http://bridalmusings.com/2014/05/2014-wedding-cake-trends-3-buttercream-beauties/

Please look at the first cake on the page.  How are the sides of this cake done?  Is there a name for this technique?  Special tools?  How would the flowers be attached and still keep the side of the cake from being "contaminated" from the flowers (assuming they are real)?

Thanks,

Christina

To me it looks like they have the flowers draping up and then trailing up from one tier to the next.  I have found that a very easy way to to this with a cake and fresh flowers is to take a box of saran wrap with me and tightly wrap each cut stem before putting it in the cake.  It keeps the stems from touching the cake as you stick them in and is much easier to work with than the huge floral picks you would normally use.  It gives you a lot more design freedom and ruins much less of your cake that way.  Here is an example from a cake I did that way just a few weeks ago...this is in the kitchen just after a finished it, so ignore the background:

As a side note, I set up a cake at a very popular wedding establishment in my city a month ago.  They do about 5-15 weddings a day during the wedding season and have in-house catering and wedding services.  I ran out of my saran wrap and asked if they possibly had some I could use.  The lady was very kind and gave me some, but also mentioned that they always just stick the flowers or set the flowers on their cakes when they are done by the in-house bakers.  She said they have done it that way for over 30 years.  That left me wondering if maybe we make too big a deal sometimes about fresh flowers touching cakes?  I am interested to see what other experienced bakers have to say about it.

As for me, I will stick with my plastic wrap trick, but don't think I'll panic next time if I run out and everything will be just fine. (Unless of course you are using lavender or eucalyptus...they can flavor a cake if stuck in without being wrapped...and NOT in a good way! =)

Sweetwhimsey,

What a lovely cake!  Thank you for your tips!  I'll definitely add that to my list of great ideas learned on CC!

Et al, My original question was twofold, I don't think I was very clear.  I was also wondering also how the buttercream on the sides of the cake is done with the layered look ?

I have done the decorating like that two ways:  You can use an offset spatula (larger sized) and gently press it as you turn your cake table.  Use light pressure and frequently scrape the frosting off your spatula.  You can also use a large ribbon tip (even the frosting tip from wilton would work) and add a light coating of frosting as you turn the cake table.  Let that crust and then smooth it gently with the Viva paper towels that are wonderful to use on buttercream!  Both methods work well for me, it's just a matter of preference.  I tend to use the spatula..Here is an example using a smaller sized spatula, it will give you an idea of how it will work:

Amazing!  I'd have never thought of using the spatula technique!  Thank you SO much!!!!

Your cakes are beautiful, BTW!

Christina~

We are not making a big deal about flowers touching cake. Whatever that lady said, she has no idea if the people whose slice had a flower hole did eat the cake or ate around it, she also has no idea if anyone got diarrhoea and vomiting from food poisoning because people would normally not spoil a bride's day by mentioning they got sick at her wedding. What you need to realise is that flowers have pesticides on them to keep them from getting eaten by bugs and to stop flies laying eggs on them. Also some flowers are by nature toxic. I think flowers are better left in nature where we can all enjoy them.

Shockolata...that is kind of my idea, the pesticides are my concern too.  But I also don't think you can beat the look of fresh flowers on a cake, no matter how gorgeous the sugar flowers are.  The reason I even gave pause to what she was saying is that this venue handles over 4000 weddings a year.  I have to think that if someone got sick, they would have contacted the venue, not the bride.  If it was a small place I think I would have trusted her advice less...but I am confident they would be extremely careful.  I just wondered if the amount of pesticides is negligible?  Like the amount that are also sprayed on the fruit we eat?  At any rate, it is something to think about.  Just wondering what others had experienced. =)  My other thought is perhaps the flowers they are using are organic and pesticide free?  But that is unlikely.....

I logged in to post a picture of this very same cake!  Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the layers?  Do you think it is 10", 8",6", 4"?  and how many layers of torted cake per tier?  I want to use this as inspiration for my nieces wedding cake but she is having 200 guests and I'm not sure I'll have enough cake like this. 

My guess is 10,8,6,4 and two torted cake layers per tier.  Those little four inch layers always look taller:)

Wild4cupcakes,

According to my calculations, if this cake were made with 6,8,10,12 cakes each torted and filled to be a full 4" height you'd get about 126 2" x  1.5" servings (that's not counting the top tier).  You could always make up the difference with sheet cakes. 

Thanks for the help!  I usually do cupcakes so always struggle a bit.  The layers look tall to me but with filling probably 2 torted layers is correct.  My niece wants to save the top tier for her anniversary so I probably will do sheet cakes to make up the difference.  Again, thanks so much for the swift reply!

mrsmac888 

here is a short youtube video that shows the buttercream texture technique.  The video starts with vertical texture but at about the 2 minute mark it shows this horizontal technique with the off-set spatula.  That is how I plan to do the cake I'm making.