Hello,

I've just been searching online and on here and haven't found an answer to my problems with air bubbles on cakes. I've covered this morning a cake and it had four air bubbles appear just after I'd covered it with fondant. I had trouble with bulging at the sides but tried the trick of letting the cake settle and that seems better its just air bubbles I have a problem with.

What I did was this -

yesterday made a chocolate cake and the buttercream
today added the filling then left it to settle for an hour (it was all the time I could have as have to do it whilst my little one is at preschool)
Then coated in buttercream and left it on the worktop to 'set' (about an hour) as I find if its only just put on it can move around under the fondant when you smooth it.
The coloured the fondant and applied it to the cake with the mat then smoothed. Then the bubbles started to appear on the top and sides, two small ones and two bigger ones. They've been popped and are gone although there are small marks left from it (which will be covered so aren't a problem with this cake) but I want to know what I'm doing wrong so I can avoid it again. So many posts said about it being the cake coming from the fridge but this one didn't go in the fridge or freezer at any point.

I've got a wedding cake to do in two months and am dreading this happening with that one so any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

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Thanks for your reply but I thought it was more for when cakes were bulging where the filling was rather than air bubbles? Will letting it settle for longer mean less chance of air bubbles? I realised yesterday the two cakes I've had most trouble with have been ones I've coloured the fondant before covering the cake - is it best to leave the fondant for a bit once the colour has been added or is this just a coincidence?

was the cake cold when you covered it with fondant? That can lead to air bubbles.

Usually it is caused if your fondant is not stuck to your buttercream properly. Does your buttercream crust? I.e. after a while if you put your finger on it do you get a sticky finger, or is it dry? If dry, you need to spritz your buttercream with water before applying the fondant so it sticks (only a fine misting). Also ensure you are working the fondant on the sides of the cake methodically with your hands pushing all the air towards the bottom so it doesn't get trapped. If it still happens, pop with a pin but do it from an angle. Smooth with a smoother to get the air out of the tiny hole. If you do it at an angle the pin hole is easier to cover with the fondant.

I have the best luck when I fill my cakes and press down firmly to make sure the cake has no air in the filling. Then use a firm fondant - the softer the fondant the more airbubbles I get. I've also seen some experts cut a wide circle out of the top center of the fondant cake before stacking the second tier - they contend that this gives the air bubbles a place to escape.

Thanks for all your replies.

No, sugarshack, the cake hadn't been in the fridge at all so was room temp when the fondant when on it (oh and I tried this week to see if I could buy the Flawless Fondant dvd to help as I'd read such good things about it but I don't seem to be able to get it here in the UK).

The buttercream has definitely crusted so the next time I cover a cake I will try spraying it lightly with water to see if that helps it stick, that could well be not helping.

Well the cake is finished (the one with horses on the top in my pictures) and the customer was happy even though I wasn't happy with it at least I'd managed to hide all the little marks left by bursting the bubbles.

Just wanted to come back and say thanks for all your advice, I made four mini cakes yesterday and after I'd put the buttercream on I popped them into the fridge for about 15-20 mins and then put another thin coat on (especially since the first thin coat wasn't all that smooth!) and then put them back in the fridge for about the same time (might have been a bit longer as had to pick up my daughter from preschool!) then left them out whilst I had lunch and tidied the kitchen then covered them in fondant, so they were room temp but firm. The first one I did I forgot to spray with water and I got two bubbles in the fondant. The second and third I remembered and had no trouble at all and number four was sprayed but I think I managed to create an air bubble with over-zealous smoothing! But I was amazed at the difference it made spraying it with water and I will definitely be doing it from now on when I cover cakes. Thank you again!