bench scrapers, squirt water bottles, viva paper towels, copy paper, parchment paper, wax paper, fondant smoothers, long blade spatulas, short blade, curved, not curved and a zillion others I'm sure and so far and have some issue with all of them! THe squirt bottle works pretty good with the buttercream but the other techniques haven't been so great. I like this idea and THANK YOU for sharing!!!! Paint store here I come!

Mary Jane

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kaychristensen Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:18am
post #7 of 205

Wow that beats my typing paper method that leaves those little lines. I guess if you can use a plastic pipe to roll out fondant to cover a cake a foam roller can smooth BC dunce.gif Why could I think of that. I will have to try this thumbs_up.gif

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cowdex Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:18am
post #8 of 205

I gotta try that!
icon_biggrin.gif One day Home Depot will have "Cake Supplies" sign hanging over the paint department!

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niclan15 Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:26am
post #9 of 205

ah! sounds like a good idea....i just bought my first roll of viva to try that so if is doesnt work this sounds like my next try..thanks!

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HunBun Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:31am
post #10 of 205

Melvira, I have SO much respect for you for sharing such an AWESOME tip. I also love the idea of saving at least one person a lot of time and frustration. Decorating cakes is so much fun for me, but I have to admit I've wanted to quit a few times because something(s) just didn't work right resulting in me staying up all night. But after discovering CC I am SO back!

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ckkerber Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:34am
post #11 of 205

Great idea!!! I can't wait to try it. I love when creative people come up with such inexpensive, miracle cures for cake issues!

By the way, HAPPY 34th BIRTHDAY! Hope you're out having fun!

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arosstx Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:36am
post #12 of 205

So do you use it on bc that has crusted I'm guessing? Seems like a great idea!! Thanks for being willing to share. Your cakes do look smooth - are the ones you have posted all done this way?

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Mjmil7 Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:36am
post #13 of 205

Thanks for sharing and caring! I'll have to try out this little nifty tool.

Janice

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bayougrl Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 4:42am
post #14 of 205

Wow. It's amazing the things you can find in a non cake section/store.

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JanH Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 5:44am
post #15 of 205

Melvira,

Thanks so much for the great tip.

Also, for the extremely amusing story - I can picture in my minds eye:

your Mom choking on her spit, with her eyes poked out!!!!!!

You're a bona fide HOOT icon_lol.gif

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CakeRN Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 10:04am
post #16 of 205

Great tip....will try asap....yipeeee...

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boonenati Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 10:30am
post #17 of 205

Melvira
You're a gem!!!
Can't wait to try it!!!
Nati

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katharry Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 10:53am
post #18 of 205

FANTASTIC! Trying to get that buttercream smooth is my nightmare! We don't have 'smooth' paper towel here so I can't try the viva method...

When I wake up I am off to the hardware store.

You soooooo rock! thumbs_up.gif

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good36 Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 11:00am
post #19 of 205

Thank you!
Judy

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lou54 Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 11:19am
post #20 of 205

Thanks for the tip thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif
can't wait for home depot to open this morning icon_lol.gif see what other stuff i can use too icon_lol.gif

By the way Happy Birthday to you too thumbs_up.gif hope you had a good one thumbs_up.gif

you also have some beautiful cakes in your photos too . thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

have a good one thumbs_up.gif
lou

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brookej01 Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 11:24am
post #21 of 205

great tip...thanks
and

happy birthday

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karensjustdessert Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 11:26am
post #22 of 205

Thank you Melvira, for that awesome tip! You know I will be trying that next week when I'm knee deep in wedding cakes.
I think most of us have been out shopping, and looked at a non-cake gadget and thought "I wonder if that will...".
Wouldn't that be a great cake challenge? Using only tools not made for cake decorating?

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angief Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 11:49am
post #23 of 205

Thank you Thank you Thank you icon_biggrin.gif ! I will definitely give that a try.

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SScakes Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 11:53am
post #24 of 205

Well, I just went and got mine icon_lol.gif but I don't have a cake for this weekend to try it on icon_cry.gif
Anyway, I have a question, how long do you wait for the icing to crust to do this. I use edible images alot and usually add the picture as soon as I've got a smooth enough surface icon_rolleyes.gif which mean I don't wait of the icing to really crust.

Any thoughts???

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all4cake Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 12:01pm
post #25 of 205

Thanks for the tip! Anything that will save turning and turning and turning and turning and smoothing and smoothing and SMOKES! I MESSED THAT THING UP! and back to turning and turning and smoothing and smoothing and and and....


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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formerbuckeye Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 12:55pm
post #26 of 205

You are the bomb...the mistress of the "cool". icon_cool.gif Thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to try this on my very next cake!!! thumbs_up.gif

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mgdqueen Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 1:02pm
post #27 of 205

Thank you so much for sharing! My hubby will be thrilled to go buy cake supplies at Home Depot!

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auntsushi Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 1:12pm
post #28 of 205

Wow, this is awesome !!! Thanks !! It's going on my Home Depot list RIGHT NOW !!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU !!!!

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MrsAB Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 1:24pm
post #29 of 205

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Melvira!!!

And thank you so much for sharing. What a great idea! I look forward to putting the foam roller to use. Look out Lowe's/ HomeDepot here I come!!! thumbs_up.gif

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daltonam Posted 21 Sep 2006 , 1:25pm
post #30 of 205

CAN YA'LL BELIEVE THAT MY DH ASKED ME Y I TRY TO SMOOTH MY CAKES, I TOLD HIM BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE--HE SAYS NOT THE ONES I SEE IN THE STORES---I'M THINKING EXACTLY icon_surprised.gif


THAT TURKEY I LIVE WITH DOESN'T LIKE MY SMOOTH LOOKING CAKES icon_evil.gificon_mad.gif


THANKS FOR THE EXTRA TIP--I REALLY NEED IT

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