Help Save My Mini Tiered Cake?

I spent all night working on a mini tiered cake (four tiers high). It was a real pain! Harder to frost that than large cakes for a regular sized tiered cake, I think. Do any of you find that is true? At this point l still only have it frosted and stacked, but not decorated. It looks pretty awful, not smooth at all. Yeah, very bad. I'm very disappointed. I am looking for ideas on how to save it and make it look nice and not just be an ugly practice cake. I want something useful for my portfolio if possible.

I think the frosting looks so rough and unsmooth because the frosting is too thin/soft and didn't set even in the fridge. I didn't use any meringue powder, either, so maybe that's why? Every time I tried to parchment paper smooth it, it stuck to it and pulled up, even after a couple of HOURS in the fridge. It is the regular buttercream frosting with more than half butter (Dawn's recipe), but I think I thinned too much.. about 2T milk for double batch didn't seem like too much, but it is. I used wintergreen candy flavoring, which is very very concentrated, and I doubt that the 10 drops of that really thinned it too much, though maybe. Trying to figure out what happened is one part.. but trying to save it now is more important to me.. Input on either is appreciated, though!

I'm debating making some ganache to pour over the whole tiered cake. Would that possibly work or not?? Has anyone tried pouring ganache over a tiered cake already stacked? It might get better, or it could get much worse if I pour ganache over it.. but it's chocolate, so how bad could it be? I mean, it will only get yummier, but it might look as bad. Hmm.

I could also try to decorate the sides enough - like with basketweave maybe, so that it's covered up. That would require making a lot more wintergreen buttercream frosting, though. Hrm. Not going to do fondant on this one. Too much work I'm not ready for.

This morning I also made another Chai cake in the Jungle Lion pan for company coming to visit on Friday. Tonight I will make the frosting for that one (whipped ganache filling, chocolate cream cheese frosting and some plain cream cheese frosting for coloring) and decorate it, AND finish decorating the mini tiered cake somehow... (on top of everything else I have to get done.. yike!)

I'm off to bed now.. I'm a night owl. I'll get any responses when I'm up this afternoon. Thanks!

~AngelWendy

Want to add that I have no ideas on HOW to decorate this when I finally figure out how I'm going to smooth or cover the frosting. Any ideas you would share? Thanks!

~AngelWendy

Thanks for replies so far.. Too tired to answer each one individ. but want to answer the questions..

Tiers are 5" 4", 3", 2". They are about 2" high each. It's 9.5" high (yes, lots of filling).

I've never done fondant at all and that scares the bejesus out of me. Maybe next time.. and I want to do that first on a basic one or two layer 8" or 9".

Why not ganache, Flayvurdfun? Does anyone know why that would be bad for it or if it might work?

Yes, I did try the hot knife several times. I had to crumb coat this one, too. It's the Better than Sex Chocolate cake from the "Cake Mix Doctor" book's recipe. It had a lot of crumbs.

I know starting over is an option, but damn, I don't want to do that. The frosting tastes terrific!

Just occurred to me that it rained last night.. and maybe that is why... still a lot of humidity in the air. It was raining when I made the frosting, too.

Still need ideas.. haven't figured it out yet..

later!

Thanks for replies so far.. Too tired to answer each one individ. but want to answer the questions..

Tiers are 5" 4", 3", 2". They are about 2" high each. It's 9.5" high (yes, lots of filling).

I've never done fondant at all and that scares the bejesus out of me. Maybe next time.. and I want to do that first on a basic one or two layer 8" or 9".

Why not ganache, Flayvurdfun? Does anyone know why that would be bad for it or if it might work?

Yes, I did try the hot knife several times. I had to crumb coat this one, too. It's the Better than Sex Chocolate cake from the "Cake Mix Doctor" book's recipe. It had a lot of crumbs.

I know starting over is an option, but damn, I don't want to do that. The frosting tastes terrific!

Just occurred to me that it rained last night.. and maybe that is why... still a lot of humidity in the air. It was raining when I made the frosting, too.

Still need ideas.. haven't figured it out yet..

later!

Ok, so IF I use MMF..
well, can I make it tonight and use it tonight or does it need to sit overnight?

How large do I have to make it? I'm guessing the 9.5 inches times two (19), plus the diameter of the bottom largest cake - 5", or 24" diameter??

Do you need to flavor MMF to get it to taste ok?

And perhaps most importantly - do you need to knead by hand or can you use the big mixers? I have a KitchenAid 5 quart Artisan (I think that's the type) and I often knead bread in it with the bread hook attachment. Have any of you tried that?

I'll repost this in another post, but if anyone gets this one, please help me out ASAP..

Thanks!
~AngelWendy