A bit of white buttercream

[Allura]

I looked for, but didn't find, a "stupid baking questions" thread. We picked up a birthday cake at the local bakery, and got to talking about something we noticed. It was an all-chocolate cake - chocolate cake, fuge filling, buttercream icing. But right at the outer edge of the filling was some white butter cream. I've seen this a lot on chocolate cakes (which is about all my family gets ); a bit of white buttercream on the edge of the filling, possibly on the sides a bit, as well. We were speculating why - I'm leaning towards icing the cake first so it's easier to see the spots? Am I close?

Curious!

Edited December 20, 2005 by Allura (log)

[momlovestocook]

When you fill a cake, you put an icing edge around the outside to hold the filling in. You do that so when you put the top layer on the cake, you do not having filling running down the sides of the cake. They probably just use white for all the cakes. It is called an icing dam.

Sandra

[fiftydollars]

It's a sort of, uh, buttercream dam to keep the filling from spilling out. They probably use the same buttercream to do this on all their cakes since the fully frosted cake would cover it up.

Edited December 20, 2005 by fiftydollars (log)

[Allura]

Guess I should have made that bet with my sister afterall. Thanks! Obviously, my baking skills don't include layer cakes, just single layers and cookie and such. No assembly required!

[Beanie]

I looked for, but didn't find, a "stupid baking questions" thread. We picked up a birthday cake at the local bakery, and got to talking about something we noticed. It was an all-chocolate cake - chocolate cake, fuge filling, buttercream icing. But right at the outer edge of the filling was some white butter cream. I've seen this a lot on chocolate cakes (which is about all my family gets ); a bit of white buttercream on the edge of the filling, possibly on the sides a bit, as well. We were speculating why - I'm leaning towards icing the cake first so it's easier to see the spots? Am I close?

Curious!

←

Allura,

The reason there is no "stupid baking questions" thread is because there are no stupid baking questions. As a novice baker who has never made layer cakes, I was not aware of the icing dam technique and have learned something from your post. The reason I love this forum so much is that all levels of bakers -- from novices like me to advanced home bakers such as PatrickS (who is also a great photographer ) and Ling, to the professionals such as Wendy, Nightscotsman and so many others -- we are all here to share, learn, and advance our skills. Keep those "stupid" questions coming!

[Wendy DeBord]

I looked for, but didn't find, a "stupid baking questions" thread. We picked up a birthday cake at the local bakery, and got to talking about something we noticed. It was an all-chocolate cake - chocolate cake, fuge filling, buttercream icing. But right at the outer edge of the filling was some white butter cream. I've seen this a lot on chocolate cakes (which is about all my family gets ); a bit of white buttercream on the edge of the filling, possibly on the sides a bit, as well. We were speculating why - I'm leaning towards icing the cake first so it's easier to see the spots? Am I close?

Curious!

←

Allura,

The reason there is no "stupid baking questions" thread is because there are no stupid baking questions. As a novice baker who has never made layer cakes, I was not aware of the icing dam technique and have learned something from your post. The reason I love this forum so much is that all levels of bakers -- from novices like me to advanced home bakers such as PatrickS (who is also a great photographer ) and Ling, to the professionals such as Wendy, Nightscotsman and so many others -- we are all here to share, learn, and advance our skills. Keep those "stupid" questions coming!

←

Great response Beanie!!!!! I couldn't agree more.......... all questions and thoughts on any level are welcome here.

[lancastermike]

I looked for, but didn't find, a "stupid baking questions" thread. We picked up a birthday cake at the local bakery, and got to talking about something we noticed. It was an all-chocolate cake - chocolate cake, fuge filling, buttercream icing. But right at the outer edge of the filling was some white butter cream. I've seen this a lot on chocolate cakes (which is about all my family gets ); a bit of white buttercream on the edge of the filling, possibly on the sides a bit, as well. We were speculating why - I'm leaning towards icing the cake first so it's easier to see the spots? Am I close?

Curious!

←

Allura,

The reason there is no "stupid baking questions" thread is because there are no stupid baking questions. As a novice baker who has never made layer cakes, I was not aware of the icing dam technique and have learned something from your post. The reason I love this forum so much is that all levels of bakers -- from novices like me to advanced home bakers such as PatrickS (who is also a great photographer ) and Ling, to the professionals such as Wendy, Nightscotsman and so many others -- we are all here to share, learn, and advance our skills. Keep those "stupid" questions coming!

←

Great response Beanie!!!!! I couldn't agree more.......... all questions and thoughts on any level are welcome here.

←

When I read Pastry and Baking I am always so impressed how the professionals share and help us home bakers without any attitude or pretense. E-Gullet is a wonderful place full of wonderful people, but I believe this part of it is the shining star of what it can and should be.