I am icing a 4 tier cake in SMBC, with fresh strawberries and pudding custard filling. Do I use the SMBC as my dam before filling? Is it thick enough? TIA for your advice!!

Dawn

Some people here may use IMBC or SMBC but I have not. I use regular bc.... You can make up just a small batch. Ganache might work too...

This cake has to be kept cold right? I mean I use whipped cream and fresh strawberry filling and slippery curds and pure fruit fillings thickened without cornstarch. I only use smbc for the dam.

In all my days I have never heard of any bakery using a special more thickened buttercream as a dam. Properly assembling a cake is a skill.

I think using what could almost be called a type of rolled buttercream to assemble a cake is a misstep in the process. Why not do it right.

How does that hit the palate anyhow? Wouldn't that be awful sweet? I've never tried it I don't know. I'd encourage you to do it the right way. But a lot of people seem to like to do it that way.

I like nice light meltilicious icings with intriguing fillings and splashes. I use swiss meringue buttercream to dam my cake fillings--no worries. But I deliver my cakes chilled too that cold butter binds like cement and is light as a feather at room temp.

Dam thoughts for you.

I am inexperienced with imbc or smbc. If using it as a dam....is it the same thickness as you frost with or is it some how thickened to be used as the dam?

Thanks for the tips!!

Kate, I only use SMBC too, but I keep reading about this dam having to be the consistency of playdoh - I've never done that before, but this cake is important and I wanted to make sure the strawberries don't come sliding out the sides!! Each tier will only be half covered with fondant on top, while the bottom will be smbc. I don't have an SPS system, only using dowels - so I thought I should check. I was hoping to hear some advice from you, after seeing your daughters wedding cake!!! I was scared to do this buttercream playdoh dam and have it ruin the taste of my beautiful SMBC. Thanks for your help!! I love this site!

Oh you're so sweet--thank you!

An idea is to use a very sharp knife to cut your strawberries too.
They leak less.

I put a layer of whipped cream down, layer my strawberries like a mosiac and cover with more whipped cream so the moisture barrier is contained within the fat. Of course surrounded with the smbc dam.

If you have time, I'd do a practice cake.
I'd make the layer of fondant on top on the thin side too.

You'll do great.

Thanks again for the kind regard!

I knew some would do it.... I was just less confident that it would hold with a filling that could get "weepy". Good luck to you.

Some like to add chocolate to their IMBC/SMBC (white or brown). I wonder if that would make it more sturdy? Chocolate does set up a bit... I think.

Thank you Jopalis, for the tips - I think I'll try mixing in a bit of white chocolate to the SMBC to see what happens. Will try on a trial cake, as I have someone who has requested a white chocolate filling. I was going to use ganache, but I never thought of white choc SMBC. Thanks!!

K8Memphis - No, thank you! I will definitely sandwich the strawberries between the filling! Sharp knife? Awsome tip. My knives are never as sharp as they should be, so I'll be pulling out the big guns for my strawberries - never would have thought about it! I did my trial cake already actually, but just an 8" and 4" round. It worked beautifully, but I didn't think it was a true comparison to the actual cake which will be 16", 12", 8", and 4" (I need space for some animals that need to sit on the edges). I will keep my fingers crossed and reread your daughter's wedding cake journey in your blog. What an inspiration you are!! Thanks again! One more question for you, if you're still reading this post - Do you refrigerate your fondant? Is your SMBC chilled hard before applying fondant? Just wondering how the pros do it!

You're welcome. I only use SMBC...Martha Stewart's, ganache and pastry cream... Rarely regular bc. However, I have been a big chicken when it comes to the dam. I have made up a little bc just for that. I have not put chocolate in my SMBC but I know it is done. I would like to know from those who have done it, is it sturdier? I have also heard that Cake Bible Mousseleine is sturdier and may try that next time... It is more of an IMBC in prep though.. and she does add a lot of steps. Maybe worth it...?

In one of her books but maybe not all of them Martha's Swiss meringue bc is really Italan--she got 'em mixed up. And it's thrown off a lot of folks too.

I use Margaret Braun's Vanilla Butterceam which is Swiss mbc.

I'm not a fan of Rose.

The one I do is not the same way you prepare IMBC. I think the SMBC is easier.... I use Martha's but would like to try Rose's mousseleine...

So you cook egg whites and sugar over boiling water, whip, then add butter to that?

I think it's one of her wedding cake books where she get them crossed up.

Martha's SMBC... You whip the egg whites with the sugar in heat proof bowl & set the bowl over simmering water (don't let it touch)...whisk til sugar is dissolved and then transfer to mixer. Whip with whisk til cool/room temp. Switch to paddle and on low speed add softened butter in bits til all incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat til fluffy.... If you want to add a flavoring...switch to low and add and then back to medium....

Yeah, that's swiss. I've got one hardback Martha wedding book --it's white if memory serves --and that's the one where she gets 'em mixed up--but I can't find the book either. Anyhow.

Love SMBC!

Thank goodness that's over!! Ladies, I want to thank you so much for the tips!!

Kate, I used every bit of advice you gave me and I have never received such compliments on any cake I ever made, EVER!! I brought a stack of about 50 cards in my purse - I gave them to all the people who asked, ran out, and had to write down numbers on a piece of paper!! I booked 4 cakes while at the function and I'm just so pleased with how it turned out! The dam and strawberry filling held up beautifully and the taste was just awesome!! Thank you so much for your tips and vote of confidence - I needed it!

Picture is in my photos - My first tiered fondant cake and my first MMF animals. I'll say it again - You are such an inspiration! THANKS!

Dawn

Beautiful cake! Congrats on everything working out so well for you! Just curious, did you refrigerate you MMF? I don't use MMF but I use SI and I have never had luck refrigerating fondant, refrigeration=disaster for me!!

MissRobin,
Thank you - I had so much fun doing this cake!! I did refrigerate the fondant. The cake was filled with strawberries and custard and I also always refridge my SMBC covered cakes. It turned out beautifully - It didn't sweat at all! I followed a tip from someone I had read a while back now. I turned my fridge temp down a little - I put it at "3" and the recommended temp is 4. Apparently this changes the humidity?? I had recently done a guitar cake with was covered in SMBC and MMF and refrigerated it. Everytime I took it out it sweated like a beast! (My temp was up at "6" at that point, so that must have affected it). I left that cake out for about an hour without touching it, and it dried beautifully - no running colours or spots. I've never used Satin Ice - I just started using fondant and started with MMF because it is so cheap, easy to make, and everyone raves about the taste (no peeling off the fondant!), so I just stuck with it. If you have an extra "cake fridge" maybe you could adjust your temp. I also heard that if you place your cake in a cardboard box (not a cake box) after removing from the fridge, the cardboard will absord the atmospheric condensation and keep your cake from sweating - it didn't work for me and that guitar cake, but it's worth a shot!

That's just the stunnerest first tiered fondant cake <faint> <thud>

I mean freaking amazing work for 'a first'!!!! Thank you for the kind words.

Looks like the work a seasoned decorator. You will go far, Cake Buddy.

Wow, gourmet too!! Sweeeet.

Re: Loves me a great cake high.
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Y'know what though--that's what we're all after--that elusive cake that can almost be seen through the mist dreamily in our craniums ~ planning keeps the stress levels low ~ the endorphins are going wild ~ ~ ~

Then ~ when what actually appears in real life is a hit and we feel good/great about it and it is well received there is no narcotic that can replicate that 'high'.

Congrats, CakeBuddy, so very far beyond way cool.