I have the biggest issues with filling in a cake without it bulging out from the sides..What am I doing wrong?? Does anyone have a good recipe for a nice firm butter cream/cream cheese filling??(these are the ones I use most.

The secret is to create a frosting dam around the outside which holds in the filling. You just take the frosting you usually use and add powdered sugar to it so it's so thick it it's almost fondant firmness. Pipe it out using the coupler but no tip.

Here's a link to show what I'm saying.

http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/filling-cake-layers.cfm
(notice it says medium consistency.....for mine, I need thick. So try and see what works for you.)

Hope that helps!! (I even use frosting dams when I use strawberry fillings!)

^ haha...oh dear. Sorry KateLS, there for a minute I was thinking you were a bit loopy for highlighting random words like that...then I realised it's advertising. Haven't seen that on here before. Bit annoying.

Anyway, on to your question, Prettycupcake. I would suggest you try ganache...no bulging issues with that whatsoever, and no need to allow settling time with it. Just make sure you use the correct consistency (you want it spreadable...kind of the consistency of smooth peanut butter).

??? I don't have or see any advertising links attached to my post. However, I, too have noticed random words highlighted on other's entries that have taken me to random advertising sites. I think it's a problem with cake central, not my post.

And I'm guessing that you're using your phone to view it, because that's the only time I see those weird links. I don't see them when I'm on my computer.

I agree with KateLS - you pipe a damn of thicker buttercream around the perimeter of your cake. Then put the filling inside that. You can use any type of filling and it won't leak. You also have to crumb coat once your layers are all put together. This acts like an extra sealer. Use a crusting buttercream or ganache.

The weird underlining is happening with my computer as well. It seems so random....

prettycupcake~~Do NOT despair! I firmly believe that every single new decorator in the world struggles with problem!!!! T It took me a full year and a half to get it right. AAAAAGH!

As the others have said, you MUST make a SUPER-STIFF dam of buttercream around the edge. I put mine about 1/4" inside the edge so if I have to trim the outside edges to make the whole tier uniform, then I'm not cutting off my dam.

Cream cheese icing is probably NOT going to make a good icing dam because it is too soft. Use medium consistency buttercream, slop about a cup into a separate bowl, and slop in powdered sugar. Stir. Keep doing this until it looks and feels exactly like a newly opened container of Play-Doh. Then load it in a piping bag with a coupler (NO TIP) and make your dam just like the Wilton instructions on the link from KatelS. You will have to squeeze your piping bag really, really hard because the dam icing is so thick, but persevere.

I made an absolutely PERFECT cake by using the method above. It was my biggest cake so far, a 14" round. I torted each layer, put a dam and filling and ended up with:

1" of cake, 1/4" filling, 1" of cake, 1/4" of filling, 1" of cake, 1/4" of filling, 1" of cake. NO BULGES!!!!!!

Here's a photo of my cakes with NO bulges (the 14" is the blue cake):
http://christinascakes.shutterfly.com/pictures/341#337

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Now...about those very annoying green, underlined random words. This was done ON PURPOSE by the owners of CakeCentral to generate ad revenue. They will continue to use this horrible method of advertising unless we all send them an email and beg them to stop. There have been multiple posts by unhappy CC'rs about this issue.

You can disable the ads by clicking on the Question Mark in the upper right corner. Then click on the disable tab, then click Disable. You will have to repeat this EVERY time you clear your cookies.

I have nothing else to contribute to the original OP's question, but about the ads you are all talking about, I see zero of that. Get Firefox and instal the Ad Blocker ad-in and you will not see another ad, sidebar or pop-up again. I had to load this topic on Microsoft Explorer (which I never use) to even see what you are all talking about!

I think Google Chrome has a similar feature, but I am not sure about that.

CC also has zero control over the advertisements that appear on the site. We all learned this when one of the advertisements several months ago was loading a trojan virus on everyone's PC. It took weeks for them to figure it out and fix it.

Jen

About the annoying ads, there was this thread where Heath posted solutions and explanations.

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-7216844.html