just tried a tapered cake for the first time. used wasc recipe (DH yellow mix). was so proud of how nice the angle was looking (trimmed a 10 inch to 8 at the bottom). when i flipped it over, it fell apart! is wasc too soft for tapering? anyone ever had this problem?

I don't use WASC, but I think carving like that is best done with the cake frozen.

It deffinataly can be done. I've made tapered and topsy turvy cakes, and I use straight cake mix. I really don't like doing them because they are sooo much less stable. If you are having trouble you can pop it into the freezer to let it firm up a bit, but a firm scratch cake probably would solve your problem.

was going to do one for an order, they requested red velvet. thought about trying the rv mix and doctoring it. now i'm afraid to try. any thoughts on that?

one other thought, i used three layers--is that perhaps too many? didn't know how many to use when tapering

Yes, that's happened to me. I made my cake too moist, which is what I was going for, but I went a little overboard! LOL

OMG!!! I have a 2 tier bday cake to do and its a tapered square cake!!! and I only work in bc...so now I can see it falling apart...

any ideas???

chocolate ganache as the icing & filling or a stiff buttercream as the filling. I still ice with ganache then cover with fondant. chilling is your friend. i prefer to carve unfrozen but very well chilled.

Well heck!!! I dont work in fondant at all, we tend to fight...and Im not crazy about the taste...I use Indys recipe and it crust real good...

Am wondering if Im not gonna be able to do this cake!!!

in my photos, there's a huge topsy cake that was iced in pink buttercream. knowing what i know now, i have no clue how we made it in one piece, lol. given that same cake to do again, i would still ice in ganache and then cover in buttercream.

google planet cake and check out their topsy 'tutorial' (i use quotes because it's not a whole tute, just the how to cover in fondant part.) i paired that with a tute on flikr, and another on youtube and now my topsys are all like the hot pink & black '21st' bday cake in my pics. (much sharper lines/angles)

You pink cake is gorgrous! well im gonna hurt making this cake, i cant work melting choc! I tried for the longest to make truffles and choc. Transfer and mine gets cold,hard and lumpy. Now you say ganache is my only hope, panic now! Im wondering if if have a chance freezing it after crumb coating and using a good crusting bc.......

Ok, my last post was last night on my nook...and I was stressing at this point on the ganache...lol

Today I got up and decided to do as you said, research videos, and I did on how to make white ganache...I "think" I "might" be able to do this! lol...Dont get excited for me YET!!! lol

It looks simple making the ganache, but then again, it looks simple to do cake balls, truffles, and transfers in choc. and I CAN NOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME WORK WITH MELTED CHOC.!

So ok, the ganache, it holds the cake together? does it get hard? like a candy bar coating? how would it taste with SPICE CAKE?? she wants spice cake...lol After using gananche do I cover the cake in bc like regular?

I wouldn't use chocolate ganache without consulting the customer first-- esp with a spice cake. I havent made wite chocolate ganache, but i do know the ratio of cream to choc is different.
For success with making ganache, make sure you heat your cream but pour it over your chocolate that is in a bowl (i use glass)-- do not add your chips to the pot of hot cream-- you will get lumps. So, pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit a few minutes, then use a whisk to combine. Also, let it cool gradually... Cooling too quickly can cause an off texture as well.
Yes, the ganache gets 'hard'.. But not too hard. You could use buttercream i guess and keep it well chilled. You'd want a 'stiff' buttercream and a good crusting recipe for the outside. Support is key for stacking as well.
As for carving, i use doctored mixes and This is a great tutorial http://tinyurl.com/Flikrtut

Eta: the ganache should not be pourable when you ice the cake if that's what ou choose to use-- it should be chilled/cooled to an icing consistancy. I have read that planet cake wont do topsys in anything but a dense mud cake with chocolate ganache. I will do them in any flavor, but will only cover in ganache + fondant or ganache + buttercream. (& i strongly prefer the fondant route)

Thanks so much for all the input!!! Ive made white ganache just now and tomm. I will see what I end up with. Ive read to whip it so that it can be fluffy, how long would I whip it and do I use my KA?

And I know I read somewhere that they cover a cake in it and then use bc, I use Indys recipe and love it!!! It crust real good, you think that would work or would it slide off? The party is outside.

Also can I tint the white ganache? example Pink or blue,whatever color I need?

Oh the customer is for my 17yr old daughters baby girl that is turning one yr old, she is a NICU Cardiac baby....so we are celebrating with a party.

Thank you so Very Much!!!!

Ok, made the ganache and I let it sit over night on the kitchen counter....I went to check it just now and its still very soft.

Soft enough that if I move the bowl it moves, its a creamy texture....This means it didnt work, right?!

Oh gosh here we go again...lol, something so simple like melted choc and I cant do this....lol...hmmmm

once it has some to room temp, then you can put it in the fridge to firm up-- do consider though, that ganache & buttercream are both not the best for an outside cake. i would deliver it well chilled, set it up indoors, and then bring it out for the cutting if necessary.

did you use a recipe that adjusted the amount of cream in consideration of the white chocolate?
to tint the ganache, you will need to use candy colors (oil based) as opposed to gel colors. if not, the color only binds to the 'cream' in essence-- your color will likely be mottled.

If I use wasc for a topsy turvy, I add two extra egg whites and 1/4 c flour.

I`ve made tapered/ topsy turvy cakes with WASC cake recipe and never have a problem, if the cake its too tapered just put it in the freezer for a day and then carve it. I also put some skewers as structure.

here you can look at some of my tapered cakes, the red one was 4 layers, 2 almond and 2 devil`s food and nuts with dulce de leche filling, the blue was 3 layers of poopy seed and mexican wine cajeta filling. Both covered in buttercream and Marshmallow fondant

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=228640340480691&set=a.149484588396267.26747.117274158283977&type=1&ref=nf

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213636921981033&set=a.149484588396267.26747.117274158283977&type=1&theater