So you’ve baked your cake, and now you’re looking to get that perfect, smooth icing that you see in bakeries. Don’t worry, it’s not too hard, and with some practice and know-how, you can make your cakes look professionally done.
Now first, we should address the icing itself. We are going to be assuming you are using an American style buttercream. This is the basic icing type that doesn’t involve cooking egg whites or melting sugars and instead uses powdered sugar and butter or shortening to make a fluffy, light icing. If you’re using store-bought icing, just give it a brief whip in a mixer to fluff it up and make it light and airy like homemade icing, and you can even add flavors or colors if you’d like. Once you have your icing, simply pile on a small amount on your first layer of cake, smooth it out roughly to about a half inch thick, then place the next layer of cake on top. Repeat if doing a cake with more layers.
Next, we need some tools. The most important tool is an offset spatula. You can find this in the cake section of crafting stores, and this will be what you use the spread out your icing. They look almost like long knives with no sharp edge and a bend by the handle, though ones with no bend are sold as well. What kind you use will depend on personal preference.
Some people also like to use a cake comb. This is a large, flat piece of metal that looks like a scraper and often have different patterns on different sides. These are used for a final smoothing movement around the cake, and the patterned side can be used to leave a pattern on the side of your cake. These are optional, and some people will find it easier to smooth the sides of the cake just with the offset spatula.
Finally, we need a turntable. These are basically just lazy susans that raise the cake up to a more convenient height and let you spin the cake around while working on it. In fact, if you do not have one, you can use a lazy susan to do this job, though you may need to put down a damp cloth on it to have better friction with your cake board.
Now, we’re ready to ice. There are two primary ways to ice a cake. The first, more common method is to use what is called a “crumb coat.” This is a thin layer of icing you put on the cake to make it easier to put a nicer and smoother looking layer on later. As the name implies, this layer will also get full of crumbs from the cake that would otherwise show up in you outer layer as little speckles. All you need to do for the crumb coat is pile icing on top of the cake and smooth it very thin. You should be able to see bits of cake through this icing layer. Starting from the top and working the icing down the sides is a quick way to do it, but if you are having issues or are just not as comfortable with that, you can always use a piping bag to pipe some icing all around the cake and spread it with your offset spatula.
Use the turntable to spin your cake while holding your spatula or cake comb still and applying even pressure to get a smooth finish once you’ve spread the icing around. If you want a rustic looking naked cake, voilà! You’re done! If you’re using it as a crumb coat, place the cake in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the icing harden before apply your final coat.
The other method is actually just to freeze the cake overnight. Once frozen, the cake will be easier to handle and ice and not release as many crumbs. However, frozen cakes will begin to thaw as you ice them, so only use this method if you feel you can ice fast enough to not let the cake thaw out before you finish.
To put the final layer on, pile a large amount of icing on the top of the cake and spread around the cake working top to bottom with your offset spatula. Again, you can use a piping bag to help get the icing all around the cake and then just even it out with your spatula. Once the icing is evenly applied, it is time to smooth it. To get a bakery-level smooth finish, you are going to need a little bit of warm water. You can either dip your tools (offset spatula or cake comb) in a bowl or cup of warm water or use a clean spray bottle to gently mist the cake as you go. Either way, you are going to hold the spatula or cake comb still and turn the the turntable while apply light but firm pressure to get a smooth finish. The water will help the icing smooth out on the surface; just make sure not to use much or the icing won’t hold its form.
This part is where practice comes in. It will take a while to get used to how much pressure to use, and you will quickly find spots you didn’t apply enough icing to. Don’t worry; this will come in time. Your first cake will be rough, but that’s ok. You can overwork the icing, and you’ll find that if you try too long, you’ll start to make a little problem much bigger. You can also just break out the sprinkles and have fun with it! Cake decorating is all about having a good time and celebrating with friends, so never let a little setback get you down.
Here are some tips to remember when icing:
- Always remember that piping a border on or putting sprinkles or chocolate drizzle or nuts on the cake is a clever (and tasty) way to cover up little flaws.
- Every person I know ices cakes a little differently, and that’s okay! You have to find what works for you, so don’t be discouraged if you have trouble doing what somebody else is; you may just need to try doing it a different way.
- You will always be your own worst critic. Most people will never notice the flaws you see in your cake, so don’t worry.
- If using colored icing, use as little water as possible to avoid streaking on your cake. The darker the icing, the more this may be noticeable.
- If your cake is sliding around on your board or plate, put a small dollop of icing under the cake to help it hold still.
- If you feel like the icing is no longer salvageable, remember, rough icing cakes are very trendy right now. Just make even swoops with the tip of the offset spatula all around the cake and you’ll have a rustic cake in no time!