I Keep Getting Huge Bubbles Under My Icing
Decorating By kateedidit Updated 28 Apr 2013 , 2:16pm by Stephmom2boys
I ice my cakes and after they set for a while, (usually overnight in the box) they sometimes get a huge air bubble under the icing that swells up and cracks the icing. I'm not decorating frozen cake or anything like that. I don't understand! Has anyone had this problem and can you tell me what I am doing wrong?? I'm totally frustrated. It happened on the side of a round tiered wedding cake after setting out over night. 
((((
I have a student that that happens to all of the time. It usually happens after the cake has been chilled, then warmed to room temperature, then cooled and back to room temp. If anyone knows how to prevent the bubbles, we would love to know. We have tried changing the cake, the icing, the technique for icing the cake and all have failed. Thanks for any ideas you have to solve the problem.
After you ice the cake, take the tip of your spatula or a thin blade knife and break the seal between the bottom of the cake and the cardboard. This allows air to escape and you can refinish the edge with a border or ribbon, etc. when you assemble the cake.
And taking the cake in and out of refrigeration does NOT help.
Watch this Satin Ice UTube video (Two Layer Cake) by Mercedes. It might help.
She mentions about preventing bubbles about 8.44 into the video almost at the end.
I have a question for leah. I have never had this happen to me and twice in two days I have heard of other people having it happen. WHat my question is, is this, I have done the same as this woman has in taking my cakes out and putting them back in to chill them and back out again mostly because it was too warm to leave out for very long because of the filling in them and in between times of being able to decorate them I want to keep them chilled and yet I have never had this happen, do you know what causes this?
I have had bubbles under fondant, but that has been no surprise and I know how to take care of that so I am very curious as to what has caused this myself even if I have never had it happen. There could always be a first time and I would rather be prepared than not know what to do.
While the cakes are frozen, I level and add the icing in between the 2 layers, stack it, smooth the excess onto the sides of the cake and then set it out to thaw. Hours later, after it is thawed and settled, I ice the entire cake. I only apply one layer of icing. Did someone here mention doing multiply layers of icing? My icing is really heavy and I don't think 2 layers would hold up. Ever since they changed the recipe of the shortening, (removing the saturated fats, I think, or something like that), my icing is heavy and not as easily whipped up. I even use cold liquid to make it a little lighter. I don't know. But it LOOKED TERRIBLE.
I only know from experience that moving cakes from a chilled/frozen environment to a room temp one will caused air bubbles. I assume it has something to do with expansion and contraction.
I NEVER use a filling that has to be refrigerated. Not once in the 12 years I've been doing wedding cakes, and not in the decades prior. Therefore I do not have a need to put cakes in the fridge.
Watch this UTube video (Two Layer Cake) by Mercedes. It might help.
She mentions about preventing bubbles about 8.44 into the video almost at the end.
This was very interesting and I wonder if the toothpicks would work with Buttercream? I will definitely have to try it and THANKS!!! 
After you ice the cake, take the tip of your spatula or a thin blade knife and break the seal between the bottom of the cake and the cardboard. This allows air to escape and you can refinish the edge with a border or ribbon, etc. when you assemble the cake.
And taking the cake in and out of refrigeration does NOT help.
Thank you for this tip! I will definitely try this.
I bake, cool, wrap and freeze. Then I take them out of the freezer as I need them. As for sheet cakes, I let them set out for hours, usually still wrapped, until soft. (And I had a bubble on a sheet cake the other day too.) I do, however, handle my round cakes while still frozen or almost frozen. I add the filling and set the 2 layers together, smooth excess icing around the middle and let them thaw like that. I decorate my wedding cakes the night before the wedding and they set out at a/c room temp the rest of that night. I do not refrigerate my cakes after decorating them. It's always the next morning that I discover that the bubble monster has visited!! Bummed!!! They look great when I go to bed and then bubbled out in the morning!! 
Kateedidit, I think the problem may be moisture on sides of your cakes when you ice them. If you freeze them and then thaw in plastic wrap, when you unwrap them, they will be wet with condensation. All of that has to dry off before you ice or they are much more prone to blow outs.
Same thing for icing them frozen. When they thaw, you are getting condensation between the cake and icing leading to blow outs.
I also agree with Leah and others that fridge to room temp causes the same problem.
Thank you to everyone for all the wonderful advice. I have much to remember and experiment with now! You gals are awesome. I am a newbie and was really impressed with how helpful everyone was! Makes a girl really feel welcome!
AWhile it makes sense about the fridge and freezer and condensation causing the bubbles....it can't be the only reason.....because I also get the bubbles sometimes and I have never ever put a cake in the fridge or freezer. Yesterday the cake I made got 4 bubbles! Horrible and frustrating :-(
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