I absolutely HATE working with Buttercream only - I always use fondant, BUT my customer requested that the top of Poker table I made must not be covered with fondant!
I struggled my butt off to get it smooth!!! I read somewhere here something about a paper towel...so I tried doing that... some places it left small indents like the bubble imprints on the paper towel...and other places it simply stuck to the papertowel!!

Obviously I am doing something wrong - but what!! What is the easiest way to get a smooth finish to your BC???

This method doesn't work with just any paper towel. Are you using Viva?

This method doesn't work with just any paper towel. Are you using Viva?

You definately need to use a crusting buttercream and Viva towels. They have no texture on them like other paper towels. HTH.

I use copy paper to smooth mine. I also bought a sponge paint roller and am going to try that today. I heard it was good so I thought I would give it a try.

If using paper towel you will need to use Viva to keep from having imprints.

Nice buttercream with no air bubbles works.
I use the foam roller on sheet cakes, on round ones a large off set spatula, lots of icing, good cake pans and nice even cakes.No bumpy cakes!

On square cakes I use a bench scraper looking thing I got at Williams, Sonoma they call it a dough cutter or something like that, for those corners!

If all fails buy the sugarshack buttercream video.

I started off with the viva method, but to me, was not the crisp, smooth finish that I wanted. Then I started working at a local bakery and learned the wet, hot spatula and spray bottle method. Some swear by the viva method and are probably very good at it. All techniques take practice, practice, practice. Once you pick you method...work on perfecting it. But be patient.

Have to agree with ddaigle - not all methods work for everyone. I use the hot water method and it has worked for me. I have never tried the paper towel or paint roller method - but others have sworn by it.

Find what works for you and keep practicing.

I like the hot knife method and I also like to use a crusting buttercream and a piece of wax paper. Don't rush it - if your paper towel/wax paper is sticking to the buttercream you probably have not used crusting buttercream or did not wait enough time for it to crust. I've done that many times. Patience is a virtue....

Have to agree with ddaigle -- I have tried the hot water method and could not get it to work for me either. Patience is a virtue with any method.

Use indydebi's buttercream and Melvira's roller method. I was in your shoes and panicked but was surprised at how easy it was!

txnonnie....I use the hot water/wet spatula method and LOVE it...but it took time to get to that point.

Thanx everybody.

We only have one kind of papertowel in South Africa (that I know of), and it has imprints.
I did wait for the BC to crust...but when I fiddled with it then, it made fine cracks!!!!!
Most probably I am not using the right recipe, because I normally don't bother with a spesific recipe, as the BC goes under the Fondant.

I'll go search for indydebi's BC recipe and try it out.

But I would also like to hear how the spray-bottle method works?

I keep my (8") flat spatula in a container of very very hot water. At home, I just use my tallest glass and put it in the microwave until the water is almost boiling. I take my spray bottle and spray the area, then go over it with the wet, hot spatula. The spatula should never tug...always glide. If it tugs, you need more water. You will end up with water around the base of your cake, but I just tip the cake to the side and let the excess water run on the counter, then wipe the cake board. This creates a crisp, smooth, flawless, glassy finish (until it dries). When perfected, it has the appearance that the cake is covered in fondant. I'm not that good yet, but it takes many cakes, practice and patience. You also will need to determine what size spatula you are comfortable with. That makes a big difference, but varies from person to person.

Thanks Debbie- I am definitely going to try this method! =)

I had never heard of the spray bottle method - thanks so much for posting. I'm going to try it with the cake I have for next weekend. I need a fondant appearance with buttercream, so hopefully this works for me.

Thank you for sharing how to do the spray method. I heard about it but didn't know how it was done. I'll try it on my next cake!

Thank you for sharing how to do the spray method. I heard about it but didn't know how it was done. I'll try it on my next cake!