I read a huge thread on carved cakes, I found here, and with that did my first one! A Donkey Kong cake in my photos...it turned out well but sloppy. I would be 100% happy with it if the fondant had not been lumpy - due to a horrid crumb coat. This is what I need help with.

When ganache is not an option, and the cust wants BC, how does one make it smooth over a carved cake? The cake crumbs into my BC and it ended up so darn lumpy. I used IndyDebbie's (sorry if I misspelled your name) great crusting recipe. It was partly frozen, though, and perhaps this was an issue? I was afraid for it to 100% thaw prior to coating as it seemed too soft.

It was a WASC cake that I had frozen for 2-3 days, quite sturdy.

Do you think double coating when completely thawed will change this? I have a carved cake due in 3 days and really want my fondant smooth this time.

edit: I did have the BC thinned quite well, too

I only use SMBC so I'm not sure what the difference is when smoothing... but for sculpted cakes, I apply a crumb coat, then let it get cold in fridge for a bit. I then add a second layer and let it get hard- I usually put it in the freezer because i'm impatient lol... then I use a plastic bowl scraper to smooth all the edges- especially difficult with rounded cakes. For all the parts I can't get to with the bowl scraper, I use the fatty part of my palms to smooth out the rough edges- Works great! ....hopefully that explanation wasn't too confusing!

Thanks!

Do you think a non-crusting would be better? I tried smoothing post-crusting but it just fell off in clumps

bump!

I don't know much about crusting and non-crusting ...I only know that I've had great success with Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Sorry!

Be sure your crumb coat is a nice soft icing. If it is at ALL too stiff, it will pull the cake apart. Add a little extra milk at a time until it is creamy enough to spread without pulling the cake apart. Use a nice small angled spatula to get into all the nooks and crannies and to give yourself more control.

Crumb coat very well and chill.

Its okay to even do two crumb coats, if you need to.

Chill, and then put your final coating of icing on. Then chill again before adding fondant, if desired.

My refrigerators are my best friends!!!!

I use an icing tip instead of a spatula and cover the whole thing and then start spreading it. If you're only working on the top layer of icing, you don't get any crumbs in it.

hmm- I use Butterdream Dream at a normal thickness that I use for all my cakes. The trick for me is sculpting the cake, then putting it back in the freezer for about 30 minutes- pre crumb coated. That way the loose inside peices can chill a bit. I made a lightning mcqueen today and my cakes were just box mixes (weird friend who only like this one particular flavor and no extenders- ugh!) anyways, it was really soft and a bit crumbly. After it went into the freezer for 30 mins, I used my small angled spatula being VERY careful never to let my spatula touch raw cake. I find that if you dont have enough icing on your spatula then the cakes like to do that fun thing where the top layer pulls off. If that happens then just load up some more frosting and smooth. Then once every area is covered in a THICK layer of buttercream I go back in with my smoother. I use a peice of plastic that I get from walmart in the craft section. It is the stuff that you can make your own stencils out of. I cut it into 2" squares and usually will round off one side (if you have ever had any papered chef stuff it looks like that little brown scraper that comes with all their stoneware).

Anways, then I go through and take off a lot of the excess buttercream with this tool. It works like a charm. Hope that helps. Good luck!

Use cake spackle!!! It makes a huge difference.

so much great help!!!! ty ty ty ty!!!!

When I make 3D cakes I always use a crusting icing. I let it dry and then take a paper towel and smooth all the parts out with my hands. Never had any issues with that method.

What is cake spackle?Is that cake and icing smushed together?

I use my small spatulas and then with gloves on use my fingers etc to get into the small areas.Dabbing spots adding a bit more and such.

Yes, cake spackle is cake and icing smushed together.

I use viva paper towel method on crusting bc to smooth all cakes including carved cakes. Works great and easy to get in all those tight areas on carved cakes.