I hate it!!! I can't stand it! How can I stop that stupid buldge in the middle of my fondant covered cakes?!
I've heard 2 things that might help.
1. Fill your cake and let it sit for a while, to settle before you ice and cover it.
2. on the bottom layer of your tier, trim the top edge of the cake so it's not a straight corner.....just trim it off a little to bevel it. Then fill and top with second layer, let sit for a bit, then frost.
HTH
Oh the dreaded buldge!!....I hate it too A while ago, I posted this same question, and I was told to really squish my cake down after putting the filling in, and let it sit for a while before you frost. Then it will bulge out and you can scrape off the excess as you frost it. Then it shouldn't bulge when you lay your fondant on. Also, don't over-fill.
The best way I have found and it works every time for me, was passed on to me by my late friend. Pipe a dam just inside the edge of the bottom layer of cake using a #12 plain piping tip, add filling to the center and place the top layer on. NOW see the space between the two layers on the side of the cake? Pipe a line of icing with the same #12 tip to fill in that space. smooth the line with an icing spatula and then crumb coat, refrigerate for about 10 minutes and then final coat with icing. Filling in that space on the sides is what works, the dam keeps the filling in place but it also lifts that top layer off a ways from the bottom layer. The line of icing to fill in that gap on the sides is what prevents the dreaded bulge.
By the way, the icing for the dam and for that line does not have to be super thick buttercream, I use Italian meringue and it is quite light weight, but it holds in place very well.
This was in a thread a while ago, and forgive me for not remembering who it was that stated this, but she said she learned to always place the top sides down and she never has a bulging problem.
Anyone remember this?
ShirleyW, what you explained is how I do it and it seems to work pretty good for me. Some day I am going to try the top sides down as well to check it out, never hurts to try something new!
I haven't tried the top sides down, I cut the tops off all my cake layers to level them, the cut sides then go together in the center of the cake. I think cutting off the tops to level not only gives you a nice flat surface but it also removes that outer crust, I think it is kind of chewy and it leaves that brown line in the center of the cake next to the filling.
I do remember a thread about placing the bottoms of the cake layers together, certainly makes sense. They would be as level and flat as you'll ever get. I had forgotten about it.
I had this problem today when I did my Thanksgiving cake. I think the problem I ran into was that the icing for my dam wasn't stiff enough. So now the sides look weird and on the backside of the cake, it looks like the buttercream is trying to slide off. I have the cake in the freezer right now to help it set and then in a few hours we're going to my parents' house. Hopefully it'll hold up okay until we get down there and I'll have to see how it looks. If worse comes to worse, we'll just eat it tonight with my parents and brother as oppose to taking it to my grandparents' house tomorrow and eating it with the whole family.
The best way I have found and it works every time for me, was passed on to me by my late friend. Pipe a dam just inside the edge of the bottom layer of cake using a #12 plain piping tip, add filling to the center and place the top layer on. NOW see the space between the two layers on the side of the cake? Pipe a line of icing with the same #12 tip to fill in that space. smooth the line with an icing spatula and then crumb coat, refrigerate for about 10 minutes and then final coat with icing. Filling in that space on the sides is what works, the dam keeps the filling in place but it also lifts that top layer off a ways from the bottom layer. The line of icing to fill in that gap on the sides is what prevents the dreaded bulge.
By the way, the icing for the dam and for that line does not have to be super thick buttercream, I use Italian meringue and it is quite light weight, but it holds in place very well.
I do this, it really works well. I call it "cake caulking" I use a tip 12 also and stiff BC. I also try and let it sit for awhile just in case there is any settling. I do also push down on the top a little to speed up the process.
Dont overfill either. I havent had a problem since I started doing it like this.
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