Perfectly Smooth Buttercream
Decorating By sweet-treats1975 Updated 28 Aug 2009 , 1:17pm by ShayShay
I have been wondering how do you get perfectly smooth buttercream. If anyone can help me that would be great!!
Thanks so much
i 100% recommend sugar shack's DVDs! the "perecting the art of buttercream" one was fantastic and i've watched it several times. the difference in my cakes is remarkable!
http://sugaredproductions.com/buttercreamdvd.html
Yep, gotta start with a good buttercream recipe. One that calls for heating the mixture or some of the ingredients at some point during preparation to melt the sugar granules slightly. Sugarshacks recipe is perfect.
And, if you are a meringue buttercream fanatic like myself, those are awesome too. Along the topic of heating, the granulated sugar in these recipes is cooked, so there is no grit to clump and make your icing funky.
Yes, sugarshack helps a lot!
But in the meanwhile til her DVD arrives, you can smooth using the hot knife method, the Viva paper towel method or the Melvira method. Do a forum topic search under those terms if you are unfamiliar with the methods.
As a new convert to SMBC, I can see how much easier it is to smooth and recommend it over traditional powdered sugar based buttercreams. Can't use Viva or Melvira on it though, it doesn't crust.
i use viva paper towels to smooth it out after it crusts
Try indydebi's buttercream in the recipe section and the Melvira roller method. I have only done 1 all buttercream cake and it worked awesome!
I don't know that I ever saw butter cream that looks like glass, you have a pic....
Sure, any well smoothed cake covered in a meringue based icing is always very shiny. So maybe not quite literally glass, madge, but sans any bubble marks or separated icing from Crisco or undissolved PS. Or for not glassy, but sharp as a razor, take a look at Sugarshacks. Here is a link to her site and her flawless bc cakes.
Oh heck, I never compare myself to someone as wonderful as Sugarshack, it would just drive me crazy.........I am just a crummy little nanna home baker lol....I am too lazy to play with meringues etc.....I will leave that to you professionals. I will have to search out this smooth look though, I am curious now
the trick to perfctly smooth cakes:
1) practice
2) a smooth recipe in the right consistency
3) practice
4) hot bench scraper
5) practice
6) viva, paper, smoothers
7) practice
and don't forget to practice! 
here is a thread with some of my tips:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=19948&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=buttercream&&start=510
I will have to say that after watching Edna's toutorial on icing a cake I think the problem with most buttercreams (at least mine) is the consistency. Hers was very stiff. I pm'd her and she agreed that having the stiffer consistency was critical so with my tiki cake I stiffened up my BC and the difference was amazing.
Gorgeous Antonia!
And here is proof it can be done with a good ole all shortenng crusting buttercream!
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1310542
You CAN make beautiful buttercream cakes! Do not give up!
Sugarshack, I have your buttercream DVD and have tried the techniques... so far, the only one that hasn't worked is the computer paper trick. It sticks from the moment I touch it to the icing, even though the Viva I used before it didn't... any ideas? Am I using cheap computer paper? 
no. it is either:
1) you need to wait a bit longer for it to crust
2) your room is really humid
3) your icing is too wet
4) try to dust it with a bit of cornstarch before you use it.
HTH!!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%