I've tried the viva method twice because I can NEVER create a smooth surface. Both times, the cake looked great, but about 20 minutes later, the icing starts to slide around and wrinkles around the middle where the layers touch. What am I doing wrong????!
You are probably not doing anything wrong per se. Cakes tend to settle as they sit. Lots of remedies have been proposed here from creating a super stiff icing damn around the edge, to filling the cake, covering in plastic and laying a heavy tile on top overnight. I guess you just have to find what works.
I NEVER have that happen...my reasoning is that I use a icing that doesn't not contain liquid (2 pounds powdered sugar, 1 1/2 cups butter, 1 1/2 cups hi ratio shortening and two tablespoons vanilla) so the sugar molecules never really get "wet"...once they do they tend to form a very slow flowing liquid that tends to bulge out of the sides over time. Keeping cakes chilled also helps minimize this problem.
No, I didn't know you were supposed to do that. How long should I wait?
Hi Jeff. Does your buttercream crust?! I didn't know you could create a crusting buttercream with hi-ratio. I hate using crisco!!!
No, not really…maybe just very slightly after it’s been in the cooler overnight…but certainly not enough for the Viva method…I just use a bench scraper and angled spatula to smooth mine.
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