Hello fellow CC'ers, I was curious on how some of you, get your surfaces soooooooo smooth, mine always has lil marks, and those lil BC circles., you know what I am talking about?? I am getting better the more I frost, but man alive some of the people on here, their cakes are flawless, Thanks so much for all your help, this is an outstanding community!!!
Great question, I was wondering the same thing myself..
I can't wait to see what some of the answers are.. 
Have you checked out the different techniques here on CC? There is the Melvira Method and the Viva Method. There is also the upside down Method. I am still learning them myself, but I really like the viva method.
I'm sure there are plenty of other CCr's here that could help much more.
cCc
I am far from professional, but I use the Viva method. You have to start out with a nice crusting buttercream without alot of air beat into it, (which causes flaws in your finished product). First frost the cake as usual and then get as smooth as possible with a scrapper and then go to it with the smooth side of a viva paper towel and fondant smoother. It works every time without fail. 
I after I put the icing on I let it crust for a little while and then use a paper towel to smooth the top and sides ( I use Viva because it does not have a pattern that will transfer to the cake). You can also heat up water and dip your spatula into it and use that to help smooth the top too (that helps the icing not stick to the spatula so when you lift up you won't have lines and air bubbles).
Deborah
I use a very thin metal paint guard long scraper looking tool that I get at the hardware store. I just frost my cake, hold the scraper up against the cake and turn my turntable. Then I "scrape" the top edges inward onto the top of the cake and it gives me an even top. I get perfectly smooth cakes. I think it also depends on the buttercream that you use. I've been using the Whimsical Bakehouse Book recipe for about 3 years. It's less sweet than your typical buttercream that's made with only shortening. It's also not as thick and allows for easy smoothing. I use the Whimsical recipe that calls for high ratio shortening and butter. It's quick to make because you don't have to sift your powdered sugar.
Whichever method you use, I have found that it still takes alot of practice to get nice crisp edges and a flawless surface. I'm getting better but still not there!
Julie
I used AgentCakeBaker's "Buttercream Dream" recipe this weekend & used "Melvira's" high density roller method ($4.00 at Walmart) - both for the first time. The buttercream was amazing - it crusted beautifully & tasted fantastic & the roller made for an incredibly smooth surface & it was extremely easy to achieve. Both of these have been given a gold star in my book!
I also find if much easier when I crumbcoat first. It seems to help the basecoat smooth.
cCc
veronica970206,
What i do personally is always have a pot of hot watter runing after i ice the cake i used a hot spatula and roll around the cake it has always work for me.
Good luck 
Michelle
I'm a big Viva fan for crusting buttercream, and for other frostings a hot knife works wonders!
Good luck.
Angie
Sugar Shack has an awesome buttercream recipe on here, it definitely helps when you start out with a smooth icing. Then you let it crust, Viva the cake, let it set for a min then go over it with a sheet of computer paper, here is a link to another thread, it is VERY helpful!
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-19948.html
HTH!
Des
I use the Viva method - but the latest thing I learned was that my BC was cracking AFTER it got smooth - to solve this - add about a tsp of vinegar to about 6-8 cups of BC - you won't taste it. I tried this on my wedding cake this past weekend and didn't have a single crack - I also think that just hand stirring it helps get out some of the air and smooths it out. Hope that helps!
The best for me seems to be smoothing as best I can then going over everything with a hot spatula (run it under hot water - keep smoothing and wiping).
I've used the Viva method and that works pretty well too. Many people seem to get great results with Melvira's method of using high density foam rollers but for whatever reason, it never works for me (went out and bought 2 size rollers and everything...can't get it to work).
I was curious, with the rising costs on everything, and I know A LOT of recipes call for butter, are there any that use margarine, when it comes to frostings? Where I live they charge $3 for 4 sticks of butter. Which to me is insane, it is one thing when you are getting paid for a cake, to where you are just making a cake for fun, or relatives, do you all use margarine anyway, or do you spend the $$$ for the real butter? I remember growing up and my Mom ALWAYS using butter, well back them it was $1 and change for butter, so for her that was nothing, but man alive $3, am I just too cheap??? LOL> Thanks so much for all of you responding, I am a mother of 3, so yeah budget is kinda tight, when I gotta figure the fruit snacks, and after school snacks and so on, PLUS the 2 children I take on babysitting. Again, thanks for all the tips, but let me know about the margarine, LOL> Take care.
hey there... I use a receipe that does not call for butter at all.
I think I got it off this site... I think it's called "better than martha buttercream frosting"
let's see if I can remember it by heart!
1 cup crisco (whip that first before you add anything else)
2/3 cup powered coffee creamer
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
2lbs powered sugar
4 tbsp clear vanilla flavor (can be lowered if you want to)
the water... 1/4 cup for stiff, 1/2 cup for medium, and 3/4 cup for thin
Try that and see what you think!
I love the roller method. When I bought mine at Lowe's the cashier made some joke about maybe I needed some paint so I told her what I was going to use it for and she called all the other women employees in the area over. Anyway, it works great. Before that I would use hot water and spend about 45 minutes on an 8 inch cake. I actually kept the water warm on the stove. I think the key to any smooth cake is having it crusted for about 15 minutes.
I will never use margrine for anything in this house.
If a customer requests it I will use it but that is the only time it will cross the threshold of this house.
Buy your butter at Sam's or GFS. It's much more reasonable. 4 lbs. of butter at Sam's is like $6.50. I have never tried margarine.
Julie
Everybody will want to shoot me after this, but I like the margarine better than real butter! 
I know, I know, I've read some longs posts on the subject and I did try it. I thought it was beautiful and fluffy, BUT, the friends and family I served it to said what did you do differently? I hadn't said a thing! So I told them and everyone said they liked it better before.
My icing gets the best compliments always. Margarine just works for me and it's cheaper! 
I have never had a problem with it not holding up even in the heat.
As for smoothing.......I tried several methods and use most of them all together. For example when icing the cake I use a hot spatula. The first time I tried this, I hated it because it wouldn't stay hot enough. Then I decided to boil a pan of water and I leave my spatula in it until I need it. With every swipe I put it back in the pan and wipe off and swipe again. It works great!
After it crusts, I use the high density foam roller and sometimes a sheet of computer paper under the roller.
Hope this helps, Sherri 
I use a bench scraper to smooth the icing initially .... give the turntable one big spin and BOOM! done. After a few minutes, I Melvira it for total smoothness. TOTAL smoothness!
I actually get on my knees and bow to the Melvira Method!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I can't find my roller, then I might as well cancel the cake!
My icing recipe is actually half shortening half butter (you can my make it with all shortening, but shortening is so unhealthy that I do half and half).
Here is the recipe:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 tsp. flavoring
dash of salt
2 tbsp. water or milk
1 lb. powdered sugar
Cream butter, shortening, water or milk and flavoring. Slowly stir in powdered sugar. If chocolate icing is desired add cocoa powder to taste.
I usually double this recipe, but sometimes when I have leftover icing I don't need to.
Hope this helps!
Deborah
I'm w/ awolf. I tried IMBC yesterday for the very first time, and I have to say that for a first effort, I was very pleased. I used a hot spatula and kept running it under the hot tap, wiping it off, then holding it against my cake while I turned the turntable. The sides look great, the front edge is very decent. With more practice, I might even get good at this!
I use a bench scraper to smooth the icing initially .... give the turntable one big spin and BOOM! done. After a few minutes, I Melvira it for total smoothness. TOTAL smoothness!
I actually get on my knees and bow to the Melvira Method!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I can't find my roller, then I might as well cancel the cake!
When you say bench scaper, are you talking a putty knife??? i would like to get a little smoother before i use the roller even thought the roller gets most of my lines out .
Dawn
Dawn, this is a bench scraper. I prefer this because I can set the edge on the turntable and get a true 90 degree angle, insuring my cake sides are perfectly straight up and down.
http://www.instawares.com/bench-scraper-wood-handle.atc-1372.0.7.htm
Dawn, this is a bench scraper. I prefer this because I can set the edge on the turntable and get a true 90 degree angle, insuring my cake sides are perfectly straight up and down.
http://www.instawares.com/bench-scraper-wood-handle.atc-1372.0.7.htm
Oh my goodness! We bought the house we live in about 2 yrs. ago from little elderly lady who was moving to a retirement home. She wasn't able to really clean everthing out of the house and her son didn't want to. She left this exact "scraper" in the kitchen. I almost threw it away, but said I'll just keep it.
I can't wait to do my next cake and try it!
I like the bench scraper too, for that reason. I also use it to scrape the frosting down the bag -- not a drop wasted!
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