Hi guys,
I have been reeding the forums for about a month now and I am absolutely addicted to this site. I live in Germany and I could not find any german speaking sites about this topic yet.
So, I just love you guys.
I haven't done a lot of cakes, but I wanted to try a cake with a filling. You know kind a like, wow I read so much about this, I can do it. And I just love the way they look, standing up so tall.
The first time I used Pudding and it turned out all right. I didn't have a cake leveler yet, so I torted the cake like some of you suggested with a large knife. Turned out kind of crooked but it worked. My problem was, the bottom part of the cake got soggy, and I didn't really like the taste of cake and pudding mixed together.

So today I am prakticing again. I got a cake leveler now, so I can slice the cake nice and even three times. It's a chokolate cake, really small (6in). I put a dam around the edges. Filled it with thicker pudding (banana) this time and figured some cut up bananas would make that whole cake taste even better. So I proceed to the second layer, do the same thing and put the last layer on top of the whole construction. I am really happy with myself. It looks good, nice and tall just like in the pictures. I look back at it and the pudding oozes out of the sides. My dam is not inbetween the layers anymore but dangeling outsite.

What have I done wrong? Is real fruit to heavy for this. How thick are the layers suppost to be after torting them. I don't know what to do now. I haven't frostet the cake yet. I put it in the fridge, hoping it will firm up.
Help please
Natali

Hello and welcome to the site. Just a warning to you: YOU ARE NOW HOOKED AND HAVE BECOME ONE OF US!!!! Ok not to the issue. Im by far an expert at this but here goes. Maybe your icing that you are using to dam with is not thick enough and/or you need to put it in a bit further on the cake so that when the next layer is put on it doesnt push it out as far. It will push out some normally. Also you may have too much filling and that could be pushing it out too. When I have a problem I just ask here like you did and I keep practicing because practice makes almost perfect and its fun also. Good luck and I hope this helped at least until an expert can answer you. Cheffie

I think it sounds like you have too much filling. If I'm doing a thicker filling, I always double my damn by piping a second damn directly on top of the first.

WELCOME!!!!

when I do pudding based fillings, I:

1) mix the pudding extra thick -- only 1 1/2 cup milk per box instead of normal two

2) prefer to used cooked puddings so can be sure it will be less likely to spoil

3) use stiffest BC I can

4) make dam two layers of icing high

5) hold dam back from edge about a 1/2 inch -- this allows for settling of upper layer with much less push out.

6) fill w/ pudding only 2/3 of way up height of dam -- this also allows for settling of upper layer with much less push out.

Thank's everybody for your great input
I think I figured it out. My pudding was too runny, I had a two layer dam, but I didn't put it back enough from the edge, so when I put the next layer on top of it and filled that with the pudding and the bananas, the bottom part got smushed.
But, It tasted delicious.

Practice is everything so I tried again. This time with an 8 x 8 fudge chokolate cake, five layer, chokolate pudding as a filling. And it did great.
I was able to crumb coat it, frost it and use the Viva method on it. It looked great.

So I walk down the stairs with it, to put it in my trunk, so DH can enjoy it at work. I tripped, twisted my knee, holding on to the cake for dear live and end up with tons of frosting on my shirt. But it didn't fall appart and I was able to fix it up a bit.
That couldn't have happend with the "broken" cake.
I was in tears.

Well DH and his coworkers and customers ate the cakes. Everybody loved it. I am so glad the recipes on this site work so well.

Thanks again
Natali

re: knee --- oh no! I know, having blown out my knee twice how bad that hurts!

re: cake -- great save!!!

re: second time around -- glad to hear it all worked out
(except you didn't save me a piece! ::pout:: -- they really have to figure out a way to transfer cake over the internet! -- on second thought that might not be such a good idea -- can you image how zaftig we'd all be from sampling each other's cakes??? OY!)

Spread a thin layer of BC on your cake layer, THEN do your dam. The BC you are using for your dam will stick to that thin layer much better than it will stick to plain cake. When you refrigerate your layers the dam will then be more solid.

lol doug I thought that was what that little drawer that comes out of the computer when you push the button was for passing around pieces of cake. Jeeze I was wondering why I never got any from you guys lol

IHATEFONDANT, that is a great Idea. I'll try that next time.
Doug, It did save some pieces, come on over and we'll share. When is the next plane going?

Thank's
Natali

Thanks, Natali3, for posting the question & thanks to all who replied. I've been wanting to try this technique too. I'll I've done so far is put BC between my layers. You guys have inspired me!
Thanks!

Be sure and allow the "dam" to harden before adding the filling-using icing with meringue powder really stiffens it up. Another tip is to put a thin layer of icing on the top of the cake layer and the bottom of the cake layer that it will be touching. If the filling is totally encased by icing it prevents the cake from getting soggy