I posted a wedding cake today. It was torted so each tier had four layers. I piped a filler dam but after I iced the whole cake you could tell it had layers. How do you stop this from happening. Should I have piped the filler dam further away from the edge of the cake?
I am frustrated. HELP!!!
The roses and design of your cake is gorgeous. I have had the same problem as you before. I agree with lisa...I think adding more icing will help. I had to just keep practicing! After my frosting crusts...I then smooth with a Viva paper towel. Anyway, you should be really happy with your cake...it really is pretty! 
traci
I just had a look at your cake. It's nice beautiful colour combination. OK I examined your cake to see what was wrong. Looking at the 2nd one from the top I noticed that it was really bulging. Seems to me that you over filled the layers. You can correct this by piping your dam about 1/4 of an inch from the edge. Filling the layers so the filling is not higher than the dam. Now set the layer of cake on your filling and you can lightly press it in to place. Fill the others in the same manner and let it sit so that gravity will do it's work and settle The layers in to their final resting position. Crumb coat and you are on your way.
As for smoothing the sides, I am gonna assume that you use a spatula. I recently started using one of those putty knives not sure what it's called. But it works great. I pile on my icing and use the putty knife To take off The excess. Then i let it sit and crust over and use piece of parchment and the fondant smoother or my hand To finish it up.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for your advice. I have another cake for August 20. I will try moving my filling dam back away from the edge of the cake and put more icing on the top. I used a paper towel after the crusting so smooth.
but I think I will try the parchment paper because I want it even smoother. Thanks for you help
Here is an article about bulging layers.
http://members.nuvox.net/~zt.proicer/cakepict/icingcakes.htm
hth
I just read that article and if i understand it correctly I have to disagree on the reason that was given.
You dont need to skimp on icing filling to prevent seams/bulges. This isnt what causes bulges in the first place at all (see next). Icing should be spread about 1/4-inch thick between the layers. This helps to make the cake remain nice and moist.
Bulges (showing between the layers), which develop after the cake is iced are caused when the cake develops a hump while baking. If a hump does form, just shave it off so the cake appears nice and level on top before you turn it out of the pan.
I have baked cakes that had A hump and never encountered bulging sides because I did not overfill the layers. Bulging will occur when the layers are Too full and the layers start to settle. There is no other place for the filling to go but out towards the sides. Load up two slices of bread with lots of peanut butter and jelly then press down on it. They tend to ooze out the sides. Now if the sides were frosted you would see the same effect.
I do agree there is no need to skimp. However, there's a fine line between filling with The right amount and over-filling.
Princess
Are you using the icer tip for covering your cakes? I've noticed that I have been able to get a thicker more consistent layer of frosting since I started using this handy tool.
Kate
The part about the hump comes from when you place the hump side down. The edges can settle down, cracking your frosting and pushing some out the edges. It's important to start with a flat cake and usa a stiff BC dam. I didn't know this until squirrelly told me, and was just using the same BC I was frosing with. Now I add powdered sugar to my regular BC to make it really stiff and then use it for the dam. Then I push on them a little. Next I crumb coat and let set for a few hours so that gravity can do what ever it's going to do. Then frost. I had a huge problem with bulges, but doing this it has been solved. I find the crumb coat to be so important. It helps the top frosing to go on smoother and keeps the layers from showing through.
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