A Remedy For Cake Blow Outs....

Decorating By Mikel79 Updated 8 Jan 2012 , 6:52am by cangela4re

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 28 Sep 2011 , 11:33pm
post #1 of 52

FYIThis is NOT the filling bulge, that is something completely different

Hi Cakers!

I wish I could take credit for this, but I cannot. Unfortunately, I do not know where or from whom I read this. But, I wanted to share it

This weekend I made a Georgia Bulldog Birthday cake. As I was ending my decorating process, one of those pain in the a## cake blow outs started to form on the bottom side of my cake. I was FREAKING out! They can really jack the final result of your cake. Not to mention, I already piped black and red dots all over the cake!

Well, I thought about taking a pin and pressing it in the bubble and pressing it with some viva. However, I didnt want to mess my butter cream dots up.

Well, I took a drinking straw and made a hole in the blow out. Make sure the straw goes all the way to the bare cake. Then, suck the cake blow out through the straw!!!!! Stop it I say, did I just say suck the blow out through the straw?? Yes I did.

I could not believe my eyes. The cake blow out actually deflated right in front of my eyes and conformed to the cake like it never happened. There were NO CRACKS in the icing either. Patch the straw hole up with icing and smooth as normal.

You could not tell! Dont freak out about this. My lips did NOT touch the cake. I did not blow into the cake. No germs were transferred. Simply suck the straw like you are drinking a drink.

I think this is the most amazing thing!!!

Wanted to share


Here is the cake...
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2167170

Michael

51 replies
nicunurse Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
nicunurse Posted 28 Sep 2011 , 11:46pm
post #2 of 52

OMG! Thank you so much for the tip!! Crazy way to remedy a big problem! icon_biggrin.gif

nicunurse Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
nicunurse Posted 28 Sep 2011 , 11:47pm
post #3 of 52

OMG! Thank you so much for the tip!! Crazy way to remedy a big problem! icon_biggrin.gif

southerncross Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
southerncross Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 12:00am
post #4 of 52

so you sucked out excess bc? cool.

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 12:55am
post #5 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by southerncross

so you sucked out excess bc? cool.





Actually, it was just the air. No BC was sucked out. =)

I should of worded that differently.

Sorry for the confustion.

Michael

southerncross Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
southerncross Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 1:06am
post #6 of 52

still cool.

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 10:29am
post #7 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicunurse

OMG! Thank you so much for the tip!! Crazy way to remedy a big problem! icon_biggrin.gif





thumbs_up.gif

Dani1081 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Dani1081 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 10:47am
post #8 of 52

Oh, thank you so much for the tip! I assume that you used a tiny straw, like a coffee stirer or something? I do have those air bubble bulges (COMPLETELY different from excess filling bulges, southerncross!) once in a while and this just might end my problems! YAY! Thank you again!

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 1:15pm
post #9 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dani1081

Oh, thank you so much for the tip! I assume that you used a tiny straw, like a coffee stirer or something? I do have those air bubble bulges (COMPLETELY different from excess filling bulges, southerncross!) once in a while and this just might end my problems! YAY! Thank you again!






I used regular drinking straw. Think McDonald drinking straw or the plastic ones you get at your grocery store.

HTH

Michael

paolacaracas Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
paolacaracas Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 1:48pm
post #10 of 52

Does it works with fondant? or is it only for buttercream?

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 8:49pm
post #11 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by paolacaracas

Does it works with fondant? or is it only for buttercream?





Hmmm... Not sure. Only tried BC. I don't do fondant cakes. If you happen to do this with fondant, let me know.

Thanks
Michael

Kitagrl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kitagrl Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 9:07pm
post #12 of 52

Hey I tried it today with a coffee stirrer today when I was icing my cakes...saw a medium sized bubble under the icing...tried this and it was way cool. Haha it kinda deflated and of course I had to add more icing and re-smooth but it definitely removed the air immediately. Pretty neat.

howsweet Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
howsweet Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 9:52pm
post #13 of 52

Oh my gosh that is brilliant! I will remember you forever, Michael. In the summer time I have a problem with blow outs and have been looking for a solution for ages.

Your cake is done beautifully, by the way.

Karen421 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Karen421 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 10:35pm
post #14 of 52

I've used a coffee stirrer on fondant and it works great, you just have to put a decoration over the hole. icon_biggrin.gif

laceylady Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
laceylady Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 10:53pm
post #15 of 52

I'm a newbie to the cake decorating world and this just happened to me last night. I had no idea what the almost golf ball sized bulge on the top of my cake was untill my husband poked it and deflated it w/ his finger, then I took a toothpick to it. Its just really funny that you posted this today. Thanks Now I know how to remedy the situation.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2167525/2167527
see the shiney part on top of my cake, thats where the bulge was, or as my hubby would say "cake fart"

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 29 Sep 2011 , 11:38pm
post #16 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by howsweet

Oh my gosh that is brilliant! I will remember you forever, Michael. In the summer time I have a problem with blow outs and have been looking for a solution for ages.

Your cake is done beautifully, by the way.





thumbs_up.gif

Thx!

BizCoCos Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
BizCoCos Posted 30 Sep 2011 , 12:06am
post #17 of 52

Thanks for the tip, why does this occur? Thankfully, I've never had this problem. Could it be that ther are air pockets in parts of your buttercream?

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 30 Sep 2011 , 10:42pm
post #18 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by margiep

Thanks for the tip, why does this occur? Thankfully, I've never had this problem. Could it be that ther are air pockets in parts of your buttercream?





Possibly? Everyone has there own theory. Some think it is moisture that is captured behing the icing. Others, think it is "Gas". Some simply think that part of the icing didn't adhere to the cake.

Whatever the reason they are a total pain in the rear!

Thanks,
Michael

travmand Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
travmand Posted 1 Oct 2011 , 12:22am
post #19 of 52

I made a cake last weekend...iced it the night before...and the next day while putting on the tappit letters....yup...the bulge appeared right before my eyes. I actually watched it popping out??? Go figure?

costumeczar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
costumeczar Posted 1 Oct 2011 , 1:47am
post #20 of 52

Haha! This is a good tip, I'll keep that in mind. I call that the "cake tumor" and I wrote a blog post about them recently, here it is... http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2011/06/dreaded-cake-tumor.html

I think they're caused by gas escaping from between the layers of the cake, from pockets of gas that are trapped when the layers are put together. If you press down well when you put the layers together you're less likely to end up with a cake tumor.

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 1 Oct 2011 , 1:01pm
post #21 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Haha! This is a good tip, I'll keep that in mind. I call that the "cake tumor" and I wrote a blog post about them recently, here it is... http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2011/06/dreaded-cake-tumor.html

I think they're caused by gas escaping from between the layers of the cake, from pockets of gas that are trapped when the layers are put together. If you press down well when you put the layers together you're less likely to end up with a cake tumor.




thumbs_up.gif

MikeRowesHunny Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MikeRowesHunny Posted 1 Oct 2011 , 1:20pm
post #22 of 52

Similar trick is to use an oral dosing syringe (like you get with kids medicines), this is great if you haven't put too much icing on your cake. Just pop it into the blowout and suck the air out by pulling on the plunger.

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 1 Oct 2011 , 10:42pm
post #23 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeRowesHunny

Similar trick is to use an oral dosing syringe (like you get with kids medicines), this is great if you haven't put too much icing on your cake. Just pop it into the blowout and suck the air out by pulling on the plunger.





This is clever!

cakelady2266 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakelady2266 Posted 2 Oct 2011 , 12:31am
post #24 of 52

Great idea!!!!!

This is my trick to lessen the chances of the PITA bubbles and blowouts. After you have iced the cake to the desired smoothness, poke a hole through the top center of the cake with a straw, dowel rod or my tool of choice is a chopstick.

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 2 Oct 2011 , 8:57pm
post #25 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakelady2266

Great idea!!!!!

This is my trick to lessen the chances of the PITA bubbles and blowouts. After you have iced the cake to the desired smoothness, poke a hole through the top center of the cake with a straw, dowel rod or my tool of choice is a chopstick.




How does poking a hole in the top of the cake help with air trapped on the bottom side of the cake?

Does it really work for the sides?

This is really great idea.

cakelady2266 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakelady2266 Posted 2 Oct 2011 , 9:19pm
post #26 of 52

Not sure exactly how it works, but it does. It seems when I forget to do it I always wind up with a bubble on the sides. Just poke all the way through to the cake board.

Mikel79 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Mikel79 Posted 3 Oct 2011 , 10:20am
post #27 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakelady2266

Not sure exactly how it works, but it does. It seems when I forget to do it I always wind up with a bubble on the sides. Just poke all the way through to the cake board.




Do you plug the hole with icing, or leave it open? The top of the cake that is.

=)

AnnieCahill Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AnnieCahill Posted 3 Oct 2011 , 10:34am
post #28 of 52

For those of you who get these, do you refrigerate your cakes? I mean, refrigerate before and during the decorating process? I only get the icing amoebas if I refrigerate during the assembly and crumb coat process. And I only get them when I use an American buttercream.

cakesbyRaewyn Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakesbyRaewyn Posted 3 Oct 2011 , 11:20am
post #29 of 52

Hi All, I've never posted on a forum before so please be gentle haha. I always get bubbles, whether I refrigerate or not and also when I fill and cover with ganache as well as when I use buttercream. Drives me crazy, I use a pin and then press them out which works fine but then I can never completely get rid of the hole...perhaps I'm being too fussy icon_smile.gif

allaboutcakeuk Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
allaboutcakeuk Posted 3 Oct 2011 , 12:05pm
post #30 of 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeRowesHunny

Similar trick is to use an oral dosing syringe (like you get with kids medicines), this is great if you haven't put too much icing on your cake. Just pop it into the blowout and suck the air out by pulling on the plunger.




There is nothing that makes me sick to my stomach than coming to look at a cake in the morning and it has that blow out! Mike I could hug you!!! I have been having a quite a lot of these lately. Wondering if changes in temp so much. One was the night before a wedding cake delivery - why do they happen when they've been sitting perfectly happy ready to go then bam! there is appears. Unfortunately it was a really plain cake so I couldn't cover it if I used a big straw so thought this could be the answer!!!

So my question is Mike.. will this work with fondant do you think. I use buttercream then all my cakes are fondant work. I am hoping this is the answer to my prayers.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%