I can't for the life of me smooth the icing on my cakes. I am fine doing any other type of decorating but smoothing the icing on my cakes forget it. I don't know what else to try. I don't know if it's just the icing i use or what but I have watched video after video and ordered dvd's and still can't get it to look nice.
Just needed to vent

Trust me, I know. I HATE using just BC on a cake!!!!! However, after watching sugarshacks DVD and how she iced her cakes, mine are getting there! She has some amazing tips and tricks. She heats the spatula every time she touches the cake when she smooths it. IT WORKS AWESOME!!!!!

And this is why I (for the most part!) stick with fondant! I totally get it. But yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again ... Sugarshack is the queen of instructional DVDs. All hail Sharon.

Here's a tutorial by tonedna:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-623332-.html

HTH

What's wrong with it?
Does it look like little popped bubbles because it had air whipped into it, or ragged swaths?
Some icing can be partially crusted and smoothed with paper, other types need smoothing with a spatula dipped in hot water and dried.

I've always used a water-dipped spatula ... guaranteed smooth!

I usually fill a thermos with boiling water, then dip my spatula into the thermos, wipe off the water and ice it smooth. This takes away most of the imperfections, but if there are a few spots I still don't like, I wait until it crusts then use parchment paper to smooth them away.

Do I ever know what you're talking about. One time it's perfect & looks like fondant it's so smooth & the next time it gets worse the more I touched it. Try sugarshack's icing recipe in the recipe section. I don't know what the difference is but it is great. HTH

Good Luck!

After watching tonedna's video on icing with buttercream, I'm ready to try it again. I've been using fondant for almost everything because I can't get buttercream smooth to save my life. But nobody in my family really likes fondant icing, except for how it looks. I'm making my granddaughter her 7th birthday cake at the end of the month, and it's been strongly hinted that I will be lynched if I finish it off in fondant, so I'm really happy to see this. I'll practice a few times before the big day!

I always tell myself that the cake is Casually Iced when things don't go quite as planned! I have found that I'm my worst critic when it comes to smooth frosting, I think it's horrible and everyone else thinks it great. I'm sure your skills are far better than you give yourself credit for!

i havn't had much experience with it yet but my last 2 turned out pretty well. i popped the dry careved and filled cake in the freezer for like 15 or so minutes just long enough to get it firm and then spread on a thin crumb coat, back in the freezer for like 30 to freeze the crumb coat and immediately after taking it out i spread on a thick top coat. that has been working for me. atleast it help to keep the crum coat in place so it doesn't mess up the top coat if that makes sense. then i smooth it with the paper towel method

i use the roller method, works great

havn't tried the roller method yet. i actually forgot all about it til you just mentioned it. is it more effective than the fondant smoother you think?

I think the hot spatula is an amazing trick, and is what I do most of the time. Also, I've found that beating my frosting at the lowest speed for a few minutes really eliminates air bubbles. HTH