Why Are There Indentations On The Sides Of My Layered Cakes?

Decorating By itsloops Updated 7 Jul 2006 , 8:53pm by fronklowes

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itsloops Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:40pm
post #1 of 13

Why are there indentations on the sides of my layered cakes?

Whenever I tort my round cakes you can see indentations on the sides of the fondant. I have included a pictures so you know what I'm talking about.

What am I doing wrong?

TIA!!!
LL

12 replies
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springlakecake Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:51pm
post #2 of 13

I am not an expert on this but maybe you could put more buttercream icing underneath the fondant? The icing needs to be as smooth as possible underneath so the fondant doesnt show imperfections.

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peg818 Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:53pm
post #3 of 13

thats a bulge, and those do happen, A couple of things you can do to help cure these. First is to make sure that you don't use too much filling in your cakes. Make sure you make a dam, and don't fill above it. Another thing that you can do, is use a very stiff icing around the middle, kind of like a girdle to help hold that baby in place. Another thing is to let your cakes settle before finishing, cause gravity will help the filling settle in so that you can fix the bulge before finishing icing.

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karateka Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:54pm
post #4 of 13

I've also found that you can roll your fondant too thin. If your buttercream layer is smooth and you still have issues, try a thicker layer of fondant. It will show fewer bumps and dents.

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itsloops Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:54pm
post #5 of 13

So I need to add more than just crumb coating? I always thought that putting too much buttercream might make the cake look "fat." icon_redface.gif

I will definitely try that next time.

Thanks for your help!

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ogolds Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:57pm
post #6 of 13

I'm not an expert either, but is the filling between your layers bulging a little bit? My cake instructor told us to fill the cakes, crumb coat them, and then let them sit for awhile to settle. Then, after they've had a chance to settle, ice them (and put fondant on if desired)--otherwise, the cakes might look a little dented on the sides.

In my opinion though, your cake really looks nice!

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itsloops Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 8:57pm
post #7 of 13

peg818 ,


I have a really dumb question.
You mentioned "stiff icing around the middle"

What does that mean?

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marina34 Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 9:16pm
post #8 of 13

I believe I read on CC that after stacking the cakes, they should be left to "settle' so that once it is iced, there is no bulge. I've had the same experience, and have since left it to settle, and it's been better. Also, put the dam of icing a little more inside (not right on the edge), so that when the weight of the top layer squishes the dam, it doesn't push it out farther than the bottom layer. Good luck!

I like your cake! The colors are great.

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dodibug Posted 6 Jul 2006 , 9:27pm
post #9 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by itsloops

You mentioned "stiff icing around the middle"

What does that mean?





You can use an icing bag and coupler or I like to use a #12 tip and bag filled with stiff icing. Before you fill your cake make a dam of icing around the inner edge of the cake layer, then fill, no higher than the dam, then put the next layer of cake on top of that. Then crumb coat and let settle before putting on final layer of icing.

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rezzygirl Posted 7 Jul 2006 , 3:26am
post #10 of 13

Stiff icing is just thicker than what you use to ice the rest of the cake. You can achieve this by adding more powdered sugar to it.

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LeeAnn Posted 7 Jul 2006 , 5:14am
post #11 of 13

I have this problem as I make my cakes day before delivery and torte fill and fondant, I have been told before you fondant the cake needs to rest a couple of hours///

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itsloops Posted 7 Jul 2006 , 5:52am
post #12 of 13

Thanks everyone for being a big help. I'm definitely going to take all your advice and work on perfecting my technique. I can only get better.

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fronklowes Posted 7 Jul 2006 , 8:53pm
post #13 of 13

It's one of two things. It could be a bulge from overfilling or not making a dam (use stiff icing to make a dam around where you are going to fill the cake with jam or whatever you use). Or, and this would be my bet, it's your baking pan. It probably doesn't have straight 90 degree angles on the sides; so, your cake appears to have a bulge and it does, but the bulge is cake, not filling.

Once I started using Magic Line pans (they have 90 degree angles on the sides) and not Wilton (no 90 degree angles on the sides), my "bulge" issues were solved. For oval, petal, and hexagonal cakes, though, you have to use Wilton pans, so I would suggest torting your cake, piping a dam of icing on the outside edge of the cake, add filling, add the top of the cake, and let it all sit for at least four hours to settle if you are using a slippery filling. If you simply fill with icing, you don't have to let it sit very long (a few minutes). Then, apply a thick layer of icing to the cake to make it as smooth as possible and to cover up those imperfect sides. Then, decorate or add fondant as usual.

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