Can someone tell me how to prevent the cake from bulging between the layers? Am I using too much frosting between the layers? TIA

This Cake Boss link is the best illustration on why it happens and how to prevent it: http://www.cakeboss.com/PreventBulging.aspx

On Sharon Zambitos Perfecting Butter cream DVD she recommends the frosting for the dam to be VERY stiff. Stiff enough that you could almost roll it with your fingers. After you fill your cake go around the outside edges with a spatula with more butter cream. Then let it set up for several hours or overnight. Hope this helps.

Thank so much guys, I have a wedding cake to make in 2 weeks and will definately try it.

On Sharon's advice, I made my BC icing dam stiff enough that you can knead it like dough. It's very stiff. Never had a problem since.

I will try my best to explain it but I don't know how well I'll do. I used to do the dam around the bottom layer but that never worked for me. One day I was sifting through my drawer and saw my pampered chef grapefruit knife. For those of you who don't know, on one end it looks like a half moon seraded knife and the other end has a knife as well but it's straight. Anyway, on my bottom layer I take the half moon side and cut out a thin layer of the cake out (as deep as the curve on the knife). I leave at least a half inch of cake all the way around so that the icing sits in the well and doesn't come out of the sides. Every since I started doing this, I have not had a problem with buldging sense. If I am making no sense, let me know and I will post some pictures so you can see what I'm talking about. Good luck!

Let me know if you have any questions.

I had no problem the first few times I did cakes, but then all of a sudden my cakes were bulging. My problem was the buttercream I used for the dam was too thin. So now before I add liquid to thin out my buttercream, I fill up a bag and use that for my dam. Then I fill my cake, lay a piece of parchment over it and put a heavy cutting board on it to help "settle" the cake while I fill the next cake and so forth. Then I ice as usual. Haven't had a problem since.

I just came on my computer to post about the same problem.

The difference with mine is, I use SMBC. This is the only icing I use and I'm really having a problem with the bulging.

Does anyone who uses a meringue based bc have any suggestions for preventing bulging?

I don't remember where I got this so I can't give credit but this was given to me awhile ago as a handout for my students.

It's a filling chart for how much filling to use for your cake size:

Sheet Cakes

9 x 13 1/2 cup
10 x 15 2 cups
12 x 18 3 1/3 cup


Rounds

5" 1/4 cup
6" 1/3 cup
7" 2/3 cup
8" 3/4 cup
9" 1 cup
10" 1 1/4 cup
11" 1 1/2 cup
12" 1 3/4 cup
14" 2 1/3 cup
8" 3 cups
16" 3 2/3 cups
18" 5 2/3 cups

Carolyn - that is awesome. Thanks for posting that. Copy and pasting right into word and saving to my cake file. Thanks!

once I got the buttercream dvd from sharon, I never had another bulge. The dvd is fantastic and there are a million tips about buttercream that make the whole process easier and much more perfect results.

Here's a link:

http://sugaredproductions.com/buttercreamdvd.php

copying the chart. thanks!

Really great information. Thanks alot guys.