Posted by tutugirl
This tutorial shows you step by step how to frost your cake in buttercream icing, and smooth it to a perfect finish. Commonly referred to as the "VIVA Paper Towel Method"
After so many of you asking how I do it here it is....
List of Materials
- VIVA® Brand Paper Towels (will not work with other quilted brands)
- Decorating Tip #18
- 18 inch Icing Bag
- Angled Spatula
- Fondant Smoother (aka fondant paddle)
- VERY HOT Water
With a tip 18 and an 18 inch bag pipe up and down the side of prepared crumb coated cake
Continue all the way around the cake.
With a large metal angled spatula dipped in VERY hot water
Remove spatula from water
dry the spatula and go around the cake...in sections till is all done
With the smooth side of a viva towel rub the cake all the way around pushing any air bubbles up.
With the smooth side of the viva towel round the edges with your fingers.
With the viva towel and a fondant paddle smooth the side of the cake.
With the tip 18 fill the top of the cake.
With a VERY hot angle spatula smooth the top of the cake.
Continue the until top all done with the hot spatula.
With the smooth side of the viva towel and your hand smooth the top and the edge blending the edge well.
With the smooth side of the viva towel and the fondant paddle smooth the top and the sides one final time.
Great Job!! I am totally gonna try this! I know it may not matter but what tip did you use??
Oops I just read the captions and saw what tip. Sorry
Mi receta es
2 tazas de mantequilla con sal
2 tazas de high ratio (manteca vegetal especial para icing)
sabores (los que quieras)
Añade poco a poco 4 libras de Domino Confectioner 10x
una pizca de sal
En Puerto Rico no se puede añadir agua pero aca en EU añado 2 o 3 chucaradas de agua caliente
Thanks for this tutorial, it is awesome, can't wait to try it!!!! THANKS!!!!! 
Great pictures! Wish I could use the tips you shared but I use a non-crusting buttercream.
You can use this technique with a non-crusting recipe I use SMBC most of the time and all I do is refrigerate it till set then use the paper towel method to smooth it works perfectly!
Cuando fui a Puerto Rico a enseñar como hacer esto, no le pude poner agua porque hace mucho calor y no se necesita el agua.
I don't know what is the difference between crusting or not crusting...
My recipe
2 cups of butter
2 cups of hi ratio
flavorings
4 pound of confectioners sugar 10x
3 tablespoons of hot water (depending on the weather)
I don't use meringue powder.
I add water to crumb coat but to ice is stiff consistency...I hope this helped.
Let me know if you have additional questions.
Wonderful tutorial! Thank you for sharing. 
Thanks
the tip 18, I have seen these, but couldnt find a coupler... is there such a thing as a coupler for that? or doI just put it down in the bag?
I think mybiggest problem is I dont water down my crumbcoat.
It seems to pull my cake away and is too thick. I have to master the icing before I can get good at anything else.
I do much better when someone wants a cake with a texture cover. LOL
Wow! Thanks for posting this. I always have trouble with the top, so I'm going to try your method next time. Thanks, again
Awesome tutorial. I'm going to try this on my next cake. It seems like you have much more control than when you use tip 789. Thank you for sharing.
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