AI think your not allowing the cake to settle before doing your final coat of buttercream, does your cake do that before you put the fondant on? what brand are you using?

I think i read that you iced a frozen cake, every time I have done that, it shifts as it defrosts. A chilled cake is fine, or room temp.

I have to agree with AZ though, that cake is definitely not leveled, the rounded top tells you that. From the bulge, it looks like you have too must filling in there, and no dam, so it is squishing out as the cake settles and as you apply fondant.

You cannot use a cake like that for stacking something on top of. Otherwise to properly dowel and stack, it would have to stick up beyond the top of the cake, and leave you with a strange looking gap and most likely an unstable cake, (unless you are using pillars). The top needs to be level!

Obviously you don't have time to do this now, but for next time, bake 2 2" high cakes, level the top off, then tort each layer into even 1 inch layers. Before I got an Agbay, I used a level on every single layer, to make sure it was perfect.

You don't need much frosting or filling at all between layers, since you get three layers of it, I use about 1/4". I don't use a dam personally, but I would definitely suggest dong so. Just add powdered sugar til your frosting is a very thick consistency, and pipe a ring around the edge of the cake, then fill with your filling.

Look up 'cake settling' here, and you will find a lot of threads. One method uses a tile on top of the cake to settle it.

After all that, then you can ice it, chill it, don't freeze it, and cover with fondant.

ADon't forget to show us how it all ended up! Don't leave us hanging..hope it works out ok for the bride.

AI always ice a refridgerated cake. Do my crumb coat, then freeze it. I don't use a crusting buttercream do i need some way of shaping it. I do my second coat. Freeze. Take my scraper each time and fix/even out my sides. Fondant is easier to work onto a frozen cake. That will scure your cake from buckling. My freezing time is like 15-20 mins each time for a definite outcome. Hope this helps. Never had any issues.

AOk wow!!! Lots and lots of helpful info!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I will definitely be trying EVERYTHING and do more research. The cake turned out good!! Thank goodness for ribbon :) lol. The bride was very happy

Well, just keep practicing, it should get better. Glad they were understanding, and the flowers are cute! 

AThank you so much :)

A[@]mfeagan[/@] that's a good idea to use fondant as a dam, thank you! All ideas from anyone is greatly appreciated!!!

AA fondant dam? No. No one wants to bite into that. Just work on creating on a dam with icing that works. I don't know anyone else who has to resort to that, and frankly it's icky.

ANot trying to be argumentative but I use a nice thick layer of icing on all cakes, fondant covered or not, again, what most people I know do as well. I think the OP, and anyone else who feels they need to resort to these kind of shortcuts or what have you, just need to actually practice more. Watch more videos and see how to do it correctly. Can't rush this work. Need to practice, period. Mine weren't smooth and clean the first time, or the second or third times...it took awhile.

ALiterally LOL, I already use the best fondant you can possibly use, it has nothing to do with the taste. Fondant is for covering and decorating a cake, not a rigged up patch because a person can't dam their cakes the right way. And for what it's worth, being a pastry chef, well known or not doesn't impress me when it comes to cake construction or decorating. Sorry, but a fondant rope is nothing more than a lazy method, at best.

So many things that are suggested here are indeed shortcuts and methods for quick fixes because people want instant gratification, rather than slowing down and learning the correct procedures. True story.

ASorry, the last thing I want to sound like is bashing someone's methods, too late, I'm sure, but that's just completely unnecessary.

AYou guys.....

The experts here are here to HELP. They have no reason to bash you. They aren't trying to be rude. They may not tell you what you want to here but it's not bashing.

I think sometimes y'all forget we are all strangers. Of what interest is to somebody else to bash? Who has time to just sit on here and do that...

If you come to the Internet to ask for help don't expect lollipops and rainbows. Just take the help and grow your craft.

AJust want to add that the OP did handle it like a champ :)

AWow didn't realize his site had people throwing these little digs at eachother lol

AI can see how that may sound like a dig. It really isn't. It's the truth. Sometimes, people will offer "advice" that is a shortcut to learning the right way to do something.

I personally would never use a fondant dam. I also wouldn't recommend it to someone else. I use a buttercream dam. Not only is it more common, it's easier! Just pipe a damn!! More importantly, a fondant dam could cause more problems.

The fondant dam doesn't Amish like a buttercream one. This could lead to trapped air causing a huge air bubble on a finished cake.

A

ALollllll

ACurse that autocorrect!