I make my kids a birthday cake of whatever they want each year. This year, a spider was requested and overall I’m really happy with it. 🕸️🕷️
HOWEVER, it drives me absolutely crazy that the buttercream is not smooth. Any tips?
by neurerro
27 Comments
Meljaneg
Make sure your butter is room temperature. And cream really well. I usually do a good 3 minutes on high speed.
NightRecounter
That cake is so cute. I love it
backnarkle48
Do you want it glossy or smooth (ie no spatula marks)?
LadyB1820
Dip your spatula or scraper in hot water, wipe it off and then scrape it. It should smooth out.
LegitimateSpare2065
You could try using a piece of acetate as a scraper. I’ve seen some YouTube videos of cake artists doing that or like a flexible scraper of some sort
sparklingredcardinal
I love this cake, what did you use for eyes?
assignmentburner33
Looks so cool OP! Wish it was my 7th birthday cake! 🕷️
AlwaysOutsider
While knowing how to get it smooth is nice, for a spider I like this rough looking texture more
Misanthrope-3000
That BC looks quite stiff. Is it just butter and sugar?
Italian meringue BC is pretty smooth, is easy to work with, and is my preferred and recommended BC. But, that does not fix your current issue.
Got a heat-gun? Moving it very quickly, on low power, should melt the ridges, which will flow into the crevasses, to make it all smooth. But do not dwell on one spot *at all*, or you melt a hole through the icing. (Don’t ask how I know.)
Syber50
I would add a little milk to your frosting to smooth it out. It will still be stiff, but less so. I do this with my buttercream that I frost the outside of the cake with, and use the stiffer no milk added frosting for piping
Antique-Juice9179
I thought this was a stuffed animal, the buttercream gives a fluffy effect, just like the real spider! 👏🏽
MasterYam234
Viva paper towels.
somethingweirder
what kind of buttercream? i find swiss buttercream do be much easier to work with.
JessicaLynne77
Use a hair dryer set on low heat to melt the very outermost part of the frosting.
A-a-ronMcChicken
That is a very cute spider 🥰
bug_lover420
I’m a spider biologist and I love this cake!!!!!!
DiscontentDonut
What my mom does is use Viva paper towels, specifically the ones with no design on them whatsoever. Then she puts them against the cake and uses the back of her hand to gently smooth it out.
The warmth of her hand is just enough to keep the icing from melting but still make it maleable to her touch. The Viva is a durable paper towel that doesn’t leave any fuzz behind, and comes with no pattern that would imprint on the cake.
My mom deals exclusively with buttercream and won’t use fondant, but gets comments all the time on how her cakes look like they’re wrapped in fondant because they’re so smooth.
Edit to add: Personally, I think a non-smooth texture on this particular cake works to your benefit. Spiders can be naturally fuzzy 🥰
Historical_Koala5530
Just here to ask if his name is Hanuš
BikiniGirl7
Looks fantastic!!! What did you use for the eyes???
c0de1143
That’s an amazing spider! (I just wish it was for an eighth birthday, for very silly reasons)
SirDwayneCollins
This is a terrifyingly beautiful cake!
Tofuhousewife
Whatttt I think it looks cute not smooth! Gives it a lil more spider texture! Sooooo cute
pinkweightedblanket
i know nothing of buttercream but i need you to understand how much serotonin this cake has given me. i don’t have depression anymore, i am cured.
no because seriously i am SOBBING over how cute this is??? i’ve always loved spiders and this is just 🥹 i’m crying you’re so talented your cake is so precious
SnakeskinSanta
You don’t. You just leave it and be thankful for what you got!
Mindless-Summer-4346
You killed this cake btw. So cute.
shoepolishsmellngmf
Listen to some Barry White while you’re baking.
Graphicnovelnick
Spiders are naturally fuzzy. Add course chocolate sprinkles for fuzz
27 Comments
Make sure your butter is room temperature. And cream really well. I usually do a good 3 minutes on high speed.
That cake is so cute. I love it
Do you want it glossy or smooth (ie no spatula marks)?
Dip your spatula or scraper in hot water, wipe it off and then scrape it. It should smooth out.
You could try using a piece of acetate as a scraper. I’ve seen some YouTube videos of cake artists doing that or like a flexible scraper of some sort
I love this cake, what did you use for eyes?
Looks so cool OP! Wish it was my 7th birthday cake! 🕷️
While knowing how to get it smooth is nice, for a spider I like this rough looking texture more
That BC looks quite stiff. Is it just butter and sugar?
Italian meringue BC is pretty smooth, is easy to work with, and is my preferred and recommended BC. But, that does not fix your current issue.
Got a heat-gun? Moving it very quickly, on low power, should melt the ridges, which will flow into the crevasses, to make it all smooth. But do not dwell on one spot *at all*, or you melt a hole through the icing. (Don’t ask how I know.)
I would add a little milk to your frosting to smooth it out. It will still be stiff, but less so. I do this with my buttercream that I frost the outside of the cake with, and use the stiffer no milk added frosting for piping
I thought this was a stuffed animal, the buttercream gives a fluffy effect, just like the real spider! 👏🏽
Viva paper towels.
what kind of buttercream? i find swiss buttercream do be much easier to work with.
Use a hair dryer set on low heat to melt the very outermost part of the frosting.
That is a very cute spider 🥰
I’m a spider biologist and I love this cake!!!!!!
What my mom does is use Viva paper towels, specifically the ones with no design on them whatsoever. Then she puts them against the cake and uses the back of her hand to gently smooth it out.
The warmth of her hand is just enough to keep the icing from melting but still make it maleable to her touch. The Viva is a durable paper towel that doesn’t leave any fuzz behind, and comes with no pattern that would imprint on the cake.
My mom deals exclusively with buttercream and won’t use fondant, but gets comments all the time on how her cakes look like they’re wrapped in fondant because they’re so smooth.
Edit to add: Personally, I think a non-smooth texture on this particular cake works to your benefit. Spiders can be naturally fuzzy 🥰
Just here to ask if his name is Hanuš
Looks fantastic!!! What did you use for the eyes???
That’s an amazing spider! (I just wish it was for an eighth birthday, for very silly reasons)
This is a terrifyingly beautiful cake!
Whatttt I think it looks cute not smooth! Gives it a lil more spider texture! Sooooo cute
i know nothing of buttercream but i need you to understand how much serotonin this cake has given me. i don’t have depression anymore, i am cured.
no because seriously i am SOBBING over how cute this is??? i’ve always loved spiders and this is just 🥹 i’m crying you’re so talented your cake is so precious
You don’t. You just leave it and be thankful for what you got!
You killed this cake btw. So cute.
Listen to some Barry White while you’re baking.
Spiders are naturally fuzzy. Add course chocolate sprinkles for fuzz