My Kitchen Table

02/06/2026

A beautiful cake starts long before the final coat of buttercream.

If your cakes are leaning, bulging or sliding, take a look at your filling and stacking process.

Here are 3 must-do tips every baker should know:

✅ 1. No buttercream dam: Pipe a buttercream dam.
A ring of buttercream around the edge helps keep your filling where it belongs and prevents it from squeezing out the sides.

✅ 2. Overfilling layers: Don’t overfill your layers.
More filling isn’t always better. Too much filling can cause cakes to slide, bulge and become unstable.

✅ 3. No checking layers: Check every layer is level.
Even a slight tilt can become a big problem once multiple layers are stacked. Take a moment to check each layer before adding the next.

💡 Bonus tip: Give your cake a little chill before decorating. A cold, well-stacked cake is much easier to crumb coat and achieve sharp edges on.

22/05/2026

In cooler climates like Ireland, eggs can sit out for hours and still be too cold for baking 🥚

Cold eggs can:
❌ cause the batter to split
❌ affect structure
❌ lead to denser cakes

✨ Simple fix:
Place your eggs in warm (not hot) water for 5 minutes before using.
They’ll warm gently and be perfect for baking.

It’s a small step, but it makes a big difference — and it’s one of the simple baking basics I teach in my cake & cupcake workshops at My Kitchen Table 💛

18/05/2026

If your cakes look rough or uneven, it usually comes down to these:

-Crumb coat first
Locks in crumbs and gives you a clean base

-Get your buttercream consistency right
Too soft = slides
Too stiff = drags
I usually aim to get a peanut butter consistency when covering my cakes.

-Use a straight scraper
And keep it steady — let the tool do the work

-Smooth with light, even pressure
Heavy pressure creates lines and dips

-Chill your cake between coats
This makes it much easier to get a clean finish

Smooth cakes aren’t about spending hours to get it perfect… just good technique

💬 What do you struggle with most — buttercream or smoothing?

Want to learn how to decorate a cake?
Join our cake decorating group workshops or book in a 1:1 masterclass and take your cakes to the next step.
Link to workshops are in my bio.

17/05/2026