Some German Chocolake Cake process questions

June 19, 2018 9:36 AM

I have my recipe/recipes I'm mashing together. I have a frosting process question. I'm an experienced baker and have frosted and decorated plenty of cakes, but need some even MORE experienced advice since I will not have time to make a practice experience.

I'm making my dad's FAVORITE cake for his birthday.
I'm planning on frosting the sides of my traditional several layers of german chocolate cake with traditional german chocolate cake filling [and topping] of pecan/coconut goo.
I want to frost the sides with a swiss meringue chocolate buttercream (not the chocolate ganache you frequently see in those recipes that DO frost the sides).
After going through my choice of freezing/defrosting/making layers, filling and topping, should I:
-chill (in fridge OR freezer) for a bit to harden up the filling that is exposed on the sides?
-scrape that exposed filling down in some way?
Basically, I'm concerned about smooth coverage of the buttercream on the sides over the filling bits. Any advice?
(Yes, my father will love it even its ugly, but I'd like to make it pretty.)

posted by atomicstone to Food & Drink (4 answers total)

Best answer: Pipe a ridge of the buttercream around the edge of the bottom layer, and then put the delicious goo on the inside of said ring ( sort of making a "swimming pool" of the filling with the buttercream as the sides of the pool. ) then pop on the top layer and the ring of buttercream should act as a gasket between the layers, keeping the goo on the inside. Frost sides of cake as usual.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 9:53 AM on June 19, 2018 [12 favorites]

(Like, I'd use a frosting bag with just the plastic insert and no tip to get a big rope of it)
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 9:54 AM on June 19, 2018

Response by poster: Green Eyed Monster, it seems premature to mark as best answer, but it may very well be! This is why other people are helpful. My brain was locked into the order of operations provided in all of the recipes I read that it was unwilling to even consider using the chocolate frosting BEFORE the goo. Which is dumb. Frosting is a great and usual holder--in-er of other frosting, or, in this case, the goo.
Thanks!
posted by atomicstone at 10:14 AM on June 19, 2018

Not a pro, but I have made many complicated cakes, and I agree with Green Eyed Monster, a buttercream ridge to keep the filling in nice and tight between the layers and you are good to go. First answer – best answer!
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 12:35 PM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]