Help for an extremley amatuer baker

Jollyman2

Hi there can someone please tell me is the attached finish achieved from buttercream and how do you get the effect of the waves?

Regards,
Jolly

Mince Pie

Looks like buttercream to me and the waves/wedges look like they are done with the point of a palette knife.
Just smooth then add the waves using a turntable would be your best bet.

dee_mc

Here are the instructions for a very similar cake (possibly the same cake actually!) copied from here http://www.blog.birdsparty.com/2013/05/cake-it-pretty-how-to-create-four.html
"This effect reminds of subtle waves and ribbons. Holding a metal spatula perpendicular to the turntable, place the tip of the spatula to the bottom of an iced cake. While spinning the turntable, carefully spiral the spatula around the cake by moving the spatula up the height of the cake. "Push" any excess frosting over the edge of the cake and finish off the top with a spiral."
You'd need a fairly thick icing to achieve this effect. I've done something similar before on coffee cakes and it looks great, easy too!

Jollyman2

Thanks for the response guys, I want to practice this can I do this on a sponge cake or does it need to be smooth iced first? Silly question probably

Mince Pie

Jollyman2 wrote: »

Thanks for the response guys, I want to practice this can I do this on a sponge cake or does it need to be smooth iced first? Silly question probably

Sponge would be perfect. Just do a crumb coat first. then away ye go.

dee_mc

I have been known to practice new icing techniques on a small clean cake tin. The icing can then be reused.