Perfectly iced cakes

http://cakesdecor.com/sugarpixy/blog/169 Here is one right here on cakesdecor. It takes Lots of Practice! What method you use also depends on the type of buttercream you use. American, SMBC, IMBC, ect. I use American buttercream and I use half butter half hi ratio shortening mixture. So I use the Viva Paper towel and Hot knife methods. But here is a method used for at least half butter or more recipes UPSIDE DOWN METHOD http://cakecentral.com/tutorial/upside-down-icing-technique-for-perfectly-smooth-icing This works really well.

Another hint is that after you have your buttercream pretty smooth. (american buttercream) You can take Copy paper and a fondant smoother this will make it perfectly smooth!.

Yeah, you should really go through some of the tutorials here. There are some great resources – all free. You can also check out my YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/cupadeecakes/videos?view=0

I use an all-butter buttercream, but my edges are so sharp they will cut you! ;-)

I tried every trick in the book without success- until I discovered Swiss meringue buttercream. Changed my caking world :) smooth side, flat tops, , sharp corners are a DREAM! Not to mention how well it holds up under fondant.

If you haven’t made it already, Sweetapolita offers the best tutorial. It’s a bit tricky and time consuming to make, but a few dozen (or hundred…) batches later, I can make it in my sleep. Feel free to message me here or on facebook if you have any q’s. Good luck!

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/04/swiss-meringue-buttercream-demystified/

Hi there Thea Jo, I’ve just read the recipe/method from sweetopia… I live in a country where I don’t dare use raw eggs for anything as they are not pasteurized and, honestly, don’t trust the government nor the grower to have safe raw eggs. So I am stuck with meringue powder but from what I was reading, I don’t think there is a substitute to raw eggs in this recipe. What do you think?

You’re actually cooking the egg whites to 140 degrees before whipping them, which makes them perfectly safe!

I’m with Thea on this on, I always used American BC. I switched from American to SMBC and loving it. My biggest issue with American was sometimes when handling I would get a fold or bump in the cake where the cake and icing settled underneath the fondant and it changed shape. Didn’t always happen but when it did it was enough to ruin a good looking cake (at least to me). I know there are plenty of people that use it with no problems underneath their fondant. I am not one of those people, I can do it but not get the sharp edges I get with SMBC.

Cooking egg whites to 140F (60C) should be just fine. Salmonella starts dying off about 131F (55C) but I have taken it as high as 160F. Just make sure to properly store your icing and cakes!