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Settling the cake/Avoiding the BULGE!

post #1 of 19
2/6/13 at 9:16am
Thread Starter 

I am working on a two tiered cake for Saturday, which is a lemon WASC cake. The recipes were a nightmare, but that's neither here nor there....

 

For those of you experienced in settling your cake/those of you who DONT get the bulge in your BC/fondant, I need your approval of what I've done. ha! Sounds naughty.

 

Anyway, I baked cakes yesterday, leveled, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap and soft froze them overnight. This morning, I unwrapped, torted, filled, and stacked them. The lemon WASC caused one of my precious layers to literally collapse on the edge, so I suppose some carving is in my future as well. Anyway, I wrapped the whole tier in plastic wrap, and put my 3" pan on top, with two cake mixes. Probably weighs about 2-2.5 lbs. Is this too heavy? Should I just leave them on the counter until tonight?

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post #2 of 19
2/6/13 at 9:23am

I weigh mine down to speed up the process. 

I think by tonight, with the pan & mixes you should be fine.

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post #3 of 19
2/6/13 at 10:01am

http://cakecentral.com/t/633571/my-newest-trick

 

The ceramic tiles really are the perfect weight.  I never actually put one on the scale though.

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Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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post #4 of 19
2/6/13 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 

Leah,

 

Yes! I am trapped at home today, and haven't had time to get to the hardware store to pick up some tiles. I will do that this weekend, i'm just trying to figure it out in a pinch.

 

Do you think that the weight will be too heavy?

Also, how long do you wait to cover in frosting/fondant after the weights come off? To allow the cake to spring back a bit?

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post #5 of 19
2/6/13 at 11:21am

I wrap well in Press n Seal and use upside down cake pans to weigh down my layers all the time.  Start with the pan the same size as the cake you baked, this helps the top keep its shape while still encouraging settling.  I then just put 1-2 pans of whatever size I can on top of that (2-3 pans total, MagicLine brand) and let it set on my counter for a few hours.  Then remove the pans and put the cakes into the fridge overnight.  All ready for icing the next morning, no bulges.

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Custom Cake Bakery and Decorating Classes

 

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post #6 of 19
2/8/13 at 12:19am
Thread Starter 

Please help me figure out what went wrong? I settled my 10" and 8" tiers for 24 hours on the counter, about half of that time, they had a weight on top. They were wrapped with saran wrap. I unwrapped them this morning and scraped the bulges off the sides, and crumb coated. I put a moderately thin coat on the 10", to where I cound still see the cake layers through the icing in most places. On the 8", I ended up putting a thick layer of butterceam. I let the cakes sit on the counter for another 12 or 13 hours, and tonight I covered them in fondant.

 

I used a MMF  that I have used before (not covered a full cake with it). The fondant looked great at first, and then I started to see the bulges. I mean, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? They settled for almost 48 hours at room temperature! Was it the weight of the fondant? My filling is a shortening based buttercream, at medium "spreading" consistency.

 

Thankfully, there are lots of embellishments and things going on this cake that will artfully hide the flaws, but I need to know why this happened AGAIN, as I have a cake due at the end of the month that is part of a huge order, and I cannot have this happen again...

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post #7 of 19
2/8/13 at 12:24am

Can you post a picture? Maybe your fondant was too thin? It is hard to say. Maybe your fondant was too soft, and stretched?

I would rather make 1 cake for $150, than 3 for $50 each.

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I would rather make 1 cake for $150, than 3 for $50 each.

The person who works for nothing will always have plenty to do!

My sarcasm is good-humored. People generally really like me, in person ;-) 

Licensed, inspected, insured, home-based commercial...

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post #8 of 19
2/8/13 at 5:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smash Cakery View Post

Please help me figure out what went wrong? I settled my 10" and 8" tiers for 24 hours on the counter, about half of that time, they had a weight on top. They were wrapped with saran wrap. I unwrapped them this morning and scraped the bulges off the sides, and crumb coated. I put a moderately thin coat on the 10", to where I cound still see the cake layers through the icing in most places.

 

If you want to get all the air out then you cannot wrap in plastic wrap.

 

I have never had this trouble--but I bake cakes in the evening and let them set at room temperature at least 6 hours and up to overnight.  Crumb coat only takes a half hour in the fridge to chill before you add the final coat of bttercream.

 

Cakes should be baked only until done.  If cake needs to be frozen then it needs to be stone cold to the touch.  I freeze cake layers on a cookie sheet and then wrap well after the have frozen solid.

 

Lemon cake with lemon juice as well as sour cream in the batter will bake softer than other cake because the acid softens the gluten.  Next time add another half cup of all purpose flour--this is one variation where the smaller cake mix is too small for the liquids.

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post #9 of 19
2/8/13 at 6:40am
Thread Starter 

This is what happened. After the first, smooth layer of fondant did in fact did look too thin, I added a second layer, which is not so perfect. ha! ;) Like I said earlier, I can cover these bulges on this particular tier. But GEEZ! This is hideous. when the cake was crumb coated, it was perfect for 12 hours on my counter, unwrapped...

 

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post #10 of 19
2/8/13 at 7:58am

Is that 3 layers of cake and 2 filling?  It looks like the opposite of a bulge, like it is indented where the filling is.

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post #11 of 19
2/8/13 at 8:21am
Is there support in it, or is the top cake sitting directly on the bottom cake?

I would rather make 1 cake for $150, than 3 for $50 each.

The person who works for nothing will always have plenty to do!

My sarcasm is good-humored. People generally really like me, in person ;-) 

Licensed, inspected, insured, home-based commercial...

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I would rather make 1 cake for $150, than 3 for $50 each.

The person who works for nothing will always have plenty to do!

My sarcasm is good-humored. People generally really like me, in person ;-) 

Licensed, inspected, insured, home-based commercial...

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post #12 of 19
2/8/13 at 8:51am
Thread Starter 

it is three layers of cake, two of filling. It may look like its not bulging, but indented...but i assure you, it's bulging. :-/

 

And yes, there are dowel supports in the bottom layer. I dont believe this was caused by the stacking. This was happening as soon as I got the fondant on, hours before it was stacked. sigh. I wish I could identify the issue.

 

I have ordered Sharom Zambito's perfect buttercream DVD, and will order the fondant DVD this weekend as well.

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post #13 of 19
2/9/13 at 1:47pm
Even though the filling was bc, was there a stiff bc dam near the edge? You said the bc was soft/spreading consistency. Maybe it was soft enough that it was just going to squush out no matter what.
Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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post #14 of 19
2/10/13 at 3:28pm
Thread Starter 
Leah, I didn't dam the BC. Didn't think I needed to! But, I will try that on my next cake. I think you are right that it was the weight of the fondant and the squish ready BC.

Thankfully, this particular cake didn't need perfect fondant! Here is the finished job:

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post #15 of 19
2/10/13 at 6:12pm
Very cute! How did you do the saw?
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