Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hello SomethingSweets29

There are different thoughts as to why this horrible thing happens. Nearly everyone I know says the same.
I find over kneading the sugarpaste makes lots of bubbles. Try and knead it the day before so it’s nice and pliable, rest it overnight. Next day knead just enough to soften for rolling out. Another reason may be that your cake is too cold when you’re icing it. When cake warms up pockets of air become trapped under the sugarpaste forming the bubbles. Let it come to room temperture before enrobing and see whether that eliminates some of the problem. Other reasons could be that as the cake begins to settle any air trapped in between the layers pushes out from the weight of the sugarpaste causing bulges and bubbles. I notice Paul always pushes each layer down really well as he fills. I know from personal experience that buttercream crumb coat can actually dry and crack under the sugarpaste. When this happens the coating becomes detached from the cake and pushes the icing out causing what appears to be a bubble. If your crumb coat is very hard give it a little fine mist spray of water. Don’t over do this as it will cause the sugarpaste to soften and create more problems!
There are many more theories as to why this happens, just google ‘ air bubbles under fondant’ and read more explanations. I’ve scoured the internet for answers, it’s always good to see what other people say.

Thanks so much, your so helpful!

Can I run something past you that I read yesterday, my friend has a cake decorating magazine and they said when preparing a cake for covering in sugarpaste, you should use boiled jam?? then 2 layers of fondant and only use buttercream if is going to be used within a few days! it really baffled me as I have always learned that as Paul also does use ganache or buttercream! There is buttercream in the cake already anyway and it only contains icing sugar and butter and the icing sugar acts as a preservative for the butter its only when using eggs and milk etc or cream cheese frostings etc that this is the case! am I right?! reading things like this really makes me question what I am doing, I have even followed Pauls tutorials the the past and found them very helpful! surely using just jam would make the cake look lumpy and bumby?! thanks x

I use boiled and sifted apricot jam only on fruit cake which is then covered in marzipan first before sugarpaste. It’s not necessary to do it on sponge cakes although some people like doing this. I use simple syrup on the layers which not only moistens the sponge but also acts as preservative, thus enhancing the cake’s shelf life by a few more days. I don’t often use buttercream but when I do I use Paul’s method which is also the same method practiced by millions of cake decorators. The wedding cake shop near me uses a buttercream crumb coat, a thin layer of marzipan and then enrobes with fondant.
I did say to the lady that not everyone likes marzipan, in which case she does use two layers of fondant, one of which is thin. This is to give wedding cakes a nice smooth finish.
I know we all have to learn and sometimes it’s difficult to believe everything we read. I would stick with what makes the most sense to you. Like me you’ve been learning from Paul, his methods haven’t failed me yet!
I find working with ganache gives me the most pleasing results so I stick with it. Not all people enjoy ganache therefore it’s good to learn buttercream techniques too. Regardless of sugar content I don’t use highly perishable fillings like cream cheese, bavarious, mousses or other custards unless the cakes are to be consumed within a few hours. I’ve taken advice from my local food agency and act on it!
I do agree that a double coating, whether it be marzipan or whether it be fondant does give a better finish but not necessary for all celebration cakes. I don’t agree with the jam part. As you’ve rightly said, there’s plenty of sugar in the sugar paste already! x