Does anyone have any tips for getting smooth icing. I use thin consistencey icing and then let it crust for one hour, then VIVA paper towel it...then repeat. But I can't get it perfectly smooth. Do any of you experts have any tips or advice? Thanks in advance

I'm not an expert, but my guess is that you are waiting too long. I usually let mine crust for about 15 min. Hopefully someone else can give you a definate answer.

I've read on here that after you viva it you should do the same thing with computer paper and that makes is really smooth. I'm going to try this on my next cake that I do. I would love to have really smooth icing as well! Good luck!

Thanks for the help...I'll have to try the computer paper. Anyone else have any tips?

I too use the thinned BC to ice. I refrigerate for one half hour, then do the VIVA with the fondant smoother.

I tried the computer paper once for a final smoothing after doing Viva, and off came the icing, couldn't believe it. So it's just VIVA for me. I think you left it to crust too long. The cold icing gets really smooth, but I wouldn't leave it in longer than half hour.

Good Luck!

is viva the brand of paper towels,because I have been looning for the ones with the circle imprint and can't find,I only see plain.am I looking for the right thing I get my icing smooth with a hot spatula(hot hot h2o) once I tried the waxed paper after it crusted,but the icing came off with that.

Can someone very very kindly describe exactly how textured Viva is? Or perhaps take a picture of the kind of paper towel it is? We have paper towels over here in England but most of them are textured so do not know whether they can be used for smoothing cakes.

nicksmom: yes, you do want the plain one with no pattern. smooths very nicely.

simply: I don't buy VIVA except for smoothing, so I don't know about the textures. Maybe it would look neat, though, having a light pattern?

Hello all,

I just came back from my first Wilton cake decorating class and everyone raved over how smooth my cake was. I promptly told everyone about cakecentral.com, and how I had read on here that by using a Viva papertowel, you can smooth out your cakes. Well, it worked, except maybe I pressed too hard or something....my cake had little pieces of papertowel lint on it, and I felt like my icing moved around while I was trying to smooth the sides of the cake. I would get the top smoothed, then start on the sides only to have the icing move back up to the top of the cake. Can anyone give me some advice on how to avoid moving icing?

Simply, I would describe Viva Papertowels kind of like flannel material. It is real thick and cushiony feeling. Real soft and does not have little indents (dots) in the paper. I would say it is softer than Charmin Toilet paper and twice as thick. I hope this helps.

I just use boiling water in a tall coffee mug/thermos.

It's tall enough for my big spatula to stand up in if I need my hands for something else for a second, and with it being made to keep things hot, the water stays hot enough to do it's job for a while.

My cakes end up smooth as glass.

--Knox--

I use the Viva method, and usually only wait 5-10 minutes. This usually smoothes it to my satisfaction, but if it isn't, I will do the computer paper afterward. It always works.

Sherry

Thanks again everyone. Your suggestions really help. I actually read the article "Upside down icing technique for perfectly smooth icing. Although I didn't do the upside down part (I plan on trying it with my next cake), I went out and bought a spakling knife...it worked amazingly!!! Funny how things that aren't meant for cake decorating can be so handy!!

janetwhitson

where did you read the Upside down icing technique for perfectly smooth icing. I would be interested in reading that.

http://www.cakecentral.com/article6-Upside-Down-Icing-Technique-for-Perfectly-Smooth-Icing.html

it's under 'articles'

I use (and maybe it's old-school, i don't know) parchment paper after the icing crusts for about 15 minutes or so. I just place it on as much surface as possible, and smooth with a spatula, and repeat as needed. I've tried the paper towels, but I always get lint. I'll try the hot spatula some time, though. Sounds easy and fairly foolproof.