I was thinking of adding a little extra icing to the top of my cakes and using my Agbay to trim off a layer of frosting to make it perfectly level. It would make each level of a tiered cake exactly the same height (with icing) and super level which would also work perfectly for SPS stacking. Has anyone used their Agbay to do this? Should the icing crust over first? Any tips?

Anyone???

I don't see this working very well. When I trim off my cakes with the Agbay the cake still sits there on top of itself until I've sliced all the way thru it then I pick it up and move it. So how are you gonna pick up that icing? Not to mention, if your cake is moist, it sticks to the blade. I would think the icing would stick too and it would not trim smooth even if you could pick up the icing.
Just my opinion of course.

I did think of that... was just wondering if there was a way to do it. It may not be possible, but it was a thought!

Do you have the Deseret Design DVD? She does this exact technique with her Agbay so to make her frosting level before she applies the fondant.

i saw a thread here about this. let me see if i can find it.

She does show this - - email me sometime.

@ paoli96 ---> I am also interested to know this technique. I do not own an agbay yet, but I am planning to buy one (in a year period of time).
Do you mind if I pm you too, for the instructions?

@ sweetooth94 ---> Personally I think it is possible to use a blow drier and make the blade a little warm so it does not remove the icing from top of the cake (ofcourse this is all in theory), and maybe somehow at the same time that you are moving the warm blade slide a cake board under the icing and ....

I really do not know if it works but if you own an gaby it is worth trying.

I have an Agbay and while I've never used it for leveling an already frosted cake, I don't see it working very well either, especially if you use a noncrusting buttercream. An easier method would be using the Sugarshack method or the upside down method.

I had filed this away in my database long ago. I have had no time to read it yet, though. Maybe?

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-703238-.html&sid=8e5258e424952b16a6d5f7c4f84d698f

I couldn't find the picture she talked about in her gallery. Sounds like she is using the Agbay blade as a level, not sliding it through the frosting to level it. That's what I was referring to (sliding it through the frosting) when I doubted it would work. I still don't see the point in using the Agbay for that though, why not put a piece of wax paper over the top, then a cake board and stick a level on top to make sure the whole thing is level?

The Agbay post was mine. I posted a pic in my photos showing the line I scored on my cake using the Agbay, but it was deleted. I will try to post it here. I actually learned this technique from Sharon Zambitos (Sugar Shack, SugarEd Productions) buttercream DVD and just used my Agbay instead of the method she used. I just thought this technique was brilliant! I have several of her DVDs and I just love each and every one! AFTER I ice the cake, I set the Agbay a little bit below the lowest level of my icing and score a line by turning the cake around and touching it gently with the blade. I actually use the back side of the blade, not the sharp side because sometimes the sharp side would drag and not give a clean line. This technique gives a perfectly level line around your whole cake. You dont have to eyeball anything. Then I use my offset spatula to level the cake. I hold the blade of the spatula parallel to the line and drag it across the cake pulling off the extra icing. I do this in sections. Then I just clean up the top, Viva the marks out, whatever. It doesnt take very long and it insures that my cake is level. I think my cakes are a lot cleaner and my edges are sharper using this method. I'll try to post the pic.

Well I couldnt post the pic, but its not a big deal. Its just a picture of a cake with a line scored in the icing with my Agbay sitting in front of it. I had posted it before in the Sketches & Patterns & Templates Gallery, but they deleted it because it was an undecorated cake. If anyone wants to see it I can email it to you.

missytex- you are using the agbay instead of sugar shack's paper template to score the line and make sure it's all leveled right?

The DVD you are redering to is called "Start to Finish" by Linda McClure. It is one that I have watched several times and using her techniques have allowed me to improve the quality of my cakes. They now look very professional.
The method of using an AGBAY to level a cake is demonstrated in this DVD. I fill my cakes, put frosting on the sides and top. I put a good amount of frosting on the top because I will be taking most of it off. I use a flat blade to smooth the frosting on the sides. My cake is on a turntable and I hold the blade on the side of the cake and rotate the turntable. This will smooth and straighten the sides. I then put my cake on a flat surface. I like all my finished cakes to be the same height when I am stacking a cake. I will set my AGBAY to the finished height I need. I Try to have the finished height about 1/4" higher then the cake. I actually set the Agbay a bit higher then the final height the first time I level the frosting. I run it across the top of the cake removing the frosting that comes up on the blade. I then set the blade to my final height measurement and run the blade across the top of the cake again. I am careful to clean the blade with my spatula each time. I go across one direction then turn the cake a 1/2 turn and go across the other side. This gives me a perfectly level top and I can come back with my paper towel to smooth the forsting. This really isn't necessary when I cover the cake with fondant.
I hope this helps, this is a great technique and is quick to do.

thank you bonniekaye! looking up that DVD right now

Bakencake: Yes, I use my Agbay to score the line. Sugar Shack shows you how to do it with a template. Her DVD is called "Perfecting the Art of Buttercream."