Hi CC! I going to make a cake that will be three 1-inch layers with 2 IMBC layers in between, as filling, covered with fondant. Will the IMBC bulge under the weight of the cake and fondant? I just recently bought sugarshack's buttercream dvd and it is great! Sharon said to make the dam extra stiff, but she was only referring to crusting BC. Is there a way to make IMBC or SMBC extra stiff for the dams? Should I add extra PS to the batch I am using for the dam?

Also, when covering a cake with fondant, how thick should the outside BC layer be? When watching Ace of Cakes and Food Challenge, they only seem to crumb coat or use a super thin layer of BC for the outer layer before putting the fondant on. Will using too much BC cause bulging on the side of the fondant when the BC slides off the cake?

I'm sorry for posing so many questions, but all the advice is greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!!!

I wish I could help you but I have never worked with IMBC or SMBC. Only Crusting buttercream. Maybe someone else will be able to lend a hand here.

I do not use those icings often, but I remember that others used them exclusively. I think the secret to doing it is that the cake HAS to be refrigerated before applying the fondant. By refrigerating it, both of those icings consistency are like refrigerated butter. Keep the cake cold until just before you serve it. It would be difficult to do this icing in the heat of the summer.

when I fill and ice a cake with a meringue buttercream I don't make a dam.. i just fill the cake and smooth it on the outside.. A dam is necessary if using a more fluid filling..

the above person was correct, the key (to me) in covering a cake with fondant and and a meringue buttercream is to make sure the cake is cold..

The amount of icing is still up to you. I was taught to use a crumb coat, but I use more than that, I don't think it's the same amount I use if I am making a buttercream cake though..

Thank you for the advice!

i like combining sugarshack's dam with toba's cake spackle. i put my cake scraps in the food processor to make fine crumbs. mix that with some IMBC and make a dam with that, using sharon's techniques.

EDIT: i should say the IMBC recipe i use is rather thin, and that's why i use a dam.

I use SMBC as a dam just fine... no bulging ever.... I dam, fill & crumb coat then stick in the fridge... then I ice every single cake the same with a nice amount of buttercream... smooth and put back in the fridge then put on the fondant when the cake is rock hard.... hth