I'm sure this has been posted before, and I am new to this site... what is the Viva method? I need to make a camo cake and I know what I want to do but I don't know what the Viva method is I keep hearing about. Can someone please help? I think I have an idea, but want to be sure.
Thanks
cindy
Never done the viva method, but from what i understand, its once after the butter cream crusts on yr cake, you take a viva paper towel and smooth your cake with it. I like the Melvira method though ( with the high density paint roller) I find dipping the spatula into a little milk helps alot to smooth a cake
I use the viva method and it works great for me. You have to make sure you are using a buttercream that crusts, otherwise it will not work. Tonedna (sorry if I misspelt) has a bunch of videos on you tube which I found helpful. So what I do is after I have my final coat of icing on, I set the cake aside and let the icing crust. Once it's crusted then I begin with the sides placing the paper towel on the side and using a fondant smoother up against the cake. It will take some time for you to get an idea of how soft/hard you will need to press, but that comes with practice! After I'm finished with the sides I move to the top and finish. Hope this helps! 
i asked this in a previous viva method thread but the thread was nearly dead so no replies lol...here i try again.
my icing never feels dry enough to do this, and sticks/lift off my cake.
my standard recipe is:
1 stick butter
1 stick shortening
1 tsp vanilla (sometimes) or w/e flavour
4 cups sugar
no milk or cream added as it's already soft.
is this just not a crusting recipe? should i use all shortening?
Good afternoon! I hope these directions help you.
http://cakecentral.com/articles/126/quick-easy-smooth-icing-using-a-roller-melvira-method
http://cakecentral.com/articles/71/how-to-create-faux-fondant-the-paper-smoothing-towel-method-viv
cindy402 - For a camo cake, if your planning on piping diffrent sections of color on your cake you need to smooth with the viva method while you go. If you wait to do it all at the end the parts you did first will be too dry. When I do a camo cake I pipe 4 or 5 sections, then go back and smooth. It takes about 15 mins for BC to crust enough to smooth. Hope this helps!
My recipe is called "Buttercream Dream" and is listed under the recipes. This is from memory but here goes....
1 stick butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup shortening
3 tsp vanilla extract (clear)
1 bag confectioners sugar (2lb)
5-6 tbsp of milk
I mix in that order with butter and shortening first. I beat the heck out of it for at least 10 min (more like 15). Then add the vanilla and beat for a little bit. Then add sugar in a little at a time making sure to incorporate thouroughly. Add milk towards the end as the mixture gets "drier". I ususally end up with 5 tbsp added.
I love this recipe because it's easy to make and not too sweet...just the right everything! Good luck!
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