Hi everyone, I'm new to this. I decided to get a bunch of cake decorating materials and have been doing it for about 9 months now.

There's two things I seem to have trouble with:
1. Once the cake(s) are baked and cooled they have a sticky layer on top. This makes it harder for me to stack the cakes and align them evenly.
2. No matter how many times I try, I always get pink buttercream instead of red. (I'm making a Paw Patrol cake in a couple weeks and will need red icing.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

cut or roll the sticky off -- it will all roll up --

add more red food coloring -- the red you get from the cake deco department of walmart of michael's if you are in the states or from a cake deco store -- not the red you get at the grocery store -- you can encounter an off taste in the icing using enough red -- there's some red called 'no taste red' -- so shop for something else --

would love to see your masterpiece -- best to you

Besides what K8 said, it takes time for red color to develop -- like overnight - then it further deepens color when you pipe if you have hot hands.  Also what I have used in the past is to start with another color like yellow, orange or pink depending on the shade/tone of red you are wanting.  When you start with white you use way more red color.   I have used UNsweetened KoolAid powder also if you can have the b'cream flavored.  It i s a light flavoring but is there.  Usually I add about 1/2 teaspoon of the powder to 1 cup of icing.  Stir it well along w/the color you are using, let it sit in the frig overnight and when you take it out there will be dark spots all through - don't be  alarmed:)  Just give it a good stir and those will blend in and not reappear.