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what am i doing wrong?

post #1 of 18
11/3/09 at 7:26am
Thread Starter 
this is the 3rd time this has happened to me. my tiered cakes are cracking...it appears to be just the icing...as if one (or more spots) will just blow out and crack?!?!

at first i thought i was not doweling the cakes good enough and the weight was causing it. so i super doweled it!

then i started adding boards underneath the tiered cakes, on top of the dowels to distribute the weight.

then i bought some heavy-duty cake boards. still having the SAME problem

does anyone have any idea what may be the problem??? i will post a pic of the cake that had the problem.i had it crack on the back before it was moved and i just added the roses on the back of the cake to cover the area.... but the last crack did not happen till after it was delivered and it was on the front!!!! i had carried extra roses and just put roses over it to cover the crack. but STILL very frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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post #2 of 18
11/3/09 at 7:40am
Is it possible your supports were cut a bit on the short side which would cause the weight of the upper tier to press on the cake surface causing cracking?
"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi

miniature cake tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNewSneakers?feature=mhsn
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"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi

miniature cake tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNewSneakers?feature=mhsn
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post #3 of 18
11/3/09 at 7:43am
Thread Starter 
pic... the bottom rose is where the first crack happened and i just put that rose there

the 2nd crack was on the front 2nd tier
LL
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post #4 of 18
11/3/09 at 7:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by all4cake

Is it possible your supports were cut a bit on the short side which would cause the weight of the upper tier to press on the cake surface causing cracking?



yes, i guess that could be a possibility that they were not exactly equal.

i cut then a bit shorter because i have had problems in the past with the cake settling some and the supports poking out the top...so i thought i would cut them shorter this time to prevent that from happening.
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post #5 of 18
11/3/09 at 7:49am
Stick a dowel in, mark it even with the top of the cake. NOW take that same dowel, and put it where the other dowels should go. If your mark disappears remark it. That is the height of your dowels. The key is the same height, not more, dowels. Make all dowels the same.

Mike
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post #6 of 18
11/3/09 at 7:52am
Thread Starter 
ok thank you so much! i will try that on the next one. does it sound like i am doing everything else correctly?
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post #7 of 18
11/3/09 at 8:01am
Are you giving your cake enough time to settle? A similar situation happened to me and I fiured out it was because I was baking and icing the same day, silly me. icon_rolleyes.gif
If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.
(Anonymous.)
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If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.
(Anonymous.)
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post #8 of 18
11/3/09 at 8:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Musings9

Are you giving your cake enough time to settle? A similar situation happened to me and I fiured out it was because I was baking and icing the same day, silly me. icon_rolleyes.gif



i had like 4 cakes on the same weekend so i baked ALL the cakes early and froze them. i then allowed the cakes to return to room temp before icing them. the icing was made a day ahead and refrigerated then allowed to return to room temp before icing.
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post #9 of 18
11/3/09 at 8:33am
After your cakes are filled...crumbcoat and allow them to settle with the filling. Then, ice/cover with fondant, dowel(or use the SPS so many rave about), and assemble. That way when you dowel, you won't have to worry that the cake will expose too much of the supports due to settling.

ETA: The cake is beautiful!
"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi

miniature cake tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNewSneakers?feature=mhsn
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"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi

miniature cake tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNewSneakers?feature=mhsn
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post #10 of 18
11/3/09 at 8:46am
I have the same problem too...they are just hairline cracks in the icing tho not thru the cake itself. I wonder if it's my crusting buttercream that is causing this...Does your icing ever crinkle up after it dries so that edges appear a bit puckered?
I love the art of buttercream...
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I love the art of buttercream...
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post #11 of 18
11/3/09 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by all4cake

After your cakes are filled...crumbcoat and allow them to settle with the filling. Then, ice/cover with fondant, dowel(or use the SPS so many rave about), and assemble. That way when you dowel, you won't have to worry that the cake will expose too much of the supports due to settling.




Thank you! i will try crumb coating and allowing it to settle before icing it on the next one...thank you for all of the advice!
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post #12 of 18
11/3/09 at 11:14am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DiscoLady

I have the same problem too...they are just hairline cracks in the icing tho not thru the cake itself. I wonder if it's my crusting buttercream that is causing this...Does your icing ever crinkle up after it dries so that edges appear a bit puckered?



i normally do not have problems with my icing...only when i do the tiered cakes and i think it is all due to weight.

how much shortening do u use in ur icing recipe? it took me a looooooooong time to get my icing right. but i think i finally have it where i like it!
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post #13 of 18
11/5/09 at 9:40pm
You may also be having condensation blow outs if you freeze and thaw your cakes. I'm no expert in this area and have had nothing but problems every single time when I freeze/refrig cakes at any time in the process so I use sugarshack's formula and no perishable fillings and don't refrigerate my cakes. I've had condensation blow outs in BC and fondant and gave up with refrigeration all together because of it.

Just a thought....
Cake disasters are like childbirth...you swear you'll NEVER make another cake but soon the pain is forgotten and you are elbow deep in BC again.
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Cake disasters are like childbirth...you swear you'll NEVER make another cake but soon the pain is forgotten and you are elbow deep in BC again.
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post #14 of 18
11/7/09 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CakeDiosa

You may also be having condensation blow outs if you freeze and thaw your cakes. I'm no expert in this area and have had nothing but problems every single time when I freeze/refrig cakes at any time in the process so I use sugarshack's formula and no perishable fillings and don't refrigerate my cakes. I've had condensation blow outs in BC and fondant and gave up with refrigeration all together because of it.

Just a thought....



i mean that is what it looks like a blow-out so it could be? i am letting the cakes return to room temp before attempting to ice them...to prevent anything like this.but it could have something to do with it

i am unfamiliar with sugarshack's formula...?
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post #15 of 18
11/7/09 at 8:52am
Well, I HIGHLY recommend you buy her Perfecting the Art of Buttercream DVD (www.sugaredproductions.com). It's not that expensive and WEELLLL worth the money.

It's a matter of not using anything perishable in your cake or filling. No butter or milk in the buttercream. Instead she uses the powdered non-dairy coffee creamer dissolved in hot water as the liquid for your BC.

The recipe is basically a ratio of one pound of PS to one cup of shortening (hi ratio if you can get it) then flavoring and creamer to the consistency you'd like.

Again, buy the DVD there is sooo much valuable information on there and it helps to see the consistency of things as she instructs.

I've let cakes come to room temp and I'm telling you there has been maybe one time I can count that I didn't get a bubble or blowout (and that was a small odd shaped cake) but otherwise I always get them no matter whose suggestions I follow for thawing and prepping so I just changed the way I do things and advise people I don't use perishable fillings. It hasn't stopped them from coming back so it's a system that works for me and I don't have to deal with those issues.

hth
Cake disasters are like childbirth...you swear you'll NEVER make another cake but soon the pain is forgotten and you are elbow deep in BC again.
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Cake disasters are like childbirth...you swear you'll NEVER make another cake but soon the pain is forgotten and you are elbow deep in BC again.
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