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The Melvira Method for Quick & Easy Smooth Buttercream

By Melvira
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Printed From https://www.cakecentral.com/tutorial/20211/quick-easy-smooth-icing-using-a-roller-melvira-method 2026-04-07

Nothing looks as professional as a perfectly smooth buttercream cake. Unfortunately that is usually easier said than done, until now. Achieve smooth buttercream cakes with this easy, fool-proof method. Documented by Cake Central user, Melvira, this technique uses inexpensive tools to smooth buttercream that looks like fondant.

Before and After using the Melvira roller smoothing method on your buttercream frosted cake.

Over the years, many creative people have come up with a menagerie of methods and tools in the quest to create a flawlessly smooth cake surface, perfect for decorating. After attempting many of these methods, and always falling short, I was left wondering if I would always be plagued by issues like drag marks and finger dents in the icing, air bubble holes, and uneven patches. 

No matter how good the decorations looked, the canvas was always flawed. One day, in the middle of brainstorming over a pock-marked cake I began to design in my head the ideal tool for smoothing and perfecting my icing surface. As I pictured it, detail by detail, it struck me that I had seen such a tool before. It was just never intended for use on a cake. A quick trip to my local hardware store brought me face to face with the tool in my minds eye. With a small, dense foam paint roller in my hand (intended for use on walls), I headed home to test the theory, and was immediately rewarded by perhaps the smoothest cake I had ever turned out. The difference was amazing! 

The theory behind this method is that the dense foam is strong enough to push the icing in on itself, smoothing out any wrinkles or air bubbles, while being malleable enough to not damage the icing surface. Through trial and error I was able to develop the method, and mostly through error, created a list of tips that will help this method succeed for most individuals who attempt it. I have had an amazing outpour of positive results from both professional bakers, as well as home novice bakers, so it is a method that is accessible to all skill levels! 

The “Melvira Method” is intended to help you create a perfectly smooth icing surface on your cake, ideal for decorating. 

To complete this method you will need to purchase a high-density foam roller at your local hardware or paint supply store. The brand I am using is called "Quick Solutions". The description on the package says 6" Fine Finish Mini Roller

Most discount stores do not carry the high-density foam, please insure that you purchase the high-density foam roller refill heads or you will be left with a ‘spackle-like’ texture on your icing. The rollers are available in 2”, 4”, and 6” widths. 6” is ideal for most cakes, although the 2” is useful for the sides of sheet cakes, or for shaped/character cakes.

Step 1

To get started: Insure that you are using a crusting buttercream recipe! This is imperative if you do not wish to have a sticky mess all over the roller! 

Step 2

Smooth icing as you normally would, with a spatula. Allow it to sit and crust for at least 10-15 minutes, longer if humidity is high.

If you are using a cake that has been frozen, be sure that it is completely thawed and any condensation has dried, or the roller will simply pull the icing off of your cake. This method will not work on a cake that is tacky to the touch or on icing that does not crust, please do not attempt it!

Step 3

After the cake has crusted, gently roll the foam head over the cake as though you were painting it. I usually start with the sides of the cake, and then proceed to the top, bringing the edge together as crisply as possible.

Step 4

Gently roll across the top surface of your cake, smoothing out any air pockets, bumps, or wrinkles across the cake. Use long, light and gentle strokes across the surface. Do not use short, fast strokes as this may displace icing.

Step 5

Alternately, a Viva paper towel can be used on top of the icing as you roll, serving as a barrier between the icing and the roller, also insuring the smooth finish you would expect from the Viva method. You may also use waxed paper or parchment to achieve the smoothest surface possible.

Step 6

The roller is an excellent way to apply an edible image. Prepare a squirt bottle with clean water and set it to a fine mist. Immediately before applying image, hold water bottle about a foot above cake and spritz a fine mist over the top, letting it float down and create a slightly tacky surface so the image will adhere. Immediately apply image. Use roller to smooth over image in the same way you smoothed the top icing. Allow image to set. Before adding borders, smooth one more time.

Roller Care:

  • Wash roller foam pad well with dish soap and hot water before first use and immediately following subsequent uses. Rinse thoroughly, use fingers to squeegee out excess water and allow foam to completely dry before using.
  •  if the cake or the roller is AT ALL damp, the icing will stick. Roller must absolutely dry before attempting this method. 
  • It is advisable to have roller refill heads available in case the foam becomes wet or damaged in the middle of smoothing your cake. 
  • For easiest cleaning, do not apply soap directly to foam, take a small amount of dish soap and lather in your hands, then rub lather into foam. 
  • The roller may become stained if used on chocolate or colored icings, but this will not affect its performance. If you wash the foam well, any color stains should not bleed onto a white cake during subsequent uses, however, if you are unsure, test it by rolling some icing on a sheet of waxed paper or a cookie sheet before using on cake

Troubleshooting:

  • Use the most dense foam roller available, the higher the density, the smoother the surface. Low density roller heads will give you a velvet texture on your cake.
  • Icing pulls away from cake and sticks to roller head. Either icing is not crusted well enough, it is still tacky. Allow to more thoroughly crust. -or- You are using short, jerky strokes. Use longer, slow and smooth strokes to gently manipulate icing. If the cake itself was frozen, make sure it is thoroughly thawed and at room temp before you ice, or the condensation will come through the icing and stick to the roller.
  • Icing cracks and looks dry when I roll it. Icing is too crusted. Reapply a thin layer of icing and roll before it becomes too dry.
  • Air holes are not disappearing when I roll: Use a slightly firmer pressure. While you do not want to ‘smash’ the icing, you do want to push firmly enough to smooth out air bubbles and holes.