Hi all!

If you take a peek at the first few pictures in my photos you will see I have floral wire coming out of them. The wires are coated in choc. and then inserted in tea straws.

However, when I go to pick the cake up and transport it to my car...or just walk to the destination table, the wires spin and spin and spin??? This is causing a large hole in the top of my buttercream icing.

One cake I inserted a fondant ball at the base of the wires, but they still spin. All cakes are BC iced.

Please.....suggestions or solutions are appreciated.

Take care,
=)

I know! I have seen lots of cakes with (seemingly stable) wires coming out of the tops of the cakes but every time I've ever tried it the wires spin creating a big hole in the icing. I have stopped using the wires because I find it so annoying. I hope someone has the answer.

confectionsofahousewife....

Thank God!!! I am not the only one out in cake land with the same issue. I really like the look it adds to the cake, but those da*n holes are a pain!


Thanks....
=)

I always add those wire when I reach my destination. I think the weight of the fondant decoration and the motion of the car make the holes bigger. I also fill my straws with a little bit on fondant and let it dry for a few hrs before sticking the wire in

Great cakes btw, What gauge of wire are you using? if its too small it wont stand up to the weight, i like to place my wires in a posey pick how i like them, with some fondant squished into it, and then i pipe a little royal over the top to steady it totally

Caths_Cakes...


Thank you! I use 18 gauge. It is a very heavy duty wire. I guess I am going to try what Cakechick123 stated....Stick them in when I get to the destination.

I like having my cake completly done before getting it to the destination, so I can take a good pic of it at home. In the event that my cakes slips, falls, trips or whatever I have a good pic of what it looked like....=)

Thanks for the help!

What if I make a fondant ball in advance and let dry for a few hours, then insert the wires in it and fill with melted choc. Then at the base of the fondant ball I can attach a skewer to be inserted in the cake. Do you think I will have the same problem???


Just thinking out loud.......Hoping someone did something similar with success....
=)

I too use 18 gauge wire. Mine spin immediately upon putting them in the cake so moving the cake is not an issue. There has got to be a way to put them in there and have them stay. Too many people do this for there not to be an easier way!

confectionsofahousewife...

My thoughts exactly. I am trying to avoid Pm'ing each cake decorator individually asking them about wires. Hopefully someone who uses wires all the time is going to read this....

=)

Thanks

I use a flower pic and fill it half way with fondant, stick my wires in and then fill the rest with chocolate. Then stick the whole thing down it the cake. Now, they do bounce up and done, but the don't mess with my fondant, when I am transporting.

I find the wires grab onto the fondant a lot better if you wrap them in floral tape. I wrap my wires, then jam them into a straw filled with fondant.

I don't deliver most of my cakes, so they HAVE TO be completely finished when they're picked up.

All the wires on this cake are 18 gauge and jammed into one hidden pillar. They didn't budge.

I just did my first wires today, and yes they moved around. Thanks for asking the question, because I was going to do so. I did try and use RI to cover the holes, but by the time I got to town, they were worked open again. I will try and use the fondant on the inside of the straw next time. Thanks everyone! Glad, I am not the only one dealing with this.

THanks Diane. That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. This may be dumb, but how do you fill the straw with fondant?

Here's the trick!!

Just bend the wire about an inch from the bottom to a slight forward angle.
When it's inserted in the cake, it won't turn in circles! I just learned this trick today as I was putting stars on wires into the cake and it worked like a charm!

KimAZ

Kimaz...


That is a good idea. I am going to have to try that out!

Roll the fondant into a thin snake and it will slip right into the straw. Then, block off one end (by standing it up on the work surface) and push the fondant in with the dull end of a skewer.

I squirt melted chocolate into a coffee stir straw, stick the wire in, & let it dry a few minutes.
Most of the cakes that I've stuck wire in have been BC. This only creates a very small hole & the wires don't move.

http://www.discountcoffee.com/CoffeeStirStix.htm

lecrn...


I also use these type of straws. I don't know why I am having this issue. I do use melted choc. inside the straw and then insert.

The only thing is I have curved my wires at the very top to give it more of a eye catching appeal.

I wonder if I leave the wire straight, will I have the issue????

duplicate. sorry.

lecrn....

I am sorry....I meant that I bend my wires at the very top. The wire that goes into the straw is straight.

I looked at your football cake, great cake. Love the bow!! I noticed that the football are on shorter wires. This might be a issue as well. The wires I have been using are really tall??

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1621712.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1618603.html

Thanks!

Those are great cakes! The longest wire that I've used is this:
  http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1430994.html

I haven't done wire quite like yours or the cake that Diane posted. That's good to know that there's a problem in doing them this way. The only wires that I've used without a bow is straight wire.
I don't quite catch what KimAZ is saying about bending the wire. Where exactly do you bend it?

Lecrn...

Love the cake!!

Do you insert your wires when you are done decorating and then trasport? Or, do you get to your destination and then insert the wires?

Michael

lecrn...


Thank you!


By the way, I took a look at all of your cakes. They are amazing looking!! The black and white one you talked about is in my Fav's!!!!

Is the BC icing you use Hi-Ratio?

Michael,
Yes, I use hi-ratio shortening. It makes all the difference in the world. If you don't have sugarshack's dvd "Perfecting the Art of Buttercream", you must get it! I also use her buttercream recipe except I replace 1/2 of the shortening with 1/2 butter.
Thanks again for the nice compliments.

lecrn...


Yes I already have her DVD! It is amazing. You can tell a difference in my cakes. The latest pics are made out of the Hi-Ratio shortening. It really does make a difference.

The only thing that I had a hard time with was the measurement. This is where she measures the lowest point of the top icing. Then she marks where she needs to take the excess icing off.

I think I am getting the hang of it though.....=)

I've used coffee stirrers since they are narrower. Tea Straws are very wide.

Sandy