You might think cake decorating will go flawlessly from the start, but buttercream can get torn, colors won’t look like you expected them to, and beautifully piped decorations will fall flat.
Instead of making these common decorating mistakes and starting over, learn how to recognize common cake decorating issues and how to fix them. Many common decorating mistakes are surprisingly easy to fix.
Buttercream Is Too Soft
If your buttercream is too soft, you’ll have trouble decorating your cake. It might slide down the sides, lose its shape, or it won’t hold up piped decorations.
What to Do
Pop your cake or frosting in the fridge for a few minutes. Cooling it off can help make the buttercream firmer and easier to work with.
If the frosting is too soft, make sure to check the consistency before doing anything else. You don’t want to dump too many dry ingredients in, thinking they won’t change the outcome.
The Cake Is Crumbling
If your cake crumbles, you’ll end up with loose bits of cake in your final layer of frosting.
This is where a crumb coat comes in handy.
Do a Thin Crumb Coat
Cover your cake with a thin layer of buttercream and smooth it out. Then chill your cake until the buttercream is firm.
Then, do your final layer. The crumbs will be trapped under the surface.
Uneven Cake Layers
If you’ve got uneven cake layers, your cake could be leaning or could have different heights.
Before decorating, check your cake layers. Trim the tops with a serrated knife if necessary to ensure flat surfaces.
Build a Stable Base
A level cake is easier to decorate. Take your time when stacking your cake layers, and don’t overload the layers with filling, making sure the cake will be stable.
Piping Decorations Fall Flat
If your piping decorations look flat, your frosting could be too soft.
Or, the temperature could be a factor. If you’re piping for a long time, your warm hands can gradually melt the frosting in the piping bag.
Try making smaller batches and cooling your frosting.
Colors Are Too Dark
It’s easy to accidentally add too much food coloring, especially with concentrated colors.
Add Color Gradually
Add a little bit of color at a time and mix well before you decide whether or not you need to add more. Some frosting colors get darker as they sit.
When you’re going for a lighter shade, add color slowly to give yourself more control.
The Cake Scraper Leaves Lines
The cake scraper is meant to help you get a smooth finish on the sides of your cake, but technique plays a big part in this.
If you’re pressing too hard or you move the scraper around the cake, you could leave lines in the buttercream.
Go Slow
Keep the scraper in one spot and turn the cake on the turntable instead.
If you remove too much frosting, add a little more and try again.
Decorations Aren’t Sticking
Some decorations need a solid base to stick to.
If a decoration is sliding down the side of your cake, check to see if your buttercream is too soft. You might need to chill your cake to make it firmer.
For heavier decorations, consider how much weight the surface of your cake can support.
Small Mistakes Are OK
Learning to not freak out over small cake decorating mistakes is one of the most important decorating skills you can master.
A tiny gap can be covered with a flower. An uneven side can be smoothed over with piping. A dull color can be jazzed up with additional decorations.
Make Mistakes Your Friend
Instead of saying, “Oh no, I’ve ruined the cake,” ask, “What can I do with this?”
Many of the best cake designs start with a mistake.
Conclusion
Cake decorating is all about adjusting as you go along. Even the pros make mistakes, but they know how to fix them without ruining the whole thing.
Be patient and work slowly, and pay attention to what your frosting and tools are telling you. Over time, mistakes won’t seem so bad, and might even be the key to your best idea yet.
