Well, it's already been a year since I made this video and I've come along way. I still use the same technique and it works well. So, hopefully some of the 90K+ people who have viewed this tutorial have found it at least a little helpful. I may not be the fastest, but I'm okay with that as long as I get the results I'm after.
Sorry! I was still very new at making videos when I put this together, and didn't explain myself well. The "extra" is the bumpy parts. You put on more than you need in the beginning, so you have enough to scrape away when smoothing (it just depends on how thick of a layer of buttercream you want). Something that I've found helpful is to trim the CAKE a little smaller than the cake board, so there is about 1/4 inch of space all the way around. Then use the board as your guide.
This is great. I've seen lots of techniques to get crusting buttercreams smooth, but very few to get NON-crusting buttercreams perfectly smooth. I really don't like using shortening in my icing, so this technique is perfect for me. Thanks!
You are very welcome, I started using SMBC a little over a year ago... while there are plenty of instructions out there for smoothing American Buttercream, very little about Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The "Hot Knife" method didn't work for me because it discolored the buttercream... so I figured I would share with everyone what I found to be the best technique! Good Luck!
I'm a baker and I'm using her method to ice my cakes and it works so well. those lips are really necessary to have flat surface on top of your cake. otherwise the top center will be slightly higher than the sides due to lack of icing there (and it will happen to amateur bakers like me). extra icing will help level it up perfectly. thanks HappyCakeBakes for this tutorial. it's easier than other tutorials I've learned before.
@melissy516 Hi! I generally don't have a problem with fondant sticking to the chilled buttercream cake... but if you are having trouble with it adhering you can try adding a little piping gel or even just a little "fresh" buttercream. I'm not sure how well water would work with a Swiss Meringue Buttercream (I've never tried it)... I think the high butter content would repel water making the decorations more likely to slide around....
@ecuaricanchula Yes! Swiss Buttercream tends to be much softer/lighter than an American style buttercream... I always let it set up hard in the frudge before covering with fondant, it is much easier to work with that way and you'll have sharper, cleaner edges :) The only drawback is you have to work quickly when smoothing because the cold cake will cause the fondant to stiffen up a little, and the temp difference can cause condensation.
Thank you for the compliment! Yes, you can use this under fondant... I do almost exclusively! Just make sure you chill it first so the buttercream is solid before you cover w/ fondant! If it is a really warm day, I wait until the last possible minute to pull it out of the refrigerator.
You have to have icing up over the edge of the cake all the way around to get a nice sharp corner. On this cake there were some areas that already had the "lip" and some that did not, so I added more icing. If you feel you don't need to do it, then don't... but his is how I ice my cakes and it works for me.
thank you so much for this video, im tired of seeing vidoes with lots of shortening or powdered sugar, i just want to be able to use what i love that i know is good quality, thank you 😊
to the people who are saying there is too much icing, shut your mouth because this is a how to smooth put cake, not how to smooth out a cake with little icing, so please keep the rude comments to yourself. Anywho, this is a great tutorial/ video! Keep it coming(:
Thank you so much for this video. I have finalllly achieved smooth buttercream with my cakes because of this vid. They look so much more professional and I'm so proud of them. :)
@silverteacakes Hi! My best guess is that the SMBC got a little soft while you were smoothing the fondant and got pushed around creating the dents... I always make sure that the icing is solid before covering it with fondant, so yes, after smoothing, I pop it back in the fridge... I take it out, right after I've rolled out my fondant, so it doesn't have time to get soft. I find it easier to work with a cold cake...
EXCELLENT WORK!!! thank you for teaching me how to do this...I only work with fondant..now im going to practice your technique....prayerfully I will be as great as you...MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOUR HANDS AND CREATIVE MIND!!
This video is very helpful I am a young cake decorator who is trying to learn the ins and outs of this field and this video was very helpful =) thanks a lot.
@silverteacakes I bet the extra chill time will help tremendously! Yes, always put my cakes in the fridge, even with fondant... It makes it easier to work with when decorating, and much easier to transport! I've never had condensation cause a problem for me.. just DON'T touch the cake until the condensation evaporates otherwise you'll get fingerprints... but I don't live in an especially humid climate either, so that might make a difference.
@HappyCakesBakes You are correct. I left my cake out while rolling out my fondant. I did not think to have my fondant ready before pulling the cake out of the fridge. Also, I don't think 30 minutes was long enough to chill in the fridge. Your video says to leave it for an hour. I will do this next time. One more question, once you cover the cake with fondant and it's nice and smooth, do you place it back in the fridge? What about condensation? Will you have a gooey mess?
Wow you made this look awfully easy Im going to attempt this method for my niece's birthday cake Now I need to watch your video for the buttercream recipe Thanking you
Hi! I do always store my cakes in the refrigerator, but it's not necessary. I do it to because I find it easier to decorate and transport a cold/solid cake. But the icing is okay at room temperature for a day or to. You can store unused icing covered on the counter or in the refrigerator. If you do keep it chilled, just make sure you take it out well in advance of when you need it so it can thaw completely. Then re-beat w/ the paddle until it's back to it's correct consistency :)
@NappynHappy81 Hi! I'm sorry I didn't see your comment before... I would suggest you let you cake chill an become hard before covering it with fondant... I find Swiss Meringue Buttercream to be on the soft side and imagine you would have a very difficult time trying to smooth it when soft. Also, yes, I do still do the final smoothing technique when covering a cake with fondant. Fondant will show ever lump and bump, you can't have smooth fondant without smooth buttercream :)
As long as the cake is cold, it's pretty easy! Just get a spatula under the cake board and lift it so you can get your fingers under it. Then when you stack it, or transfer it to another board, just use your spatula again, to gently lower it. If you cover your cake with fondant it's even easier, once the fondant has set up and as long as the cake is cold, the cake is pretty sturdy, you can just about lift it with your hands to place it (in fact with smaller cakes I do!).
@NappynHappy81 For a shaped cake or a cake with odd angles/edges I use a combination of a small offset spatula, and a plastic "table scraper" that is flexible enough to bend and I've even used just my hands, the I've got "hot hands" and my body temp is enough to soften the surface so I can smooth it. You could probably even use a piece of cardboard that you can bend to the shape you need :)
@lemontea128 Actually, it's the Ateco 12" turn table (I think they call it a revolving cake stand) it was about $45 from Amazon and I love it! It turns so smoothly and has a nice heavy/sturdy base, and raises the cake up for me... What you see on top, is a 12" wooden cutting board that I use a lot, instead of a cake board, when I make cakes for my family or practice... I just use a small piece of non-skid shelf liner under it so it doesn't slide on my turn table :)
@MrMikeProductionz I got mine at the grocery store (Stop and Shop), but you can probably find them at Target or Walmart. The brand I got was Calphalon I believe, but Oxo and Chef Mate make them, and I'm sure some others. It's called a bench scraper, or sometimes a pastry scraper/chopper...the Chef Mate one is called Chop n Scoop. If you have a hard time finding one, you can also use a putty knife from the hardware store!
While the buttercream you scrape off doesn't become in-edible, the friction of the scraping melts the butter and will cause it to 1) discolor, turn more yellow for uncolored buttercream or in the case where color was added it will get darker and 2) the liquid in the butter will separate out causing the buttercream to become weepy. You can still eat the buttercream, it just becomes unsightly. You can store SMBC at room temp for 1-2 days, but I recommend refrigerating it, where it can last 1-2 wks
awesome cake looks great! just a quick question, how long can a cake or cupcake frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream stand at room temperature before serving?
I was wondering, if in the final smoothing step, after refrigeration, you could try the paper towel method. It's something you can do with regular butter cream, where you let it crust over and then use a Viva paper towel to smooth it out. You just lay the towel on it and gently smooth over it with your hands and it will knock down small imperfections and make it near perfect. But would this work with this type of frosting since it doesn't crust?
...and yes, you can use paste or gel colors (or even the liquid drops if you had to). Because of the fat content w/ the butter the water based gel colors don't blend completely. I recommend using oil based candy colors and they will mix in better and lead to less streaking when smoothing. I'm not familiar with paste colors, but I imagine they'd work at least as well as the gel colors, if not better! Good luck! And your English is perfect :)
I usually put my cakes back in the refrigerator. I find a cold cake easier to work with when decorating and much sturdier for transport. Some condensation may form as the cake come to room temperature for serving, but shouldn't damage the cake. As long as you don't touch the surface the condensation will just dry up. However, you don't HAVE to refrigerate the cake, just make sure the fondant sets a bit and be very careful when decorating (the buttercream underneath will be soft).
great video and tips/technique....how do you get your swiss buttercream to be so stable and do what you want, I find mine falls all over the place and doesn't stay still...or melts too quickly...hope its not a secret...
I tend to only do a "crumb coat" if I have a crumbly/chocolate cake and/or if I'm making a cake with a buttercream finish. A crumb coat would be a thinner coat of icing you put on the cake to trap any crumbs so they don't get in your finished layer of icing. If you want to crumb coat, you would do it exactly as described. SMBC is probably not stiff enough to make flowers with. Yes, SMBC can sit out for 1-2 days, as long as it is not too warm. I prefer to keep my cakes in the fridge, though!
When the butter whips up it is only slightly off white, when you cream butter/sugar to make a cake, that mixture should look pretty white? You can find butter that is less yellow, the color varies by the cow's diet. I find that my buttercream is more often discolored from the vanilla and not the butter. It's doesn't bother me, and I just let people know it won't be pure white. You can also add a touch of violet food color to offset any yellow hue- just a tiny tiny bit!
@3poppyseeds Actually, I don't use a dam if I am just filling a cake with SMBC. It is soft, but the strawberry buttercream is the same consistency as what I ice the cake with... also I refrigerate my cakes between steps, so the filling layers set hard before I ice my cake- and then refrigerate again if I am covering with fondant so the buttercream is hard when i smooth the fondant. Nothing "squishes" out this way. If I was using a filling other than buttercream I would use a dam though. HTH!
Yes, you can cover the cake with fondant... I use SMBC almost exclusively, even under my fondant! Yes, I highly recommend chilling the cake before covering, otherwise the icing be a little too soft to be able to smooth the fondant.
Hi! Hmmm... I've never tried quilting on SMBC. I suppose you could, just keep the cake very cold, and maybe tape parchment paper to the back of the triangle you are tracing? If I was going to try it, that is what I would do.. as soon as the SMBC starts softening you will start marring the surface though.. maybe do a few lines then pop it back in the fridge, then try a few more? I know that people who use crusting buttercreams can do it, but I think most often they use a diamond impression mat.
@NappynHappy81 Also... you might rub a tiny amount of shortening on the fondant to help keep the fondant supple enough while you're working to cover your cake, most of the shortening should absorb into the fondant after a few hours, but if you use too much you can end up with streaks, so be cautious if you try it... i really suggest The Mat though, it's about $19 plus shipping and is one of my most valued cake decorating tools! Sweetwise has a RUclips channel and video demo.
@MissCiasiab And yes, beginners can do this... It does take a bit of practice to be able to quickly get a smooth cake... So it might take a beginner a bit longer... When I first started I would go around and around and around, seemingly forever! But after a few cakes you get a better feel for how much pressure to put on and what angle to hold the scraper, ect... I hope you give it a try, Good Luck!
Hi! I think if you used an all butter American BC you could probably use this method. I'm not sure how it would work with an all shortening, or butter shortening combo... perhaps if you put it in the freezer instead of the fridge, you really want the icing solid before you start scraping. I'm not sure about 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening in SMBC, but Crumb Boss has a Swiss Buttercream that has shortening in it. I don't care for the shortening in my buttercream though, I swear I can taste it.
Thank you for the advice that you've given...And, I'm going to try and take apart a level to see if I could attach it to my bench scraper because obviously what seems straight and level to me is not. Thank you once again!
very informative thank you so much! I love working with SMBC but am also new to the cake world. The other day I actually made the mistake of scraping the chilled buttercream off (in frustration) and adding it back to the bowl of buttercream, and i had parts of discoloured buttercream when I applied it back onto the cake - now i know why! I also always struggle getting the top of my cakes perfectly smooth, next time i will try what you did!
SMBC is awesome and really easy to smooth when you get the hang of it! Yes, it is important to not incorporate the scrapped buttercream because the friction melt the butter and changes the composition and color. Keep practicing, you'll get there! We were all beginners at some point ❤️
I am still tweaking my vanilla/yellow cake recipe... not sure if I'm ready to give it out yet. BUT, if you search Warren Brown's "Yellow Butter Cake." It is an EXCELLENT recipe. He has the recipe on RUclips. It's also in his book "Cake Love" which is a great source of scratch cake recipes. His yellow cake recipe is still my "go to" recipe, while I'm experimenting with my own :) And, you can color the frosting, with no ill effect. I recommend oil based candy colors, but any coloring will work.
ohh thats perfection! wowwwww really..... I've never seen something like that before...... cool idea of smoothing the cake after chilling it...... I'm definitely going to try this soon :) thanks for sharing such a wonderful technique :)
So no matter how many times I try...I still end up being such a perfectionist that I take tiny layer after tiny layer off until the cake appears through..and I have to start all over again! SOOOoooo frustrating! I use fondant on top though (yes- I'm in uk) so it works out in the end. Just wish I could get my smbc to work like yours did in this vid! Well done! I'm jealous! :-)
It's the "Ateco 612 Revolving Cake Stand," I bought it from Amazon. The cake is on a round wooden cutting board that I use sometimes when making cakes for family, instead of a disposable cardboard cake round. I love my turn table, it's heavy, so doesn't slide around and turns so smoothly!!
Just slide a spatula under and lift! I always have my cakes on a separate board when I'm working with them. The wooden board you see in the video is actually a round cutting board I use for cakes. Just pop the cake in the fridge until it is good and cold, and the icing is hard. Then take it out, run a sharp knife around the bottom, if necessary, to release the cake, slide your spatula under and lift!
Great video and I will be checking out your blog more often. I too was wondering about your turntable. I have a few from Wilton, ok but not what I like. Thanks for the tip. I was wondering about filling your cake with the strawberry SMBC, did you make a dam, like we do with regular BC? With the softness of the SMBC, it seems like it would not hold up.
MyNameIsKeira yes. It's called ASMR. 😍😍😍 Remember the guy named Bob Ross who was a painter. SOOTHING. Look him up and watch one of videos. Also look up ASMR. Some ASMR videos are weird but there are some good ones out there.
Thanks for this video!! I struggle with getting a smooth cake with sharp edges and never thot of this technique, I’m definitely going to try it soon and let you know how I get on. Thanks again for this 👍🏾
+Irma Pereira-Rivera It's about 4" tall... standard in the cake industry... you don't cut it in wedges, like most home bakers would, you cut rectangular pieces about 1"x2" and the 4" tall, is a reasonable size cake. This 8" cake serves 24 people :)
@HappyCakesBakes I have the mat also. I am still "learning" to like it. It seems as if I have to season it before each use to prevent sticking. Maybe it's because I don't use it frequently. I am going to keep working with it thought because I like not worrying about corn starch or powdered sugar.
i love this tutorial! just a question, where did you get your bench scraper? would it work if i used a bench scraper that is used for dough etc (sorry if this question sounds really silly but i'm a total novice!)
Hi nice tutorial! After cover fondant on chilled SMBC frosting cake, shall the cake leave at room temperature until serving in next few days? Will the fondant melt on chilled cake (with SMBC)? Thanks :)
Do you think this method would work well with an American BC? Also, I'm wondering if I could add half butter and half shortening to the cooked egg whites and sugar mixture? Is there such a recipe? Thank you!
My SMBC is pretty white, once it's mixed and before you add the vanilla, the final result is more off-white but that is more from the addition of natural vanilla extract. SMBC will never be "bright white" but it's not too yellow. If you find it is too yellow for your liking you can add a touch of purple food color. Not enough to change it to purple, but just a touch cancels out the yellow. But, what you see in the video is just unaltered SMBC. I have my recipe linked in the description box.
The frosting that you put on..would that be considered the crumb coat? After an hour I would put another layer on and smooth..would I put it in the fridge again to cool a second time before decorating? Can I use this frosting to make flowers? If I make a cake 1-2 days in advance can I let it sit on the counter in a cake carrier or does it need to be in the fridge until party? New to this cake making world :) Your video was great, I will have on while I make my cake...haha!
Hi, I was wondering when you put the cake into the fridge to harden, I was wondering as i have hardly any fridge space, would i be able to put the cake into a freezer but fir a shorter amount of time? Thanks for your help x x x
I tried your smbc recipe after failing with so many other recipes, and it came out amazing. Thank you so much. How much buttercream do I need to cover a cake of this size?
So happy to hear this worked out for you! To cover and fill an 8" round cake I would make a double batch of SMBC, using 8oz egg whites, 16oz sugar and 24oz butter :)
@HappyCakesBakes Thanks. I appreciate your reply. What have you found to be the best way to get fondant on without tearing and getting elephant skin. I still struggle with this.
Hi! Yes, I exclusively use SMBC on my cakes and most are fondant covered. Just make sure your cake is well chilled so the icing is hard when you apply the fondant :)
I recently made SMBC for my son's cake and I LOVE it! I smoothed it on the cake and placed in fridge for 1/2 hour. I covered my cake with chocolate MMF and the SMBC thawed quickly. I had dents and pockets in my fondant. :( Where did I go wrong? Maybe I did not leave the cake in the fridge long enough to harden the SMBC. After smoothing the cake, should I place back in the fridge to harden again before covering with fondant? Thanks in advance for your assistance on this. Silverteacakes
Hi...No matter what I do, the sides of my cake are always tapered. It's like I'm constantly taking more icing from the top than the bottom no matter how I hold the bench scraper. Is your bench scraper taking icing off the entire length of the sides or do you hold it higher or lower depending where you think icing needs to be taken off? I'm tired of having jacked up sides...Any suggestions or tips will help me tremendously.
Wonderful video! I was wondering, have you ever tried to scrape you cake after it chills? I find this can either give flawless results or leave the surface speckled with tiny dry flakes.
You are welcome! I use an Ateco turntable... I love it because it's cast iron and really heavy and turns so smoothly. I bought mine off of Amazon for about $45... pricier than the Wilton ones, but there's not comparison as far as quality! I can't post a link in the comments, but if you search "Ateco 12" Metal Revolving Cake Stand" that's what I have. In this video you can see the wooden cutting board I use a lot of times instead of a cake board....
You can reuse the leftover icing... that you didn't end up using to ice the cake. But, don't use the icing you scrape off of the cake... the friction from the scraping will melt the buttercream enough and it will end up separating. It wouldn't hurt you to eat it, but it wouldn't look nice on a cake.
Thank you for sharing your ideas Very smooth and clean Question I am confused your video topic says Swiss butter cream And you are say butter cream frosting 😊 can you plz clear to me what kind of frosting is Waiting for your reply
Its been 8 years and this is the best tutorial on how to ice a cake that i have seen thus far..
Well, it's already been a year since I made this video and I've come along way. I still use the same technique and it works well. So, hopefully some of the 90K+ people who have viewed this tutorial have found it at least a little helpful. I may not be the fastest, but I'm okay with that as long as I get the results I'm after.
Wow I watch cake videos all day and I never seen perfection like this before. Im at awe of how perfect it is! Great job
Sorry! I was still very new at making videos when I put this together, and didn't explain myself well. The "extra" is the bumpy parts. You put on more than you need in the beginning, so you have enough to scrape away when smoothing (it just depends on how thick of a layer of buttercream you want). Something that I've found helpful is to trim the CAKE a little smaller than the cake board, so there is about 1/4 inch of space all the way around. Then use the board as your guide.
This is great. I've seen lots of techniques to get crusting buttercreams smooth, but very few to get NON-crusting buttercreams perfectly smooth. I really don't like using shortening in my icing, so this technique is perfect for me. Thanks!
You are very welcome, I started using SMBC a little over a year ago... while there are plenty of instructions out there for smoothing American Buttercream, very little about Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The "Hot Knife" method didn't work for me because it discolored the buttercream... so I figured I would share with everyone what I found to be the best technique! Good Luck!
Thank you so much.Needed this just now
I'm a baker and I'm using her method to ice my cakes and it works so well. those lips are really necessary to have flat surface on top of your cake. otherwise the top center will be slightly higher than the sides due to lack of icing there (and it will happen to amateur bakers like me). extra icing will help level it up perfectly.
thanks HappyCakeBakes for this tutorial. it's easier than other tutorials I've learned before.
@melissy516 Hi! I generally don't have a problem with fondant sticking to the chilled buttercream cake... but if you are having trouble with it adhering you can try adding a little piping gel or even just a little "fresh" buttercream. I'm not sure how well water would work with a Swiss Meringue Buttercream (I've never tried it)... I think the high butter content would repel water making the decorations more likely to slide around....
@ecuaricanchula Yes! Swiss Buttercream tends to be much softer/lighter than an American style buttercream... I always let it set up hard in the frudge before covering with fondant, it is much easier to work with that way and you'll have sharper, cleaner edges :) The only drawback is you have to work quickly when smoothing because the cold cake will cause the fondant to stiffen up a little, and the temp difference can cause condensation.
Thank you for the compliment! Yes, you can use this under fondant... I do almost exclusively! Just make sure you chill it first so the buttercream is solid before you cover w/ fondant! If it is a really warm day, I wait until the last possible minute to pull it out of the refrigerator.
You have to have icing up over the edge of the cake all the way around to get a nice sharp corner. On this cake there were some areas that already had the "lip" and some that did not, so I added more icing. If you feel you don't need to do it, then don't... but his is how I ice my cakes and it works for me.
thank you so much for this video, im tired of seeing vidoes with lots of shortening or powdered sugar, i just want to be able to use what i love that i know is good quality, thank you 😊
😇😇😇
to the people who are saying there is too much icing, shut your mouth because this is a how to smooth put cake, not how to smooth out a cake with little icing, so please keep the rude comments to yourself.
Anywho, this is a great tutorial/ video! Keep it coming(:
So helpful!! New to decorating.. and I'm learning so much from videos like this!
Thank you so much for this video. I have finalllly achieved smooth buttercream with my cakes because of this vid. They look so much more professional and I'm so proud of them. :)
@silverteacakes Hi! My best guess is that the SMBC got a little soft while you were smoothing the fondant and got pushed around creating the dents... I always make sure that the icing is solid before covering it with fondant, so yes, after smoothing, I pop it back in the fridge... I take it out, right after I've rolled out my fondant, so it doesn't have time to get soft. I find it easier to work with a cold cake...
I find this video really helpful! Even if it's been posted almost 9 years ago :)
Thank you!! God bless you
EXCELLENT WORK!!! thank you for teaching me how to do this...I only work with fondant..now im going to practice your technique....prayerfully I will be as great as you...MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOUR HANDS AND CREATIVE MIND!!
This video is very helpful I am a young cake decorator who is trying to learn the ins and outs of this field and this video was very helpful =) thanks a lot.
@silverteacakes I bet the extra chill time will help tremendously! Yes, always put my cakes in the fridge, even with fondant... It makes it easier to work with when decorating, and much easier to transport! I've never had condensation cause a problem for me.. just DON'T touch the cake until the condensation evaporates otherwise you'll get fingerprints... but I don't live in an especially humid climate either, so that might make a difference.
Hi , I live in d Caribbean so it's very hot can u guide me on how to deal with condensation. I need some tips.
@HappyCakesBakes You are correct. I left my cake out while rolling out my fondant. I did not think to have my fondant ready before pulling the cake out of the fridge. Also, I don't think 30 minutes was long enough to chill in the fridge. Your video says to leave it for an hour. I will do this next time. One more question, once you cover the cake with fondant and it's nice and smooth, do you place it back in the fridge? What about condensation? Will you have a gooey mess?
Wow you made this look awfully easy
Im going to attempt this method for my niece's birthday cake
Now I need to watch your video for the buttercream recipe
Thanking you
Hi! I do always store my cakes in the refrigerator, but it's not necessary. I do it to because I find it easier to decorate and transport a cold/solid cake. But the icing is okay at room temperature for a day or to. You can store unused icing covered on the counter or in the refrigerator. If you do keep it chilled, just make sure you take it out well in advance of when you need it so it can thaw completely. Then re-beat w/ the paddle until it's back to it's correct consistency :)
@NappynHappy81 Hi! I'm sorry I didn't see your comment before... I would suggest you let you cake chill an become hard before covering it with fondant... I find Swiss Meringue Buttercream to be on the soft side and imagine you would have a very difficult time trying to smooth it when soft. Also, yes, I do still do the final smoothing technique when covering a cake with fondant. Fondant will show ever lump and bump, you can't have smooth fondant without smooth buttercream :)
As long as the cake is cold, it's pretty easy! Just get a spatula under the cake board and lift it so you can get your fingers under it. Then when you stack it, or transfer it to another board, just use your spatula again, to gently lower it. If you cover your cake with fondant it's even easier, once the fondant has set up and as long as the cake is cold, the cake is pretty sturdy, you can just about lift it with your hands to place it (in fact with smaller cakes I do!).
@NappynHappy81 For a shaped cake or a cake with odd angles/edges I use a combination of a small offset spatula, and a plastic "table scraper" that is flexible enough to bend and I've even used just my hands, the I've got "hot hands" and my body temp is enough to soften the surface so I can smooth it. You could probably even use a piece of cardboard that you can bend to the shape you need :)
@lemontea128 Actually, it's the Ateco 12" turn table (I think they call it a revolving cake stand) it was about $45 from Amazon and I love it! It turns so smoothly and has a nice heavy/sturdy base, and raises the cake up for me... What you see on top, is a 12" wooden cutting board that I use a lot, instead of a cake board, when I make cakes for my family or practice... I just use a small piece of non-skid shelf liner under it so it doesn't slide on my turn table :)
Yes, I did! I have my recipe linked in the description box!
that looks wonderful.. how much to scrape? what if u scrape off too much?
@MrMikeProductionz I got mine at the grocery store (Stop and Shop), but you can probably find them at Target or Walmart. The brand I got was Calphalon I believe, but Oxo and Chef Mate make them, and I'm sure some others. It's called a bench scraper, or sometimes a pastry scraper/chopper...the Chef Mate one is called Chop n Scoop. If you have a hard time finding one, you can also use a putty knife from the hardware store!
While the buttercream you scrape off doesn't become in-edible, the friction of the scraping melts the butter and will cause it to 1) discolor, turn more yellow for uncolored buttercream or in the case where color was added it will get darker and 2) the liquid in the butter will separate out causing the buttercream to become weepy. You can still eat the buttercream, it just becomes unsightly. You can store SMBC at room temp for 1-2 days, but I recommend refrigerating it, where it can last 1-2 wks
Good job. You did not take shortcuts. I loved it.
awesome cake looks great! just a quick question, how long can a cake or cupcake frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream stand at room temperature before serving?
I was wondering, if in the final smoothing step, after refrigeration, you could try the paper towel method. It's something you can do with regular butter cream, where you let it crust over and then use a Viva paper towel to smooth it out. You just lay the towel on it and gently smooth over it with your hands and it will knock down small imperfections and make it near perfect. But would this work with this type of frosting since it doesn't crust?
Congratulations on being featured on Cake Central!! Proof that you're doing it right! ;)
...and yes, you can use paste or gel colors (or even the liquid drops if you had to). Because of the fat content w/ the butter the water based gel colors don't blend completely. I recommend using oil based candy colors and they will mix in better and lead to less streaking when smoothing. I'm not familiar with paste colors, but I imagine they'd work at least as well as the gel colors, if not better! Good luck! And your English is perfect :)
I usually put my cakes back in the refrigerator. I find a cold cake easier to work with when decorating and much sturdier for transport. Some condensation may form as the cake come to room temperature for serving, but shouldn't damage the cake. As long as you don't touch the surface the condensation will just dry up. However, you don't HAVE to refrigerate the cake, just make sure the fondant sets a bit and be very careful when decorating (the buttercream underneath will be soft).
great video and tips/technique....how do you get your swiss buttercream to be so stable and do what you want, I find mine falls all over the place and doesn't stay still...or melts too quickly...hope its not a secret...
I tend to only do a "crumb coat" if I have a crumbly/chocolate cake and/or if I'm making a cake with a buttercream finish. A crumb coat would be a thinner coat of icing you put on the cake to trap any crumbs so they don't get in your finished layer of icing. If you want to crumb coat, you would do it exactly as described. SMBC is probably not stiff enough to make flowers with. Yes, SMBC can sit out for 1-2 days, as long as it is not too warm. I prefer to keep my cakes in the fridge, though!
can you use this under fondant? and you did a beautiful job on your icing of your cake and the video too.
When the butter whips up it is only slightly off white, when you cream butter/sugar to make a cake, that mixture should look pretty white? You can find butter that is less yellow, the color varies by the cow's diet. I find that my buttercream is more often discolored from the vanilla and not the butter. It's doesn't bother me, and I just let people know it won't be pure white. You can also add a touch of violet food color to offset any yellow hue- just a tiny tiny bit!
@3poppyseeds Actually, I don't use a dam if I am just filling a cake with SMBC. It is soft, but the strawberry buttercream is the same consistency as what I ice the cake with... also I refrigerate my cakes between steps, so the filling layers set hard before I ice my cake- and then refrigerate again if I am covering with fondant so the buttercream is hard when i smooth the fondant. Nothing "squishes" out this way. If I was using a filling other than buttercream I would use a dam though. HTH!
WoW, thanks for your video and your time to explain your technique. Great job and perfect smooth and sharp edges
Yes, you can cover the cake with fondant... I use SMBC almost exclusively, even under my fondant! Yes, I highly recommend chilling the cake before covering, otherwise the icing be a little too soft to be able to smooth the fondant.
Hello maam may I know the ingredients for your icing? Thank you
Hi! Hmmm... I've never tried quilting on SMBC. I suppose you could, just keep the cake very cold, and maybe tape parchment paper to the back of the triangle you are tracing? If I was going to try it, that is what I would do.. as soon as the SMBC starts softening you will start marring the surface though.. maybe do a few lines then pop it back in the fridge, then try a few more? I know that people who use crusting buttercreams can do it, but I think most often they use a diamond impression mat.
@NappynHappy81 Also... you might rub a tiny amount of shortening on the fondant to help keep the fondant supple enough while you're working to cover your cake, most of the shortening should absorb into the fondant after a few hours, but if you use too much you can end up with streaks, so be cautious if you try it... i really suggest The Mat though, it's about $19 plus shipping and is one of my most valued cake decorating tools! Sweetwise has a RUclips channel and video demo.
you did a great job im gonna try your method but i was wondering why cant we reuse the leftovers??
@MissCiasiab And yes, beginners can do this... It does take a bit of practice to be able to quickly get a smooth cake... So it might take a beginner a bit longer... When I first started I would go around and around and around, seemingly forever! But after a few cakes you get a better feel for how much pressure to put on and what angle to hold the scraper, ect... I hope you give it a try, Good Luck!
I will be making Swiss buttercream for the first time today. You make it look easy. Wish me luck! lol
Good luck! It's really not hard to make and well worth the effort :)
5:21 omg, i would have been happy with myself if i could my cake to look that good at that point, but the end result was beautiful! very helpful video
Awww, thank you! I do practice a lot! I'm still kind of slow at it, but I really like to have a smooth cake!
I always do a crumb coat and chill it then ice it. Never thought to chill it after icing it then smoothing it out one final time. Thanks for that.
Tiffany Wilson exactly!! It was like an epiphany moment for me😂
Hi! I think if you used an all butter American BC you could probably use this method. I'm not sure how it would work with an all shortening, or butter shortening combo... perhaps if you put it in the freezer instead of the fridge, you really want the icing solid before you start scraping. I'm not sure about 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening in SMBC, but Crumb Boss has a Swiss Buttercream that has shortening in it. I don't care for the shortening in my buttercream though, I swear I can taste it.
Thank you for the advice that you've given...And, I'm going to try and take apart a level to see if I could attach it to my bench scraper because obviously what seems straight and level to me is not. Thank you once again!
very informative thank you so much! I love working with SMBC but am also new to the cake world. The other day I actually made the mistake of scraping the chilled buttercream off (in frustration) and adding it back to the bowl of buttercream, and i had parts of discoloured buttercream when I applied it back onto the cake - now i know why! I also always struggle getting the top of my cakes perfectly smooth, next time i will try what you did!
SMBC is awesome and really easy to smooth when you get the hang of it! Yes, it is important to not incorporate the scrapped buttercream because the friction melt the butter and changes the composition and color. Keep practicing, you'll get there! We were all beginners at some point ❤️
I am still tweaking my vanilla/yellow cake recipe... not sure if I'm ready to give it out yet. BUT, if you search Warren Brown's "Yellow Butter Cake." It is an EXCELLENT recipe. He has the recipe on RUclips. It's also in his book "Cake Love" which is a great source of scratch cake recipes. His yellow cake recipe is still my "go to" recipe, while I'm experimenting with my own :) And, you can color the frosting, with no ill effect. I recommend oil based candy colors, but any coloring will work.
ohh thats perfection! wowwwww really..... I've never seen something like that before...... cool idea of smoothing the cake after chilling it...... I'm definitely going to try this soon :) thanks for sharing such a wonderful technique :)
Wonderful, thanks for sharing
So no matter how many times I try...I still end up being such a perfectionist that I take tiny layer after tiny layer off until the cake appears through..and I have to start all over again! SOOOoooo frustrating! I use fondant on top though (yes- I'm in uk) so it works out in the end. Just wish I could get my smbc to work like yours did in this vid! Well done! I'm jealous! :-)
guttersnipe t
guttersnipe yup same
Same here! So annoying
It's the "Ateco 612 Revolving Cake Stand," I bought it from Amazon. The cake is on a round wooden cutting board that I use sometimes when making cakes for family, instead of a disposable cardboard cake round. I love my turn table, it's heavy, so doesn't slide around and turns so smoothly!!
Just slide a spatula under and lift! I always have my cakes on a separate board when I'm working with them. The wooden board you see in the video is actually a round cutting board I use for cakes. Just pop the cake in the fridge until it is good and cold, and the icing is hard. Then take it out, run a sharp knife around the bottom, if necessary, to release the cake, slide your spatula under and lift!
Great video and I will be checking out your blog more often. I too was wondering about your turntable. I have a few from Wilton, ok but not what I like. Thanks for the tip. I was wondering about filling your cake with the strawberry SMBC, did you make a dam, like we do with regular BC? With the softness of the SMBC, it seems like it would not hold up.
Did anyone else watch this video because it was therapeutic to watch?
MyNameIsKeira yes. It's called ASMR. 😍😍😍 Remember the guy named Bob Ross who was a painter. SOOTHING. Look him up and watch one of videos. Also look up ASMR. Some ASMR videos are weird but there are some good ones out there.
MyNameIsKeira i
Anything having to do with food, particularly baked food, is always therapeutic!
Yes. Didn't turn it off, no intention to make a cake anytime soon. But I'll be back trying along with her when I do need to make a cake lol
thanks for the tutorial! will fondant decorations "stick" to the cake once it has been chilled? do i use water to adhere them? thanks!
You have a very unique turn table. Did you make it yourself??
Absolute perfection!! This was a joy to watch and I hope I can do the same soon. thanks for making the video!
+Bobbie25Designs Thank you!
ini video icing paling mulus n sempurna yg saya tonton hari ini..😍
You are amazing...Loved ur work...Can we use the quilt technique which u showed in your other video on this SMBC covered cake? Please let me know.
Hey! That looks amazing! Would I be able to cover a swiss meringue buttercream frosted cake in fondant? Thanks!
Thanks for this video!! I struggle with getting a smooth cake with sharp edges and never thot of this technique, I’m definitely going to try it soon and let you know how I get on. Thanks again for this 👍🏾
You are welcome! I hope this technique works out for you! "Carving" a cold cake smooth is so much easier than fussing with soft icing!!
It was almost 2 years ago you uploaded this but I must say you did a great job with the cake! :)
You did a great job. Now that is a tall cake, who is going to eat a slice of a cake that has so many layers. Thumbs up on the frosting.
+Irma Pereira-Rivera It's about 4" tall... standard in the cake industry... you don't cut it in wedges, like most home bakers would, you cut rectangular pieces about 1"x2" and the 4" tall, is a reasonable size cake. This 8" cake serves 24 people :)
+Renee Conner I love it, I was just wondering lol. Beautiful sweetie ((( :
@HappyCakesBakes I have the mat also. I am still "learning" to like it. It seems as if I have to season it before each use to prevent sticking. Maybe it's because I don't use it frequently. I am going to keep working with it thought because I like not worrying about corn starch or powdered sugar.
Wow......I just used your method to smooth my cake and it works beautifully! Thank you!!
Your technique is awesome! The cake looks perfect and it makes it so much easier to decorate! Thanks for sharing! :D
i love this tutorial! just a question, where did you get your bench scraper? would it work if i used a bench scraper that is used for dough etc (sorry if this question sounds really silly but i'm a total novice!)
Thank you for your speedy reply. I am on Crumb Bosse's site to check it out. I live in AZ, so we need something stable during the summer months.
Greetings did you put the cake on the fridge after covering in fondant?
Hi nice tutorial! After cover fondant on chilled SMBC frosting cake, shall the cake leave at room temperature until serving in next few days? Will the fondant melt on chilled cake (with SMBC)? Thanks :)
Do you think this method would work well with an American BC? Also, I'm wondering if I could add half butter and half shortening to the cooked egg whites and sugar mixture? Is there such a recipe? Thank you!
My SMBC is pretty white, once it's mixed and before you add the vanilla, the final result is more off-white but that is more from the addition of natural vanilla extract. SMBC will never be "bright white" but it's not too yellow. If you find it is too yellow for your liking you can add a touch of purple food color. Not enough to change it to purple, but just a touch cancels out the yellow. But, what you see in the video is just unaltered SMBC. I have my recipe linked in the description box.
hi I was wondering if you had a good recipe for a yellow cake and I was also wondering if it affects the frosting if you add food coloring
The frosting that you put on..would that be considered the crumb coat? After an hour I would put another layer on and smooth..would I put it in the fridge again to cool a second time before decorating? Can I use this frosting to make flowers? If I make a cake 1-2 days in advance can I let it sit on the counter in a cake carrier or does it need to be in the fridge until party? New to this cake making world :) Your video was great, I will have on while I make my cake...haha!
Hi, I was wondering when you put the cake into the fridge to harden, I was wondering as i have hardly any fridge space, would i be able to put the cake into a freezer but fir a shorter amount of time? Thanks for your help x x x
I tried your smbc recipe after failing with so many other recipes, and it came out amazing. Thank you so much. How much buttercream do I need to cover a cake of this size?
So happy to hear this worked out for you! To cover and fill an 8" round cake I would make a double batch of SMBC, using 8oz egg whites, 16oz sugar and 24oz butter :)
@HappyCakesBakes Thanks. I appreciate your reply. What have you found to be the best way to get fondant on without tearing and getting elephant skin. I still struggle with this.
loving you for this, miss renee!
Hi! Yes, I exclusively use SMBC on my cakes and most are fondant covered. Just make sure your cake is well chilled so the icing is hard when you apply the fondant :)
can I cover cake with fondant after smoothing? Do I have to refrigerate the cake before doing this?
Love your turntable! May I ask where you got it from?
I recently made SMBC for my son's cake and I LOVE it! I smoothed it on the cake and placed in fridge for 1/2 hour. I covered my cake with chocolate MMF and the SMBC thawed quickly. I had dents and pockets in my fondant. :( Where did I go wrong? Maybe I did not leave the cake in the fridge long enough to harden the SMBC. After smoothing the cake, should I place back in the fridge to harden again before covering with fondant? Thanks in advance for your assistance on this. Silverteacakes
Hi, this was awesome, really good work. I have a question, can you replace the buttercream with shortening?
Hi...No matter what I do, the sides of my cake are always tapered. It's like I'm constantly taking more icing from the top than the bottom no matter how I hold the bench scraper. Is your bench scraper taking icing off the entire length of the sides or do you hold it higher or lower depending where you think icing needs to be taken off? I'm tired of having jacked up sides...Any suggestions or tips will help me tremendously.
Wonderful video! I was wondering, have you ever tried to scrape you cake after it chills? I find this can either give flawless results or leave the surface speckled with tiny dry flakes.
Thank you! i've been baking for so long but i havent been able to get the cake decoration and icing right ever!
You are welcome! I use an Ateco turntable... I love it because it's cast iron and really heavy and turns so smoothly. I bought mine off of Amazon for about $45... pricier than the Wilton ones, but there's not comparison as far as quality! I can't post a link in the comments, but if you search "Ateco 12" Metal Revolving Cake Stand" that's what I have. In this video you can see the wooden cutting board I use a lot of times instead of a cake board....
You can reuse the leftover icing... that you didn't end up using to ice the cake. But, don't use the icing you scrape off of the cake... the friction from the scraping will melt the buttercream enough and it will end up separating. It wouldn't hurt you to eat it, but it wouldn't look nice on a cake.
very helpful !! you have a steady hand :) love the video thank you
hay like the way you do that my question is can i do that on a frozen cake
Thank you for sharing your ideas
Very smooth and clean
Question I am confused your video topic says Swiss butter cream
And you are say butter cream frosting 😊 can you plz clear to me what kind of frosting is
Waiting for your reply
perhaps try a different browser? I sometimes have trouble viewing RUclips with Firefox....