Hi Cakers!

I made a Dummy cake this weekend because it has been 10 months since I made one. I was afraid I forgot how to make them! =)

In any case I accidentally stumbled on something that I think might help me in the future. When I ice a cake I ice it the Sharon Zambito method. When I go to take the extra icing off the top of the cake with an angled spatula I normally dry it with a paper towel (after dipping it in hot water) before touching the cake.

Well this time, I was just in a rush to get it done; I did NOT dry the spatula. I kept it wet with water. To my surprise it left the top of the cake so smooth instead of leaving spatula marks like it normally does me on the outer edge.

I then spritz the entire cake, sides and all with water and smoothed it out with paper towels and was amazed how much this helped my cake.

I was wondering if anyone else does this with a Real cake. The cake I made this weekend was a Styrofoam dummy that I iced and decorated.

Here is the cake:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2363416/black-and-white

Success stories, tips are appreciated.

Wow, sounds great has anyone else tried it????

I've never sprayed my entire cake but I never wipe off my wet spatula. I just run it under HOT water, give it a shake and smooth away, works great, especially on meringue based butter-creams.

I remember my mom dipping her butterknife (she only did our birthday cakes - nothing professional) in hot water and smoothing the homemade decorating icing. I never saw her spritz the cake with water.

I saw a video online where the woman took a VIVA papertowel, layed it over the cake and smoothed it with a cake smoother. This was done with BC icing. I tried it and LOVED THE RESULTS. I had to be careful and let it "crust over" first or it stuck to the papertowel in places.

It's the only way I ice cakes. Smoother result than viva--and much quicker.

Yes, i have a cake friend(great decorator) worked in a bakery. That is exactly how she does her b/c cakes.

Now I'm intrigued....Mikel79 - didn't the paper towel stick to the wet cake? I also use Sharon's buttercream and always do her method - but if the cake was ever slightly wet it would stick.
Thanks for the tips!!

Yup, that's how I was taught to smooth a buttercream cake. Boiling hot water, shake the excess off and then just smooth the surface. You can get a wonderful, smooth appearance.

Years ago everyone was coming into work wanting fondant cakes. My boss would NOT allow me to use fondant, so I got REALLY good at smoothing the buttercream and rolling the top edge to appear like fondant.

I've never understood the whole paper towel method. I like creamy buttercream, not "crusting". Crusting to me means crunchy, not smooth and creamy. Plus it's so much faster to just smooth with a spatula, but it takes practice in the beginning.