Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

I just watched the videos on how to use ganache on a cake (Great videos, by the way.). In the videos, Paul shows how to fill a cake with ganache, in between the layers. Being a novice at using ganache, I was wondering if you can fill the cake with other fillings? And if I can, what kind of dam do I use…..buttercream or ganache? And after I dam and fill the cake (question being with buttercream or ganache for the dam) I can then cover the cake in ganache to prepare it for sugarpaste……correct? I appreciate any information on this subject. Thank you!!!!

Hello cakemom

Any filling of your preference can be used. I make a ganache dam, that way when you pop each layer on top of each other the bit that squishes out is ganache and can be smoothed round to be part of the ganache crumbcoat.
The cake can then be prepared for the sugarpaste just like as you have mentioned above.
Hope this helps.

Thank you madeitwithlove! That helps a ton. I appreciate your help! (And I just realized that I kept typing the wrong kind of “dam”! Oops! Hahaha. So sorry. Didn’t mean to cuss! Ha!) I think I will be working with ganache a lot more. 🙂

May be you are using the right spelling, sometimes this caking lark certainly makes me want to cuss!

If it helps, there is blog and ganache quantities chart for different sized cakes here:
http://www.cakeflix.com/blog/how-to-ganache-cakes-without-gnashing-your-teeth
and if you’d like a little information about the shelf life of ganache and how to extend it a little, have a peek here:
http://www.cakeflix.com/blog/the-shelf-life-of-ganache-by-madeitwithlove
If your ganache ever splits and becomes oily, there is a fix here:

Oily ganache!!!

Ganache is one of the most discussed topics on site, to access the discussions just type in the above search box ‘ganache’.
Good luck with you ganaching, baking and decorating! x

Ha ha! Thank you, madeitwithlove! Your links, information, and help are fantastic. I certainly appreciate all your help.