Finally! Easy Way To Get Perfect Corners With Buttercream!!
Decorating By DesignerCakes Updated 5 Jul 2009 , 4:30pm by Rosie2
OMG, after much torment with buttercream, I gave up and just dedicated myself to just fondant. I recently purchased some edgers made in the U.K. that are used to smooth the edges of cakes covered in marzipan and fondant. I've been using them for awhile and really love them.
Under pressure (of my own accord) to work with buttercream, I decided to test the sharp edgers on a buttercream test cake. I was shocked!!! I waited for the buttercream to crust and then used a Viva paper towel. I used a fondant smoother for the sides, then used the sharp corner edger and Viola! - absolutely perfect edges. Shocked and in disbelief of my new amazing discovery, I couldn't wait to share it here.
In case any of you ar wondering, I bought a 28 lb. bucket of buttercream icing from Sam's Club (crusts very nicely, btw) for $26.52. Tastes great and while it's a little thicker than I would have liked, it worked very well. The cake is a yellow doctored variety that I am using simply for this experiement.
The edgers are made by Valerie White in the U.K. Her products are called 'Edgers' - that is the actually company name. I purchased the first two from Global Sugar Art but the one I used here was out of stock and they told me they wouldn't be ordering any more. My husband works for a British company so he was able to have a friend bring one back for me from London. I HIGHLY recommend this if you are anything like me, buttercream challenged! I actually called the UK and spoke with Valerie and she told me she didn't think her products would work with our American style sponge cakes. I am going to call her tomorrow to tell her they most definitely will. I am trying to work with her to come to the U.S. for one of our big events here. Can you tell I am excited and tickled pink?
Good luck!
Ginger
very nice, were you using special pans like magic lines or just plain old square pans? I would like to know how to order these too, tell Valerie to join cakecentral and she will get a huge following I am certain!
Do you have contact information for this company? I have friends in London that could get this for me. I tend to do a lot of square cakes and I HATE working on the edges all day.
Thanks a bunch for the information.
Julia
That sounds like a great tool! I have one question, the website doesnt say what the material is. And since you own them, I'm wondering if you could pass on that info-I'm curious if it's plastic or something else-like the same plastic as the fondant smoothers.
Glad you found a 'magic' tool!
Here's a link to the picture at Global Sugar Art. They may have finally ordered some since there was another post on here regarding these and people may have started to call them wanting to place orders.
http://www.globalsugarart.com/catalog/product_19558_Sharp_Top_Edger.html
SugarBakerz - I only use Magic Line pans. They have sharp edges and hold up very well to daily use.
BTW, the picture you are going to see on the link above is a heavy fruit cake covered in marzipan. You can't use this sharp edgers directly on buttercream and you can only use them very gently on fondant since our cakes are far lighter in texture.
Geez, I am so giddy! You'd think Brad Pitt just pulled up to my door!
The edger is made of plastic, just like a fondant smoother. I have all her edgers but (until now) my favorite is the side edger which smooths the side of the cake as well as the cake plate if it's covered with fondant - all in one pass.
If Global Sugar Art doesn't have them, PM me and I'll see if I can get some directly from Valerie White.
BTW, the picture you are going to see on the link above is a heavy fruit cake covered in marzipan. You can't use this sharp edgers directly on buttercream and you can only use them very gently on fondant since our cakes are far lighter in texture.
If you can't use it directly on buttercream, then how do you use it? I purchased an item like this at a local hardware store for 7 bux, much cheaper but I haven't used it yet. I will have to try it once I purchase square pans.
I used it over the Viva paper towel, not directly on the buttercream. It would probably dent it.
The edgers isn't a perfect square. If it were, it would dig into the buttercream. It's slightly more open than a square.
Anyhow, if you get some from Valerie directly, let me know! That is so cool! I am so thankful to have this website and people like you who are willing to help us all out. Thank you so much for sharing. It's amazing what one person can accomplish!
Thanks so much for sharing! I have friends in London who are planning on moving back to the States in August. Not sure I can wait that long, but I'll try. I'll have to see if they'd be willing to get me some, and pack 'em up with their household when the US Airforce moves them back here. 
That's a pretty cool looking tool. I bet we could go to the hardware store & find something similar to this. I looks kinda like a door hinge w/out the screws. Not bad for just $16. Thanks for sharing Gingerela~
Ok I went to this site and they were 6.00 check it out http://www.apieceofcakethame.co.uk/view_products.aspx?cid=20 let me know if this are those. I did a search through google.
Her website isn't up yet but I will post more tomorrow after I contact her. The one I couldn't get from Global Sugar Art was purchased at Design A Cake (www.design-a-cake.co.uk/). I agree that it is cheaper to buy it here since the postage from the UK here can really add up. Six pounds is roughly $12 US. Once you add shipping and tarifs, it's cheaper to buy it from GSA.
I do know that her husband makes these by hand with special equipment they've had specially made. I like the large handle that these tools have since it makes it very easy to grip - easier than a standard fondant smoother.
Shirley, other than today, I've only used IMBC as well and I will not be coming over to the buttercream side anytime soon... LOL.
I don't think it would work with IMBC unless it were very chilled like you said. Definitely won't work with the Viva, darn it! But if I find a way, I will share for certain.
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