buttercream sliding off cake :/

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Permalink Reply by Amanda G on May 25, 2010 at 11:42pm

The buttercream might have been too thin. Or if it's too warm where you decorate it will melt the frosting. I have had that happen to me before.

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Permalink Reply by jeri c on May 26, 2010 at 2:17am

Holly, did you put the cake in a cooler or fridge? The condensation from the cake warming up will do that. I usually put my final coat of buttercream on the cake within an hour of the crumb coat then let that sit over night before adding the fondant.... also if it is humid it can cause your buttercream to do strange things... and the thinning it down too much can definately do that.

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Permalink Reply by Holly K. on May 26, 2010 at 11:14am

I didn't put it in the fridge, I just left it out. I made 2 cakes that day, both the same way. My square cake didn't have that problem, just my round. I did have them in the car for my 30 minute drive to my class though, hmmm. I guess it could be several causes. Do you usually use thin for both crumb coat and final coat? or do you use more of a medium consistency for final coat?

jeri c said:

Holly, did you put the cake in a cooler or fridge? The condensation from the cake warming up will do that. I usually put my final coat of buttercream on the cake within an hour of the crumb coat then let that sit over night before adding the fondant.... also if it is humid it can cause your buttercream to do strange things... and the thinning it down too much can definately do that.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Baisch on May 26, 2010 at 3:50pm

I had a cake do this for the 1st time in j20+ years of cakes! I did crumb coat mine and do the top coat then refrigerate overnight. I had a pocket of air between the crumb coat and top coat in one area.. never had that happen before!

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Permalink Reply by jeri c on May 26, 2010 at 10:24pm

I just use the same consistancy all the time... can't really tell you what it is. I dont' really use a recipe for my buttercream.. .it's just a dump and pray method... so far God has been good in answering my prayers!

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Permalink Reply by Karen Vazquez on May 27, 2010 at 5:39pm

Dear Holly,

Thank you for posting and sharing your concerns with us...it is really helpful. In my experience it could have been too a thick coat of buttercream. If the cake is covered in buttercream and the buttercream is a little thick under the fondant, once it crusts or sets and you apply the fondant over it can come off your cake and actually not allow your fondant to stick. The fondant will stick to the buttercream but the buttercream may come off the cake creating a bubble look, what I call too a "cake love handle" or almost appear as the fondant is sticking on all sides but one (like it is coming off).

It could be condensation like Jeri well shared. If the cake and buttercream under the fondant are cold...they will create condensation under your icing. Not sure if you have seen how a drop of water kind of eats in fondant...the same thing can happen from under out...almost melting it away like Amanda said.

We work in Florida at 74 degrees inside our shop. Try perhaps doing the buttercream coat at room temperature and letting it crust at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or so. Or try using a buttercream recipe that stays more stiff or thicker.

Hope it helps ;-).

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